Detrivializing Trivia - Amazon Web Services



Detrivializing Trivia

According to Teaching with the Internet, an Internet activity is an “instructional practice often used by teachers getting started using the Internet. It often includes these steps: locate a site or several sites on the Internet with content related to a classroom unit of instruction and set a bookmark for the location(s); develop an activity requiring students to use the site(s); assign the activity to be completed during the week; have students share their work, questions, and new insights at the end of the week during an Internet workshop.” An Internet inquiry is “an instructional practice using the Internet in a more student-directed fashion. Usually it consists of five phases: question; search; analyze; compose; and share.” The following is an example using geography. Enjoy!

Many Internet sites offer daily trivia. From history and geography to music and film, these so-called “fun facts” abound! While many consider them as worthless as a pile of Pompeian pumis, others “mind” them away like priceless jewels in the rough! Is all trivia trivia? Can it be transformed into substance! If nothing else, can it be used to bring a class “on task?”

Goals: 1) To help students better understand, appreciate and use seemingly meaningless information, 2) to provide them with a prompt for further inquiry and 3) to help them focus at the beginning of a lesson.

Materials: A computer with Internet access, a URL that contains daily trivia (For this demonstration, we’ll be using National Geographic’s “Geo Bee” at - This site also allows you to match wits with the editor over choosing the cover for the magazine), a recording method (This will depend on your class and teaching style).

Procedure:

▪ Bookmark favorite trivia sites (Preferably those related to what you and your class are studying!)

▪ Logon to the Internet (Well before class starts!)

▪ Go to your “trivia” site (On the NG site, go to “Kids” and “Geo Bee”)

▪ Review the questions to make sure they are appropriate (And that you know the answers!)

▪ Begin class by asking the questions (1 to 5 per day, students may answer in groups or individually – You might also elect a weekly trivia master and play yourself?)

▪ Record and discuss the answers (Why do you think this? If you needed a “lifeline,” who would you call? Etc.)

▪ Go over the correct answers

▪ Reward the “winners” (from finger claps to leading student run exercises – With National Geographic, you can use the results to chose a participant for the National Bee!)

▪ Have them “detrivialize” one of the questions each week using Internet resources (Who would not consider this information trivial? Why? How might you use it? What impact has it had on history? Your life?)

▪ Eventually, have them create their own trivia and post it on the school’s web site. They can then challenge other schools…

Internet Inquiry Question: Is this trivia trivial?

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