EcoMania Live! requires few resources and materials to present effectively in a public forum. Just about everything you need is provided inside the zipped product folder ‘EcoMania_Live.zip’ – except your desire to make it happen!
CLICK HERE to print the items included in EcoMania Live!
and a list of recommended items for public presentations
EcoMania Live! contains one PDF file for each module – 26 separate modules total. They are organized into separate directories by main category. The category and module name are in the header of each PDF file.
If you have a laptop available (or a desktop computer handy where you are presenting) there is no need to print the modules and create a binder in advance of your event; you can very simply and quickly access each module from your hard drive (or the EcoMania CD). Using your computer instead of a binder saves paper, time, and energy. If you decide to work from a paper copy of the game, you will need to create tabs for each category and module.
You’ll want to review every module you might want to use in advance. EcoMania contains humor that may be unsuitable for every audience.
Most likely, you’ll want to advertise for your event and create some type of signage. A variety of logos and artwork are provided in the product; use them to create a banner, flyers, announcements, press releases or articles.
When it is time for your event, play the EcoMania theme song and gather your audience. Begin with a brief introduction and welcome, and then provide a brief explanation of the game. More details and script suggestions are provided in the Guidelines document (included).
Next outline the rules you intend to use. There are many ways to play, so you’ll have to determine which rules you want to use in advance. Are you playing jeopardy-style? How will the winner be determined? By the number of correct answers? Or are you constrained by time?
Invite contestants from the audience to participate, usually 3 people. Have a short conversation with each contestant. Use nametags to make your interactions more personal.
Above all – HAVE FUN!
How to play EcoMania Classroom
This more visual version of EcoMania requires a computer and either a large screen or projection system. The primary difference between the two products is delivery. Each has the same 300+ questions arranged into identical categories and modules. EcoMania Classroom consists of around 650 colorful PowerPoint slides, many with images that provide examples of the topic.
EcoMania Classroom implies being in a classroom or other enclosed area with a small group. However, you could also use it in an auditorium and incorporate some of the suggestions for playing EcoMania Live! (Conversely, you could easily use EcoMania Live! for your classroom – recommended if you do not have access to the right equipment or software.)
Here are some suggestions for your classroom:
- Divide students into teams or select individual students by row, name, etc.
- Assign a scorekeeper, and someone to help with sound effects for right and wrong answers (both optional)
- Incorporate individual modules into existing lesson plans or focus on just one major category at a time
- Use the material as a starting point for class discussion
- Give a quiz at the end where each student writes his or her answer on paper
On a technical note, EcoMania Classroom is a large zipped file – over 20 MB. You may have a problem downloading a file this size. If this is the case, you can purchase the CD instead of the downloadable product. The CD contains both EcoMania Live! (PDF files and art assets) and EcoMania Classroom (slides).
As we gained experience with our public presentations, we found that contestants were eager to test their knowledge in a particular area; so we developed a ‘Jeopardy’ board (like the TV show). The jeopardy style of play makes it easy for contestants – or students in the classroom – to choose a module from one of the main categories.
- For teams in the classroom, stick with the one module that was selected and direct all the questions to that team; keep score.
- For public presentations, let each contestant choose the module they want.
The jeopardy board is part of the EcoMania Live! package – available as a download or on CD.
Each question in EcoMania has been assigned a corresponding point score – either 5 or 10 points, however it is not necessary to use them. In public presentations, for example, simply noting how many right answers per person is sufficient for determining a winner.
True/False questions are the easiest type of question, as there is a 50% probability of getting it right. Therefore, most True/False questions are only 5 points. Many True/False questions are tricky or are contrary to conventional wisdom; some of these may be worth 10 points.
Also, many True/False questions are true – far more than are false. This is intentional, as we wish to emphasize an important fact or concept; we are not trying to make it hard for people to get it right, rather we are helping people gain the insight they need to change wasteful habits into sustainable practices.
Next on the scale of difficulty are Multiple Choice questions; they may be either worth 5 or 10 points depending on how hard they are. Multiple Choice questions where all of the above are correct generally underscore key concepts. Hints, such as informing the student that there may be more than one answer, should be considered optional and at the discretion of the teacher.
The most difficult type of question is Fill-In-The-Blank. Almost all are worth 10 points because they require more of the person answering. They also open the door to a wide variety of answers, some of which may be partially correct. Be ready to field such responses.
Playing until a point score is reached may be unsuitable; instead play may continue for a specific time period (such as 20 minutes) and the person or team with the highest number of correct answers at the end is declared the winner.
For public presentations, we found it helpful to persuade audience members to become contestants by offering prizes. At some point we may offer EcoMania branded prizes – stainless steel water bottles, grocery bags and stickers – for sale on the website.
You may wish to invite local sponsors to get involved by offering green products or services as prizes. However, prizes are completely optional – especially on campus or in the classroom.
