Lesson Title: Back to School Scavenger Hunt

Welcome to your guide to a back to school scavenger hunt! The beginning of the year is often a hectic time for everyone, students and staff alike. Kick it off with a fun and interactive activity that will help everyone get back into the school spirit!

This lesson plan is designed to encourage students to develop new skills in teamwork, communication, and exploration. By participating in various scavenger hunt missions around the school, students will learn their surroundings, make new friends, and get set up for a successful school year. Get them ready to explore, learn, and start the new school year on a positive, memorable note!

Grade: 3 - 9

Subject: Back to School

Objective:

• During this lesson, students will: 
  • Familiarize themselves with their classmates, teachers, and the school environment
  • Engage in a welcoming, interactive scavenger hunt designed to get them comfortable with their classmates (and you!)
  • Develop teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills

Materials:

• Mobile devices with the Goosechase app downloaded (one per team).
• List of Missions (created beforehand in the Goosechase app)
• Prizes for the winning team (optional).

Preparation:

• Create an Experience on the Goosechase app with a series of Back-to-School related Missions.
• Develop Missions that require students to get to know their school, classroom, teachers, classmates etc.  Example Missions:
  • Find the Principal: Take a selfie with the school principal and ask them for a piece of advice for the new school year.
  • School Mascot: Find a picture or statue of the school mascot and take a selfie with it.
  • New Friend: Find a classmate you haven't met before. Take a picture with them and learn three interesting facts about them.
  • School History: Find out one interesting fact about the history of your school and share it in a video.
  • Teacher Interview: Interview a teacher and ask them what their favorite subject was in school. Record a short video of the interview.
• Find example Missions in the Goosechase Templates below. 
• Run your Experience during one class period or for the entire week.
• Adapt the difficulty of the Missions based on the proficiency levels of your students to keep the activity inclusive and engaging for everyone.
• Prepare hints or resources that might help students solve the Missions if needed.
• Divide students into teams and assign each team a mobile device with the app, or have students complete the scavenger hunt individually.
• App Set-Up 
  • Dedicate time to ensuring all students have the Goosechase app downloaded and joined to the Experience to avoid any tech issues.

Lesson Plan Outline:

• Introduction 
  • Welcome students back to school.
  • Explain the objective of the lesson and how the scavenger hunt will help them get to know their environment, classmates, teachers, and school staff.
  • Briefly demonstrate how to use the Goosechase app and explain the rules and expectations.
• Goosechase Scavenger Hunt 
  • Read through Missions with students, ensuring they understand the Missions (Tip - this may only be helpful for younger students!)
  • Monitor progress and provide assistance as necessary.
  • Circulate around the school to assist and ensure everyone has a chance to participate.
  • If working in teams, encourage them to strategize and collaborate to solve the Missions.
  • Sit back and enjoy watching your students collaborate and demonstrate their learning.
• Debrief and Reflection 
  • Gather students together after the scavenger hunt to discuss their experiences. 
  • Ask students to reflect on how they worked as a team and what strategies helped them succeed.
  • Highlight creative or insightful submissions. Award bonus points to those teams or individuals (optional).
  • Allow teams to share their favorite scavenger hunt missions and what they learned.
  • Award small prizes or certificates to the winning team and all participants (optional). 

Optional Post-Experience Activities:

• Presentation
  • Have students create a presentation or poster about what they learned during the scavenger hunt.
• Reflection
  • Ask students to write a reflection piece or journal entry outlining their first week of school experiences.

Assessment

• Evaluations based on student participation and engagement during the Goosechase scavenger hunt. 
• Assess and observe students' ability to work as a team and collaborate with other students.

Ready Made Experience Templates to Try

Want a copy of this lesson plan to use with your class?

What is Goosechase EDU?

Goosechase is an online platform that helps educators create and run interactive learning experiences in their classrooms and beyond. Sign up and try creating an Experience, or contact us to learn more about our school and district-wide solutions!