Survivor Algebra

THE GAME OF SURVIVOR

What is Survivor?

Survivor Algebra is a cooperative learning experience based on the CBS Reality television show, Survivor. On television, tribes compete against one another to win a million dollars. While my version doesn't pay out millions, it promises even more, an education.

Why Survivor Algebra?

Throughout my educational career and after teaching Algebra in the past, I have learned that most students dread math class day in and day out. Most students feel that that cannot be successful in math. I want to show each and every student that math can be fun, they can be successful in math, and that math does not have to be a class where they sit and take notes for 45 minutes only to follow with 100 practice problems.

One night I was watching the reality show, Big Brother, my mind started wandering to my classroom and if I could pull off a reality television show at school with 8th grade students. I ran through all of the reality shows in my mind and Survivor stuck out because of the tribes and the need to work together for success. The idea of teamwork, positive peer pressure, and winning seemed like a priceless combination.

I started researching others who had the same ideas as myself and found only one person with any information on Coolmath.com. This was a community college professor who swore by it. I decided that if college students would participate then 8th graders would think it was great. While my ideas were totally different than the professor, I had to try it. The first year was experimental. I changed things around each nine weeks to see what worked best. By my second year I had figured it out. The kids loved it. Tribemates worked together, helped one another, grades drastically improved, no one left the classroom, attendance increased, tardies ceased to exist, behavior problems stopped, homework and classroom was always completed, and 98% of the class passed the EOC without problem. I was convinced, SURVIVOR WORKED!

At CM Eppes Middle School, our motto is Attitude is Everything. This is the motto I have adopted for my classroom. Why? Students tend to have a negative attitude when it comes to math. There are three typical senerios:
Students have a lack of motivation
Students hate math and only take it because they are required
Students took pre-algebra and think they have already seen the material before and therefore, fail to study.

My goal this year is to change the attitude of all students that I teach! I want to teach my students to be successful and prepare them for high school and beyond. I want them to be focused and enjoy walking into math class. The following are my goals for this school year:
Students will build critical thinking skills
Students get involved in their own learning
Anxiety will be taken out of being in a math class
Student's ability to learn math on his/her own will be strengthened
Build student's confidence when it comes to math or other hard subjects
Increase exam performance and retention of learned material
Provide students with a deeper understanding of the material
Help students to get to know fellow students and their teacher on a different level
My students will become highly successful people

Survivor Algebra is meant to build student's confidence in their ability to learn. Most students taking Algebra will never need or use the math learned in this class so many ask why it is a requirement. Math trains students to THINK! I like to think of my class as success training, not algebra class. Algebra is simply the tool I use to teach students to think and learn. Survivor Algebra will build their confidence and they will take flight and soar. All of the students leaving my class will have become HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE!

The Rules of the Game

1) Each player will be placed into one of six tribes predetermined by the teacher.

2) Switching tribes is not allowed. Once you are placed in a tribe, you have to stay there and make the best of it.

3) An individual may be removed from the tribe if they have become disruptive to the rest of the tribe.

4) The tribes will compete in a pre-determined number of challenges and mini-challenges throughout the course of the game.

5) A team leader will be voted on by the tribe and will be responsible for keeping track of the tribe's score using a check register.

6) There are debits and credits in the game. Different things take away or add points to the tribes total.

7) There are individual prizes for tribes whom get an A average on tests. Each team member earns an additional 5 points on their test when this happens.

8) Individual players who have a total score of 99.5% or higher going into the final are the Survivor Algebra winners and will receive a special prize... Immunity from the final challenge!
There is also a prize for the top score!

9) PLAY FAIR! Do not tell another team false info so they bomb their challenge! This will be considered cheating.

10) Tribes are encouraged to interact and help each other. The main goal of the game is for EVERYONE to excel on the challenges! Then everyone is a winner!

Mini Challenges

There will be several mini challenges throughout the year. These may consist of a game, competition, quiz, etc. The winning tribe for these mini challenges may receive prizes such as homework passes, points on a challenge, or other sweet treats!!

Rules for mini challenges may vary and will be discussed at the time of the mini challenge.

100% SURVIVORS:
Any student that maintains a 99.5% average for the entire 9 weeks will be exempt from the cumulative exam give at the end of each nine weeks. (excludes EOC)