SASD Press Archives

Beth Sproehlich, fifth grade teacher at James Madison Elementary School, created Survivor Madison to motivate students to put forth effort toward studying some of the skills that often become mundane to them by fifth grade. The competition also encourages teamwork and teaches students how they can utilize strategies to further their positive progress and how to combine physical and academic challenges into fun experiences.

The first step in Survivor Madison is to divide students into tribes. Students make banners with their tribal name, wear their tribal bandana, and compete in activities one day a week for 5 weeks. Each week the tribe with the top score has a small feast to celebrate.

Some of the events included in this activity are:

• Equivalent Fractions to the Rescue - Matching equivalent fractions under a time limit
• True/False Jungle Bark - Answering questions dealing with history and geography by choosing to show the true or false painted on tree bark
• Watch Out for Killer Bees - A spelling bee with a few twists
• Estimation Boa Squeeze - Guessing the number of M&M's in a large container using the knowledge of previous answers that were under or over
  
• Free Throw Me a Lifeline - Making free throws enables them to collect objects such as first aid, water, flashlight, and other helpful items
• Spiders and Snake Pit - Guide your blindfolded tribe mate through a maze of poisonous vipers and arachnids.