Before Reading Activity: Scavenger Hunt and Variations

Textbook Scavenger Hunt

A textbook scavenger hunt is a fun activity that engages students in discovering the ins and outs of their textbook and in the process assists with mastery of the print convention clues that facilitate comprehension. The hunt can be teacher - designed to meet objectives within a specific lesson. The authors (Rozzelle & Scearce, 2009) suggest that the hunt be either within a group or individually whereby the students locate specific conventions of print within the textbook as well as sections or images, such as graphs and their captions, within the chapters. The template provided below guides in the selection of items to include in the search. The characteristics of textbooks or core content readings vary, such as the differences between novels and scientific readings. The scavenger hunt strategy is an effective tool for highlighting these characteristics.

Scavenger Hunt Graphic Organizer Questions from Solution Tree, Inc. - Power Tools for Adolescent Literacy, Rozzelle and Scearce 2009, page 66

Scavenger Hunt Graphic Organizer Questions (fillable PDF)

Word Scavenger Hunts (Fisher, Brozo, Frey, & Ivey, 2006, p. 134).

Students can engage in this activity as a prereading or during-reading activity. Students locate words within the text, or they might be asked to find objects that represent the vocabulary provided. Cooperative groups may be formed to complete the hunt. Meeting times are scheduled and a deadline provided. This is an excellent vehicle for creating non-typical groups for the classroom. The activity engages student interest and can motivate students to sustain interest in the reading.

References:

Fisher, D., Brozo, W. G., Frey, N., & Ivey, G. (2006). 50 sontent area strategies for

adolescent literacy. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill/Prentice-Hall.

Rozelle, J., & Scearce, C. (2009). Power tools for adolescent literacy. Bloomington, IN: Solution

Tree, Inc.