[TeachTeach]

Hi everyone! I'm going to be a new fifth grade teacher this year and I am interested in using Homeworkopoly. I'll probably use it on Mondays for the previous weeks homework. I have been reading about it in the archives and downloaded the game, but I have some questions for those of you who have used it.

-Do you use it year round?
-What are some of the well liked prizes that you use for the spots?
I'm looking to add to the ideas that the gameboard suggests.
-Is the brainbinder spot a good idea?
-What do you do for the bus spot and mystery prize?
-As far as redeeming the cards for various prizes, do you have the
students use them on the day they play or can they do it when they
want to use it? For example.. eat with the teacher, no morning work,
pick a job for the week, etc.

If you have any other helpful tips for this game, please include that. Thank you in advance.

[Grade4Teach]

-Do you use it year round? Yes I do. I used to use it daily but that took too long so I plan on using it weekly this year.
-What are some of the well liked prizes that you use for the spots? Write with ink for a day, sit at the teacher's desk for a period, have lunch with the teacher and a friend, pick and be the leader of a class game, move your desk to a chosen location for the day, have a special sharing time to teach something to the class (those are a few!)
I'm looking to add to the ideas that the gameboard suggests.
-Is the brainbinder spot a good idea? My students loved it.......they had to answer a question and if they did, they got to choose a piece of candy from the candy jar..........it was not too sugary!
-What do you do for the bus spot and mystery prize? If you land on this space, you will go directly to the yellow square (if you pass go, you do not collect your candy). If you are on the bus, you, need to bring in 2 nights of homework to get off (unless you have a get off the bus card). (I have to rethink this for next year since I will be doing it weekly. As for mystery prize, I had a box with one item in it and they got to select that item (they couldn't see in the box!). After someone earned the item, I replaced it.
-As far as redeeming the cards for various prizes, do you have the
students use them on the day they play or can they do it when they
want to use it? For example.. eat with the teacher, no morning work,
pick a job for the week, etc. For me it depended on the prize. I found it was easiest to give them the reward at the time they won but some things just couldn't be that way. I think you should look at your prizes and determine the rules based on them.

[TEACHERLVNV]

If you are on the bus, you, need to bring in 2 nights of homework to get off (unless you have a get off the bus card). (I have to rethink this for next year since I will be doing it weekly.

How about to get off the bus stop you have to bring in 2 weeks worth of homework. or a not of excuse from parents.

I have been using Homeworkopoly in my classroom for the last two years and the kids LOVE it! However, I put a twist on the game...instead of a board on the wall (which is what I am going to use this year), I had a life-size board on the floor around my room and the kids used themselves as the game pieces. We played every Friday morning after a homework check for the week was completed. When my kids landed on the bus, they had to answer a question from the class relating to something we'd studied or were currently studying. As for the Mystery Prize, I always had something in my desk to give away, or whenever I place orders with Scholastic I would use some of my Bonus Points to order little books that I would keep for prizes. The brainbender I called Brain Quest and used the brain quest cards that I have for the questions.

This year my game will be a board on the wall because my classroom has been downsized and I don't have enough room for the game on the floor. I am going to give the kids the chance to make their own game piece and attach it to a clothespin to use when they play. I know your kids will enjoy the game, especially if you make it seem like something special. Let me know if I can help anymore.

[mjoteach]

Where do you find the game board and rules for the game? It sounds interesting. I would like to find out more about it. I am always looking for something to motivate 5th grade homework completion.

Just Google Homeworkopoly and you'll find several sites with info.