My Eggspert Opinion
This article is from The Archives!
It was originally posted in 2012. Links have been added or removed. The Eggspert I own is no longer available, but this link offers some alternatives.
Leila Viss
The challenge of designing group lesson plans arrives every couple of months for my studio calendar. Always looking for creative activities, a new idea was hatched at ComposeCreate.com called Smash Hit Games with the Eggspert.
This educational tool is affordable, and I'm a big fan, so it was clear that I must acquire one.
The Eggspert System comes with a console that the teacher controls and six colorful egg buttons attached by cords to matching egg lights (just noticed a new wireless edition available!). One to six players can play. If the person with the pink egg button is first to poke the pink egg, the matching pink egg light lights up and flashes for a certain amount of time (length designated by the teacher). Before it buzzes, the button pusher must answer a question correctly.
This is a wonderful system for playing flashcard games that require a quick response. Instead of me guessing who raised a hand first after asking a question, the Eggspert takes the "guesswork" out expertly!
This setup lends itself well to Jeopardy, so immediately, I wanted to create my own Music Jeopardy. I had heard PowerPoint templates were available, but I was looking for something easy and inexpensive. (Note: Education Insights now sells a "Classroom Jeopardy" for the Eggspert.) Thanks to a Google search I landed upon a fabulous website that provides a template of the Jeopardy board and the ability to create and edit as many boards as you like. My first templates are designed around the five levels of Faber method books.
Group lessons were held last week, and the Eggspert was a smash! The buttons worked perfectly, and the excitement of playing Jeopardy was a perfect combination of fun and learning for ALL ages and levels.
My Eggspert Rules:
Eggs must be poked but not punched
Eggs may be poked only after I finish reading the "answer"
My Jeopardy Rules
Money IS earned even if the contestant did not answer in the form of a question, i.e. "What is a quarter note?" However, many were phrasing their "questions" quite well by the end.
Money IS earned for a correct answer only before the buzzer goes off
Money IS NOT earned if the contestant answers incorrectly. The box remains on the board to be chosen again
Money is NOT LOST if the contestant provides a wrong answer. Perhaps this will change in the future, but I did not want to see students head into negative numbers.
Yes, contestants earned money--that is Music Money. Click here to learn more.
There is also a Wheel of Fortune setting where the eggs light up back and forth, slow down, and land on a certain color. Ideas have already hatched for future group lessons in that setting.
More than a dozen teaching ideas are waiting to fly from the nest with my Eggspert.
I would love to know if you have one or if you purchased one and how you use the Eggspert with your students.
