I LOVE game shows!
Maybe that makes me 65 years old, but I just can’t help myself. A bucket-list item for my life was to appear on a game show. A few years back that dream came true when I found myself as a contestant on Let’s Make A Deal.
It has absolutely been a highlight of my life! I could write an entire blog post on the 3 Steps to Secure Your Spot on a Game Show. But for now, trust me, it’s not as random as it seems from your TV at home!
Taking things you love in real life and transforming them into learning experiences for your students is a game changer in education. When you spill over with passion for a topic it is contagious!
In an earlier post I explained how I used Family Feud as an RtI class and it was epic! So I kept that ball rolling with another show, a classic, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire!
On my quest to be on a game show I also tried out for that one in 2006. It was super fun, but I never made it to the hot seat! But, in that process I did learn a lot about the show and a lot about life. I used that foundation for my next RtI activity…
If you don’t remember this show, hosted by the dashing Regis Philbin, contestants got 3 lifelines in order to help them answer a series of 15 questions, the final question being worth a hot $1M. I used this online version in class.
All 25 of my students played the round together as I was the “host.” 25 teenage brains working together may seem like an easy solution to earning the million, but straight up those questions are hard! Try a round yourself and see how far you get!
Here are the top 3 things my kids learned:
- Teamwork! When you have 25 kids, you have 25 opinions. Do we pick A-B-C-D? Do we use a lifeline? Do we guess? Do some opinions matter more than others? Playing as team is hard, but essential.
- Communication! In order to get to a “final answer” these kids had to talk it out. A lot! Each question took multiple minutes. It was almost as if they turned into a jury in a court trial. One person took the lead at moderating the conversation and ensuring each person was heard.
- Strategy! When you only get 3 helps in the game you have to know when it is the right time to use them! 50/50, phone a friend, ask the audience, which is the best for each question? Do you trust the kid who swears they are “100% sure” even though last time they were “100% sure” you lost all your money.
It took us 6 days and 14 rounds before students worked their way up the ladder and then finally had their moment of glory as they won the million. It was both humorous and heart-warming to see their genuine reactions.
It turned into an amazing math enrichment opportunity as the kids started doing division to see how much each kid would earn.
…And then I had an amazing opportunity to teach them about…. TAXES! Buzz kill!
PS- Are you doing something AWESOME in your enrichment,RTI, or advisory? I’d LOVE to hear about it! Connect with me on Facebook or Instagram
Sign up for AWESOME! Get these posts sent directly to your e-mail.