Treasure Hunt

Description of the activity:

Lesson 1: "Preparation for the Treasure Hunt"

Opening Activity (15 min):

Start with a brief discussion on the importance of researching and exploring words in a foreign language. Create an atmosphere of excitement for the treasure hunt. To create an atmosphere of excitement in class for the treasure hunt, you can use various strategies to stimulate students' interest and curiosity. Tell an engaging story that serves as a prelude to the treasure hunt. For example, you could invent a legend about an ancient lost manuscript containing secret words to explore in the foreign language or culture they are studying. Students must explore these secrets during the treasure hunt.

Selection of Keywords (20 min):

Students, divided into groups, receive lists of keywords in a foreign language. Each group selects the words they wish to explore. These lists can be used to explore different thematic areas (es. English language).

List 1: Travel and Adventures

Explore / Journey / Discover / Navigate / Expedition

List 2: Environment and Nature

Forest / Ocean / Wildlife / Habitat / Ecosystem

List 3: Emotions and Interpersonal Relationships

Friendship / Joy / Trust / Support / Conflict

List 4: Technology and Innovation

Invent / Create / Program / Advance / Design

List 5: Art and Culture

Paint / Sculpture / Dance / Literature / Music

Each list is designed to delve into a specific theme and can be used to generate discussions, research, and creative activities during the treasure hunt. Students can explore the words, connect them with the appropriate cultural context, and use the information found to complete specific tasks or create projects based on the chosen words. This type of activity not only enriches students' vocabulary but also stimulates critical thinking and collaboration.

Research Planning (25 min):

Groups plan how to explore the meaning, use, and connotations of the selected words. Divide each group into subgroups of up to 5 students. In this phase, participants should discuss how to divide the work among group members.

Lesson 2: "The Linguistic Treasure Hunt"

Word Exploration (30 min):

Groups, after dividing the work, use online resources and educational materials to explore the assigned keywords. They can look for definitions, usage examples, and cultural information related to the words. It is important for each group to have a computer with internet access for research and materials such as magazines, newspapers, and books to use.

Poster Creation (30 min):

Each group creates a visual poster representing the information collected about the keywords. They can use drawings, collages, or images found online or using magazines/newspapers provided to them or online graphic design tools like CANVA or AI-based chatbots.

Lesson 3: "Presentation of Linguistic Treasures"

Presentation Preparation (30 min):

Groups prepare brief presentations to share their linguistic treasures with the class. They can create sentences, stories, or role-plays that incorporate the keywords. During this activity, students decide how to divide the work so that everyone can participate in the presentation, identifying the best collaboration strategy.

Presentation and Discussion (30 min):

Each group presents their poster and linguistic discoveries, opening a discussion on the diversity of words and expressions in a foreign language. It is important to stimulate participation from other students who can ask questions, share their opinions, and point out elements they find clear and convincing.

Expected Outputs:

At the end of the activity, each group should have produced:

●        Posters/comics or posters that can be displayed in the classroom, containing the research done on the meaning of the foreign language words from the list.

●        For the creation of graphic materials, groups can use both manual and digital tools (GPT chat or CANVA) to set up the graphic work that must be cared for not only in terms of the meaning of the words but also in terms of graphic appearance.

●        A presentation (power point presentation, short story, rollplay…)  of the work done by each group that involves all participants and tells the choices and strategies adopted by the group, the identified contents, and how the students collaborated with each other.

Evaluation:

The evaluation will be based on active participation, the quality of the information presented, collaboration among group members, and creativity in the visual representation of the keywords. Students will also be evaluated on their ability to work together as a team.

Final Notes:

This activity offers an engaging and practical approach to improving English language skills through collaboration. The specific examples of activities stimulate active research and knowledge sharing, encouraging students to explore the language in a fun and informative way. The activity is designed to reinforce the knowledge of new vocabulary and words in English. It can be used as a basis for similar activities in other languages.