In this week’s #OneNewThing, I am excited to share about A Google a Day. I was introduced to this game by Kate Petty while helping with a bootcamp earlier this week. It was one of those times where I thought, “Wait – how have I never heard of this?!”

A Google a Day is an online game where three questions are posted and the Google search engine must be used to answer these questions. Well, I guess you don’t have to use the Google search engine but I can say with complete certainty that I would not know the answer to these questions without Google.

Click on the image below to try it out!

How did you do?! As you can see, this is a simple concept that could be easily incorporated into the classroom.  Here are some ideas:

• Warm-Ups – If you need a quick warm-up or bell ringer activity, challenge students to answer the “A Google a Day” questions. They can work individually or in groups.
• Google Search Lesson – It’s becoming critical for students to understand how to search for information on the internet. The questions from “A Google a Day” are not easily guessed and must be searched. This could prove to be a great opportunity for teaching students how to search for answers online.
• Class Competition – When students finish answering the questions, they will receive a score based on how quickly they answered them. Students love competition – challenge them to see who can answer the fastest!

Have you used “A Google a Day” in your classroom? What other ways could this simple game be used to engage learners? Share in the comments below!