Structures and Functions of Living Things
About Course
For the Teacher
Overview of Grade 4, Life Science, Engagement 1
Students play in teams, answering questions to advance their marker along a game board. The first team to the end—or the team farthest along the path when all
questions have been answered—wins the game
What You Need
- The means to project this interactive for whole-class viewing
- Grade 5 Core Knowledge Science Student Readers, Structures and Functions of Living Things (Students should be allowed to use the book to
seek answers. Looking up information on demand is a valuable skill to practice!)
Advance Preparation
- Preassign students four teams before you begin.
- Label four small squares of paper each with one of the colors red, green, blue, orange
- Fold the papers. Have each team draw a paper to discover their randomly assigned team color and the order of play.
- Allow students to huddle to name their team. Their mascots are as follows: red = ladybug; green = mantis; blue = beetle; orange = spider
- Download and print these instructions. You will need the answer key at the end of the document
How to Facilitate
- Beginning with the screen following this one, project the engagement in the largest format possible for whole-class viewing.
- The overall goal is for teams to move their mascot from the starting space to the Finish space on the game board.
- Go over the rules with students before beginning.
- Explain that students will play one at a time to represent their teams.
- Have students take their turns in alphabetical order within their teams (by first name).
- Emphasize the importance of not shouting out answers when it isn’t their turn.
- Note which team is up as indicated by the mascot that appears on the card deck. Have the active player stand while all other players remain seated.
- Select the card to reveal a pop-out with a question. After the question audio concludes, the timer will begin to count down 20 seconds.
- The player must answer at or before the end of the timer countdown.
- If they are ready early, click the timer to stop the countdown.
- Before selecting Reveal Answer, first check the player’s answer using the answer key at the end of these instructions.
- If the player’s answer is incorrect, their turn is over without a chance to spin for how many spaces to move the mascot. Select Play On and move on to the next team. The unanswered question will return to the deck.
- If the player’s answer is correct, select the Reveal Answer button to show the correct response. Then select Spin the Wheel.
- Spin the movement wheel. The result determines how many spaces to move the team’s mascot. Drag the mascot and drop it in the correct gameboard space. Be sure to observe the “Go forward” and “Go back” instructions as posted on the game board.
- Carry on with all students representing their teams in succession until a team has reached the Finish space or all the cards and the deck have been played
through.