Saturday, January 17, 2015

And the Answer Is...


I'm a little late to the Trivia Crack app movement, but after just a few questions I've made it to Level 2 and can totally see the appeal. The game resembles the classic Trivial Pursuit board game where players answer questions in various categories trying to win segments. Categories in the app include history, geography, art, sports, entertainment, and science. It has a fun animated interface, involves challenging social game play with friends, and messaging and chat features. Players can earn achievement badges and answer questions to earn special characters or challenge your opponent.

A really interesting aspect of this app is what they call the Question Factory. Players are able to suggest and rate questions and even translate questions. How cool would this be to use in Foreign Language classrooms?!  I was pleased to see the screen warning about offensive or inappropriate content when I clicked on the Suggest Questions section. 
As an educator, it never fails, my mind always thinks of how things can be applied to learning and the classroom. Which led me to my first thought, why not set up a classroom account and play with other classrooms? Compete with similar grade classrooms on your campus, in your district, or even globally. 
This app is very popular with students as well as teachers. Students are seeking out teacher help and searching the Internet as they encounter difficult questions. Capitalize on this high level of interest and build rapport with your students. Here are a few suggestions to try with your students:
    • Begin the day or class with team challenges. 
    • Fill in those transitional periods with a few questions.
    • Utilize the app for brain breaks.
    • Expand on questions with journal writing. 
    • Locate images or artists from Art category questions.
    • Practice geography skills, locate places, landforms, etc.
    • Proofread questions and answers for correct grammar and spelling.
    • Challenge students to create questions from class content to suggest for the app. 
Whether you are a trivia game lover or not, curiosity can help the brain boost learning and memory. Try Trivia Crack in your classroom and lead a brain cross-training workout plus learn some interesting facts along the way.


As always, follow your treasure map...
S~

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