Teach Now (Teacher Certification): Explain a Concept Using a Mobile App or Tablet Device Part 1

Module 3 Unit 2 Activity 4

Explain a Concept Using a Mobile or Tablet Device

Scavenger Hunt with QR Codes

·         Lesson Objectives: This lesson will teach students my young ELL how to follow directions but it focuses on learning prepositions of location taught during a lesson previous to the activity. The students will have to know the material and vocabulary to prepare for a test at the end of their semester.

·         Goals:  Learn new vocabulary, follow directions, and use technology.

·         Device: Smartphone or ipad/ tablet.

·         App: The app they will use is a free app called Google Goggles that they can download where they can scan QR codes.

·         Task: After teaching the students prepositions of location, they will have to go on a scavenger hunt around the different classrooms finding a QR code that is carefully hidden using prepositions of location such as:

1.    Go to the bathroom, it is next to the soap.

When they find the QR code, they will scan it on their phone and it will tell them a clue about the final riddle and give them directions to where the next QR code is such as:

      1.   Hurray! Your first clue is: It is something tall.

                 2.    Next, go to the smallest classroom and it is under the table.

When they find all QR codes, they have to come back to their seat and using all the clues they gathered, find out what other object they were given all the clues about.

The first student who finds the answer to the clues wins and gets to pick a game we get to play for the remainder of the class time.

Hopefully by looking at the vocabulary, and placing the objects in real life, not just in words and pictures, they will be able to remember the words (prepositions of location) and know what they actually mean.

* I usually do this outside with my university students but for these elementary school kids I am keeping it inside our small school.

School Policies: This activity will take place at The English Learning Center, which is a small school that my husband and I co-own. We will send a message to all the mothers of the children involved to get permission to record their child for this activity.

Preparation: I will help them download the app one week previous to the activity during class time and explain the activity for the next week. I already know that all my students have smartphones but sometimes they aren’t allowed to bring their phones to my class. When I message the mothers, I will let them know they will need their smartphones for this activity. If their mothers do not allow them to bring their phones, they can always use my husband’s and my own smartphones.

App Use: The app is very simple to use. Once the app is downloaded, all the kids have to do is press the camera button on the app and it will automatically scan the QR code. They will have to click on the link that they get, and their clues will appear on their phone/tablet screens.

Problems: I have done this lesson before and I have never had problems with it. An option to do this without a smartphone is to already have all the clues printed out and hidden. This takes the fun out of it, and all the clues can be read without anticipation so it also takes the mystery out of the activity, but the basic objectives can be met, as long as they don’t cheat! But I will be watching them to make sure they don’t!

Activity time: 

60 minute lesson

5 minutes of attendance and introduction

15 minutes of explanation of prepositions of location

5 minutes of explanation of their tasks

10 minutes to search for the QR codes

5 minutes to come back to their seat and decipher the clues

5 minutes to discuss their answers

5 minutes to review what they have learned and discuss preparation for the next class

Winner can choose the game to be played for the remainder of the time.

Rubric:

Student Name:     ________________________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Comprehension	Student seems to understand all directions and prepositions of location.	Student seems to understand most of the directions and prepositions of location.	Student understands some parts of the directions and prepositions of location.	Student has trouble understanding or remembering most directions and prepositions of location.
Respects Others	Student follows directions without without distracting others.	Student gets off tasks but does not distract others.	Student gets off task, distract others OR moves around in ways that distract others once.	Student gets off task distract others, OR moves around in ways that distract others more than once.
Participates Willingly	Student willingly tries to ask questions and find the clues on their own.	Student willingly tries to find clues but ask gets others off task by asking them for the clues.	Student does not willingly participate and tries to get answers from others.	Student does not participate.