Activity Design Plan Marissa Arnold

Activity Objective
The students will comprehend Grammar Terms by reviewing the major parts of speech.
Description of Activity
The game called Heads-Up, Grammar Up is created as a fun way to review the major
parts of speech. Students will exercise their knowledge of Grammar Terms by engaging
in an activity modeled after the classic activity, Heads Up, Seven Up.
Motivation
The extrinsic motivation will be Jolly Rancher candies that will be awarded to those who
answer the questions correctly.
The students will be intrinsically motivated since knowledge of the major Grammar
Terms is essential to writing succinct papers, communicating properly, and succeeding in
English class, college, and future careers. Students know that in todays world, they must
be able to write clear and comprehensible emails, letters, and other forms of written
communication in all educational and professional settings.
Directions
1. Seven students will be drawn randomly using popsicle sticks. These students make up
the first group of pickers. The pickers must stand at the front of class before the activity
is to begin.
2. The pickers are given 30 seconds to walk around and pick a classmate to participate
in the Grammar Challenge. All other students are instructed to remain in their seats, put
their heads down, close their eyes, and put their thumbs up. Each picker will walk around
and tap the thumb of ONE classmate, indicating that the student has been chosen to
participate in the Grammar Challenge.
3. Once time is up, all students who have been picked will stand up. The teacher will read
the Grammar Challenge question (which is presented on a PowerPoint) out loud. The first
of the chosen students to raise his or her hand will be asked to answer the question. The
student will have 8 seconds to answer the question. If the student gets the question right,
they may receive a Jolly rancher and switch positions with the person who has picked
them up front. At this point, the picker who chose that student will reveal him or herself.
4. Students can only raise their hands AFTER the entire question has been read aloud.
5. Once the question is answered, if the response given is incorrect, the other chosen
students will have 8 seconds to answer as a team. If the answer they come up with is
correct, they may all get a Jolly Rancher and trade places with their classmates up front.
5. Contestants may not use a review sheet at any point during the activity.

6. If a member of the audience (a student who has not been chosen for this round) shouts
out the answer, the question is dead.
Understanding of the directions will be checked by asking randomly selected students the
following set of questions:
How will the pickers be chosen?
Once the timer starts, what do the pickers do? What does the rest of the class do?
When may you raise your hand?
How long do you get to answer the Grammar Challenge question?
Are you allowed to ask another person for help in answering the question?
What happens if the answer is incorrect?
Are contestants allowed to use a review sheet when competing?
What happens if someone shouts out the answer?
Summarize the directions of the game.
Students will be randomly selected by throwing a soft toy around the room.
Active Participation
All students will be involved through random selection by using popsicle sticks and then
Heads Up, Grammar Up picking procedures. Students will need to be active listeners so
that they hear the correct responses to solidify important concepts and to actively
compete when an incorrect response is given.
On-task behavior will be maximized by using a timer to precisely time the response time
of each question. Students will be consistently engaged throughout the period, because
the activity is fun and gets all students moving around the classroom. All electronic
devices will be turned off and laptops will be closed.
Transitioning times will be minimized by strictly adhering to the precise time restrictions
identified in the directions.
Expectations of Students Behavior
Students will be respectful of their peers by being quiet during the asking of the questions
and the contestants responses. Some noise will be expected as students cheer for fellow
students. Blurting answers will result in the question being dead. The signal of a hand
raise will be used to modulate the noise level in case students get too loud or directions
need to be resurfaced.
Students who give correct answers will go directly to the candy table, choose a candy and
switch places with the designated picker/(s) up front.

Materials/Resources Needed

PowerPoint (Attached)
Jolly Rancher candies
Popsicle sticks with students names
Soft toy
Timer

Modeling
A practice round will be played with seven students randomly chosen from the audience
as the pickers. Each step will be labeled as they, and the students they choose as
participants, go through the process of the activity. All questions about the activity will
be clarified before students are to begin.
*Note: The creation of this activity comes from the game, Heads up, Seven Up and
the questions on the PowerPoint come from Quizlet.