The 11th grade AP U.S. Government and Politics (affectionately known as GoPo) class at Mount Madonna School started the school year off with a government scavenger hunt right here on our own campus! Armed with a list of clues, students went off in groups to find laws and regulations (federal and state) that affect our upper school campus. Clues led them to items such as emergency procedures, health and safety regulations, ADA accessible areas of campus, and even individual staff members who are responsible for knowing and upholding certain statutes and guidelines around non-discrimination in admissions and hiring, attendance records, and employee rights. Some of these regulations are the result of federally mandated legislation, while others are part of the California Education Code that affects all schools in our state.
But figuring out the clues and locating the items was just the first step. To document their finds, teams of students had to snap a quick selfie at the designated location or with the staff person involved. They then had to text or snapchat the image directly to me. Within a few minutes of setting them loose, my phone was lighting up with messages and photos from the different teams on their quest. I think the students had fun teaming up to explore the campus and taking funny pictures. In the process, they learned how government impacts our daily lives on campus, perhaps in ways we had not really considered!
– By Tiffany Wayne, high school history and government teacher
