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Lesson Plans


Disappointing Jeapordy

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
LynnMarie Paris (paris)
Mon, 18 Oct 1999 18:24:21 -0400

Ok...I need some friendly advice. To introduce O'keeffe, today I played
Jeopordy with my Studio in Art classes using three issues of Art and
Man/Scholastic Arts. One class went great and the other not so great.
What happened is that two teams got WAY ahead of the other three teams
(like 2000 points vs 200 points). The slower group had given up and to
try to get them motivated/back into the game I gave the winning teams a
10 and a 15 second handi-cap....meaning that after they found the answer
I would wait 10 or 15 before calling on them. If the team with less
points got the answer within that time, I called on them first.

Even with the handicap the winning team was still winning and the
"losing" team sometimes got answers wrong. Once they got it wrong, the
other teams had a shot to answer it. However, this now caused the
winning team (with generally my most positive and friendly students) to
give up, complain and scowl a bit. I felt really badly about this, but
did not know what else to do. By the end of the game they had given up
and now I feel that somehow I have ruined what should have been a fun
activity.

Question: How else could I have handled this? I have felt crummy all
afternoon now. I am sure it did not help that right after school I
found out that today a student threw about 10 pounds of clay out a
window at a car and now the administration has told us that the windows
have to be closed in our already 85 degree classroom. I dont know if it
happened in my class or in the other teacher's classes, but somehow I
think he blames me???? Anyway...sorry to ramble on and on......it
started as such a good day and now I feel bummed.

One solution to the Jeapordy issue I came up with is to go around the
room. One group at a time gets the first chance to answer and then go
to the next group if they get it wrong. That takes some of the
intensity out of it and might even out ability levels...what other ideas
do you have?

Thanks a ton for "listening" to all of this and sharing your ideas....
Have a great night
LynnMarie

  • Reply: ricki fromkin: "Re: Disappointing Jeapordy"
  • Reply: dj: "Re: Disappointing Jeapordy"