Every science teacher knows science should be hands-on, interactive and rooted in real life. But let’s be honest, providing hands-on learning opportunities takes time to prep, a lot of effort to conduct, and sometimes a lot of money. But scavenger hunts can be a great way to get students to apply the science to real life without a lot of prep or money.

What is a Scavenger Hunt?

Scavenger hunts are an easy way to transform familiar spaces into opportunities for scientific observation. Students must find real life examples of the science they are studying in class in the school building or even outside. All you need to do is give students a list of examples they need to find in the real world and take them out of the classroom to find them.

During your matter unit, instead of asking students to give you an example of a liquid, ask them to find an example of a liquid in the cafeteria, gym, bathroom and other locations at school.

During your force and motion unit, instead of asking students for the definition of friction, ask them to find an example on the playground and explain how it’s impacting the motion of the object.

And during your ecosystems unit, instead of asking for an example of an herbivore, ask them to find an example of an herbivore living on their school grounds.

Science becomes something they can see in real life rather than just in a textbook.

Why you need to start using scavenger hunts.

One of the reasons I love scavenger hunts is how easy they are to implement. 

1. No special items to purchase
2. No setting up of materials
3. Prep work is minimal
4. Shows students science is all around us
5. Gets students up and out of their seat
6. It can be completed in 20 minutes or less

All students need is…

✔️ A list of examples to find

✔️ A pencil & paper
✔️ A designated area to explore

That's it!

Turn the Scavenger Hunt Into a Discussion

After the hunt, the discussion is where the real learning happens. Students can compare what they find to peers. 

Ask students the following questions:

• Did anyone find something that another group missed?
• Did you find an example you weren’t sure about
• What evidence supports your answer?
• Is that object an example of multiple items?

Use this time to address misconceptions and apply vocabulary without the students even knowing!

Because rigor is important, make sure students must use evidence to prove their thinking. This can be done on their paper or in person when they share with a peer.  Now students are observing, applying vocabulary, and explaining their thinking.

Scavenger Hunts can be found in our science units! Our 5th Grade Matter Unit and 5th Grade Force and Interactions Unit both include scavenger hunts as well as a complete, ready-to-teach unit —so you can spend less time planning and more time teaching!

Get more ideas for making science more engaging and hands-on with this free 5E framework guide!