Mastery Club

First of all, let me thank Mrs. Renz from Oregon who came with the idea of the Mastery Club. Many teachers adopted this idea, and are now running Mastery Clubs in their classrooms. Thank you, Mrs. Renz! If you click HERE, you will see Mrs. Renz's Mastery Club! 

Click on the question below if you do not want to read the whole text.

• Who can enroll in the Club?
• Why should I enroll in this Club?
• What do I need to do?
• How do I win? And what do I get if I win?   
• How do you keep track of my answers?
• What happens if I answer the question wrong?
• What if my friend told me the answer? Is it cheating?
• Can I work with my friend when I research the answers?
• If the question asks for 5 states, can I name 10?
• Can I use my notes when I give you the answers?
• How do I research the answers if I do not have a computer?

Who can enroll in the Club?

Anyone from our class can become a member of this Club.

Why should I enroll in this Club?  

I will give you a few reasons. See if any of them apply to you. If even one of them applies to you, you should definitely become a member of this class! Here are my reasons:

1. You are the kind of person who likes to find new information.
2. You like research.
3. You like to memorize new facts.
4. You want to learn how to memorize new facts. This Club will provide you with practice to do just that.
5. You like to be the best and the first in everything. You are competitive.
6. You want to learn more than you usually get in class during the lesson. 
7. You like to go above and beyond in your assignments. 
8. You like to spend time online, but your parents do not allow you to do that. Now you have a good reason to spend more time on the computer. 
9. You want to dazzle your family and your next year teacher with the abundance of facts that you will learn in this Club. 
10. You want your name in the Master Club Score Board. 
11. You want your name to shine in Mrs. Donskoy's Hall of Fame forever as the ALL TIME CHAMPION of the Mastery Club!

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So what do I need to do?

1. Choose a section of interest to you, Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, or Math.
2. From this section, choose a question that you would like to research. 
3. Look at the tag next to the question. This is the tag you will type in when you go to the Links. 
4. Click on the big yellow button above the list of questions to go to the Links.
5. Type in or look for the tags mentioned for your question. (You can always look for the answers on other sites, such as Wikipedia, Google, Factmonster, etc... You do not have to use our Links to look for answers. However, beware that some Internet sources do not give correct information..)
6. Remember the answer or write it down.
7. When you feel like you remembered the answer, e-mail or talk to me in class. I will schedule a time for you and me to meet in the classroom. I will do it during recess, after lunch, or after school. 
8. Show up at your scheduled time and give me the answer to the question. I will record it and let you know if you passed or not. 

If you are still not clear how to play, please click HERE to access the video clip where I will show you how to find the answers. You can also click on the button on your right that says HOW-TO VIDEO.

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So how do I win? And what do I get if I win??

You receive 5 points for each correct answer. When you accumulate 20 points, your name goes on the Mastery Club Score Board. Your name stays there till the day I retire or perish somehow.. 

You will receive a certificate at the end of the year with your score and a small prize, such as a pencil or a calculator. Your most important prize is knowledge that will make your further learning easier and more enjoable. Besides, you are presented with a wonderful change to exercise your memory. Memory is one of the most important tools of learning. So if you really think about it, you win a WHOLE LOT!

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How do you keep track of my answers?

I have a spreadsheet on my computer where I record your points. I will always have totals of how many you answered in each section, Social Studies, Math, Language and Literature (Language Arts), and Science. 

What happens if I answer the question wrong?

You won't get a point. You can go research some more, and come back to me when you are ready. You can answer the same question a few times if you get it wrong in the beginning. But I won't allow guessing. You need to do your research. 

What if my friend told me the answer? Is it cheating?

It is not cheating, as long as you remembered the answer, but it is not a good thing, and I will have to talk to you about it. Your friend can help you find the answer, but your friend should not just tell you the answer. I want you to learn to do some research, too. 

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Can I work with my friend when I research the answers?

Yes, you can! Then you will be study buddies, and this is always a good thing! It is okay to help each other. 

If the question asks to name 5 states, can I name 10? Do I get extra points for it?

Yes, you can. You can always do more, just not less! But no, you do not get extra points for it.

Can I use my notes when I give you the answers?

No, you have to memorize the answers. 

Do I get a grade or an extra credit when I answer the question correctly?

No, sorry! There will be other extra credit opportunities, but this is not the one to use for grades. 

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I do not have a computer at home. How do I research the questions then?

Click on the button PRINT THE QUESTIONS on your right so that you always have them, and then go to the library. One book about the United States can probably answer a lot of question in the Social Studies Section. You can also stay in class during recess or after school and work on our class computers.  

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