Are you looking for ways to add some excitement to reading informational text? Try a scavenger hunt! In this fun and engaging activity, students will walk around the room and read fact cards that describe animal adaptations, then use a recording sheet to share what they’ve learned. They’ll have so much fun they won’t even realize they’re getting valuable practice with informational text structures and fact recall. Learn below how you can easily set up a scavenger hunt in your classroom!
Students in grades 3-5 love any excuse to get out of their seats and move, so why not add some educational value? This ready-to-use scavenger hunt is the perfect way to combine reading with movement. You will be amazed at how much your students recall from this activity! It’s perfect for a science unit on animals or as an informational text review.
What’s Included?
Everything you need to set up a scavenger hunt is included in this downloadable PDF file. You will get:
- 26 Fact Cards (one animal for each letter of the alphabet) in color and black and white.
- 3 Recording Sheet options- that’s right, there are 3 different ways to use this activity! Opt for the basic fact-finding mission, try the vocabulary hunt, or challenge your students with the higher-order thinking synthesis option!
- Answer Keys
- Teacher Instructions
How Do I Set Up a Scavenger Hunt?
Before your students arrive, cut out each fact card and place them in various spots around your room. Get creative! Stick the cards in unexpected places, like underneath a chair, or on the side of a filing cabinet. Make it fun and challenging for students to find all the cards. With cards in place, provide each student with the recording sheet of your choice. Allow students to walk around the room and read each fact. They will jot down the name of the animal and its adaptation on their recording sheet.
When students finish, there are two questions at the end of the recording sheet for them to work on as others continue looking for facts.
What About Classroom Management?
It’s important to set some ground rules before you start the activity. Here are a few I’ve used over the years:
- Only (x) amount of students may read one card at a time
- Students must be actively looking for facts during the activity
- Talk only with your partner or group
- Do not shout out the location of “hidden” cards. Be as discreet as possible so as not to tip off other students.
You may also wish to provide a small incentive (for example, a sticker or the opportunity to be line leader) to the student/team who finishes first. It all depends on your class!
Where Can I Find This Activity?
Click on the picture below to find the download page for this FREE Animal Adaptations Scavenger Hunt Activity:
What’s one of your favorite activities to encourage movement while learning?
Happy Teaching!
Marianna
Creatively Comprehensive
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