The idea was to get the students excited for “Mission: Possible” in order to have confidence and success on the upcoming Ohio Achievement Tests (OAT) next week.  The students mission, which they accepted, was to divide into squads.  The teachers, Mission Supervisors, and volunteers, Mission Controllers, handed out mission envelopes.  The mission envelopes, color-coded for “top secrecy,” contain varying levels of math and science questions adapted from the Study Island software. These questions are similar to those the students will be taking on the OAT.

 

The squad makes their way through “Cape Whitaker” to a classroom (mission outpost).  The squad will find their assigned question (according to their mission envelope color), read it, and answer it.  They then bring their answer booklet to the Controller for confirmation.  If the answer is correct, the Controller will give the squad the location of the next “outpost” and be sent on their way.  If the answer is incorrect, the Controller will send the squad back to the question to try again.  

 

The “mission” was created by Carrie Cooker, Whitaker intervention specialist, adapted from a video she saw on YouTube.  “A math teacher was using this tool to help kids understand and learn math problems.”  Cooker adapted the concept and got the green light from principal Deb Semenick.

 

Over the intercom the mission announcer proclaims, “Our school is counting on you and we are confident that we will achieve success.”  Dressed in “Mission: Possible” t-shirts, provided by a grant from the Finneytown Elementary PTA, students launched into their mission.

 

The morning mission was for math and science, while the afternoon will be reading and social studies.  The results of each squads success will be announced later in the day. After that?  Well, this message will self-destruct in 5 seconds (it’s the weekend, of course!).