Sixth graders in Haley Davis’ class enjoyed a grand adventure recently, fashioned after the popular reality show The Amazing Race. The students participated in The Amazing Grammar Race, a fun yet educationally enriching activity full of lessons in writing and grammar.
The three-part race began with a scavenger hunt. Students organized themselves into small teams and searched for a series of clues hidden across campus. The clues sent groups to spots such as the amphitheater, the pond (where the clue was hidden in the hollowed out stump), the Middle School Office, Middle School chapel space, the library, and the Academic Enrichment Center.
Here’s a sample clue: Good game! Good catch! Good pass! Good feet! Head here during halftime when you want something to eat.
At each stop, students had to answer one or two questions about the eight parts of speech, identifying
the purpose of each part of speech then giving an example. For instance, one question asked. What is a noun? Write an example of an abstract and a concrete noun. What is the difference between common and proper nouns? Write a sentence using two common nouns--one abstract and one concrete—and one proper noun.
Points were awarded based on speed and accuracy. Even if a team finished in last place based on speed, the team had an opportunity to win by getting the most correct answers. Teams worked hard to be both fast and accurate! Through the scavenger hunt, students not only learned grammar skills but problem solving, teamwork, accuracy, and research skills such as using index and reference materials.
In the second part of The Amazing Grammar Race, students were given a “top secret” mission. Each group was assigned a grammar concept to teach to the class, and then give a short test. The students used video recordings to teach topics such as direct and indirect objects or transitive and intransitive verbs. The challenge was to record a video which was engaging, accurate, and creative in just 40 minutes of class time. Students had the option of making a music video, a mini-movie, a game show, or whatever else they could imagine. For example, one group created a news show called Noun News
The final section of The Amazing Grammar Race was a writing relay. Students started at the bottom of the stairs next to the athletic center, ran up the stairs to the flag pole and wrote only one sentence of a story on the ground in sidewalk chalk. In relay style, the team members ran the chalk back to their next teammate who then wrote another sentence—and so on—until a complete story was created. Stories were then scored on creativity and correct grammar.