As I read through the 20-page assignment on the Industrial Revolution, I kept thinking to myself...Wow, this is boring! If I was feeling that burn, imagine what my students were going to feel. I decided it was time to break out of the box. In this case, literally break out of the four walls of my classroom. I sent my students on a school-wide scavenger hunt using QR codes, a hint sheet, and provocative prompts from the reading. This episode walks through that EPIC lesson with two of my awesome students, Caroline Craig-Bowden and Sandy Smith. I also share practical steps so you can run a similar hunt in your building.
Caroline Craig-Bowden and Sandy Smith
First, secure a QR code reader on student phones or tablets. I love this simple, but powerful app i-nigma.
Second, produce QR codes. Classroom Tools has a remarkably easy site for this. Type in your questions and answers, and the site will generate codes you can print and post.
And finally, pick hiding places around the school for your codes. Create a HINT SHEET to help students search. Below is my list from Bexley High School. I bet you could adapt many of these clues to your own building.
HINT SHEET:
- Finding this one could take you to another level
- On the back of a warning
- Where Sturtevant gets his Old Skool messages
- These kids looked great in 88
- Behind something black and gray
- If you find this one…YOU’RE REALLY ON A ROLL!
- If you don’t find this code, your prospects of winning will be extinguished
- Open this door and find an awesome relationship
- If you get to the bottom of where this code is placed…I’ll be shocked
- Search this virtual tool we use daily
ANSWERS:
- Elevator
- On the back of the “No Firearms” warning on the front door
- My mailbox in the main office
- The Class of 1988 composite
- On the backside of a trashcan in the hallway
- On the large paper rolls in the supply room
- On an obscure fire extinguisher
- On the backside of my wife’s office door
- On the bottom of the defibrillator in the basement
- On the “About” section of Google Classroom
Key takeaways
Clear the hunt with your principal and team leaders before students leave the room. You need hallway access, a time limit, and a plan for where groups can and cannot go. Tie every QR prompt to your unit so the movement reinforces the reading, not just the novelty of walking around.
Mix obvious clues with tricky ones so every group stays engaged. Pair stronger readers with students who need support at each station. When teams return, debrief with the essential questions from the lesson while the energy is still high.
This format works beyond history. Any subject with vocabulary, diagrams, or short answer prompts can become a building-wide review. Start with five or six stops, then expand once you see how your students handle the flow.
Episode Template
The Problem:
Your next lesson looks a bit dry.
The Solution:
Incorporate unit concepts into a scavenger hunt that uses your entire building.
What You Can Do Tomorrow:
- Download the i-nigma QR reader
- Create QR codes on Classroom Tools
- Determine hiding places for codes around the building
- Craft a Hint Sheet
Morph a dull lesson into challenging your students to hustle around the building while they form wonderful responses to the day’s essential questions.
