![\"Screen](\"http:\/\/www.classtools.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Screen-Shot-2015-02-17-at-20.48.26.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nOnce they have located their quizmaster, they will be issued with their mission sheet.<\/p>\n
Stage 2: Complete the first mission<\/h3>\n
Their first job will be to proceed to a place provided in a clue (“Go to the gardens\u00a0nearby which are\u00a0named after the French Resistance leader during World War Two who later became President”) and then to complete two tasks:<\/p>\n
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- A factual question which can be answered by looking around the place in question (‘Find a monument in the gardens dedicated to a local mayor assassinated for refusing to support France’s war against Germany in 1914, and write down his name here’)<\/li>\n
- A photo task where the team has to take a group photo at a particular spot at the location (‘Find the sculpture of\u00a0Resistance leader after whom these gardens are named, and take a group photo alongside it’).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For each task completed, the team will ultimately be awarded 5 points.<\/p>\n
![\"Screen](\"http:\/\/www.classtools.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Screen-Shot-2015-02-17-at-21.01.57-1024x680.jpg\")
<\/a>Extract from the first draft of the Treasure Hunt worksheet<\/p><\/div>\n
Stage 3: Complete the remaining missions<\/h3>\n
From this point, the ‘proceed to a place’ format can be repeated indefinitely: I used Google Maps to identify 10 key places around the city within walking distance, and then created a series of questions which guides them through clues from one place to another (“Proceed through the gardens till you reach a road named after the province regained by France at the end of World War One. Head West down this until you reach a square named after England’s patron saint” – and so on).<\/p>\n
![\"Screen](\"http:\/\/www.classtools.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Screen-Shot-2015-09-05-at-13.28.47-1024x696.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nStage 4: Beat the Clock!<\/h3>\n
One crucial ingredient of the treasure hunt is to provide a strict time limit. Teams have to hand their completed sheets back to their quizmaster before a designated time. Failure to do so should incur a heavy penalty or even disqualification. In this way, an element of urgency is built into the event.<\/p>\n
![\"1\"](\"http:\/\/www.classtools.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/12.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n
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Concluding Thoughts<\/h2>\n
The activity worked very well on both occasions we have used it: firstly with visiting teachers for the Maths conference, and then in September as a Year 12 Induction Event. It will benefit by a ‘feet on the ground’ run-through next week, where I will undoubtedly spot other interesting details that I can build into the activity sheet.<\/p>\n
I also aim to add some useful bits of trivia about the places in question so that when groups arrive there they can learn additional interesting things about\u00a0them.<\/p>\n
I particularly like the fact that the names of streets, buildings and squares are such a rich and generally untapped historical source, and that this activity will allow students to unlock it and appreciate their locality in a fresh way.<\/p>\n
The potential for crossover projects with Geography are obvious (especially if the clues require use of map skills) but also\u00a0many other subjects (since so many local businesses and monuments honour literary, scientific and political figures).<\/p>\n
![\"Screen](\"http:\/\/www.classtools.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Screen-Shot-2015-09-05-at-13.29.12-1024x650.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nI also like the idea of using students lower down the school to design the treasure hunt for the incoming Year 12 students through a map-based activity in the classroom. With a map they can identify some of the key places in the locality, then conduct research into the origin and development of those places to construct their own ‘scavenger hunt’ for the older students. In this way two groups of students are taught at once and the teacher merely becomes a mediator!<\/p>\n
If you have tried out similar exercises yourself or if you have thoughts about this one, let me know through the comments or by contacting me on Twitter (@russeltarr<\/a>).<\/p>\n