For the Teacher

Overview of Grade 5, Earth Science, Engagement 4

Working in small teams of two or three, students race the clock to answer questions. If a team answers correctly, they get two points plus a chance for one member to shoot a basket for an extra point. The game ends when all questions on the gameboard have been answered.

What You Need

• The means to project this interactive for whole-class viewing
• Grade 5 Core Knowledge Science Student Readers, Modeling Earth’s Systems (Students should be allowed to use the book to seek answers. Looking up information on demand is a valuable skill to practice!)
• Markers and scrap paper (with one blank side, about 20 sheets per team)
• A five-gallon bucket

Advance Preparation

• Preassign students to teams of two or three players before you begin.

How to Facilitate

• Beginning with the screen following this one, project the engagement in the largest format possible for whole-class viewing.
• Go over the rules with students before beginning.
• Remind students about proper etiquette for whole-class review games, emphasizing the importance of not shouting out answers.
• Then use the Let’s Play! button to advance to the game board.
• Selecting a hoop reveals a question and starts the countdown timer.
• Each team writes their answer on a piece of paper and shows their answer when time is up. They must have their answer ready by end of the timer countdown (20 seconds).
• Use the Reveal Answer button to reveal the correct response.
  • If a team answers incorrectly, they get no points in the round.
  • If a team answers correctly, they receive two points. Click Tally the Points to add points to the scoreboard. They also get to shoot a basket for one extra point with the balled-up paper from their answer attempt. Click the Bonus Shot button to add points to the scoreboard. NOTE: Students should make the bonus attempt from their seat. Change the location of the bonus-points basket (the five-gallon bucket) from one corner of the room to another and into the center of the room with each question round. That way, the ease or difficulty of the shot varies fairly throughout the game regardless of where students are seated.
• The game ends when all the questions on the game board have been answered. The team with the highest number of points at the end wins.
• If there are two or more teams tied for points at the end, implement a tiebreaker session.
  • Have designated players from the tied teams line up and take turns trying to score baskets from the same distance within a quick twenty-second round.
  • Onlookers should keep track of the tiebreaker points that players win for their teams to determine the final score.