Step-by-Step Word Search Game Goal: To increase viewership of Touchtown TV+ and Digital Signage shows and/or usage of Web Tools. Preparation 1. Schedule a Word Search Kickoff Event. 2. Decide what the prizes will be and how winners will be selected. 3. Optional: Schedule a Final Event. 4. Print copies of the Word Search Puzzle Handout you’d like to use and distribute via resident mailboxes, leave them in a common area or pass them out at the Kickoff Event. 5. Print out the Word Search Word List for your own use. Promotion: 1. Promote the Kickoff and Final Events, and the Word Search Game via Touchtown TV+, flyers, activity calendars, newsletter, and as verbal announcements at other activities. On an Announcement slide, briefly outline the rules of the game, prizes, and how to submit completed puzzles. For example: Title: Description: Touchtown Word Search Check your mailbox for the Word Search Handout. Watch Channel 44 for the word of the day. Find as many words as you can for a chance to win our Word Search Gift Basket! Submit responses to Karen by March 31st. At The Kickoff 1. Announce the Word Search Game. Explain the rules and how to submit answers. 2. Hand out copies of the Word Search Handout. 3. Hold a Word Search Kickoff Activity (Activity Ideas located on page 3). Rules of the Game Residents must watch Touchtown TV+ or Digital Signage, or log into the Web Portal each day to view the word of the day. They should look for and circle/highlight each word on their Word Search Handout. Participants submit completed handouts to you either at the final event or by dropping it off at your office, etc. Be sure that residents place their name on the completed puzzle. Playing the Game on TV+, Digital Signage, Web Show Schedule one word to run each day as an Announcement on your Touchtown show. Here’s How: 1) Log into Touchtown and click on Add. 2) Add a new Announcement. 3) Type the Title: “Touchtown Word Search” or “Word Search”. 4) Type the word of the day in the Description box. 5) Schedule the Announcement. Choose a Start Showing and Stop Showing date or click on the "Specific Days" radio button and add by day of month or week: • Option 1: Add by day of month: select the month and day (i.e. Day 1) or • Option 2: Add by day of week so that clues repeat on certain days of the week; that way, residents can see previously shown words that they haven’t found yet. In each case, remember to select the last day of the contest as the Stop Repeating date. 6) Let Touchtown SmartLayout design your slide or Manually Design Your Slide. Tip: We have many backgrounds for the Word Search game. To see additional backgrounds click on the “Choose a different template” link under Slide Layout and Design on the Item Summary Page. 7) Choose Save. 8) Select Add Another to add additional clues. Then repeat steps 2 – 7. 9) As you add each word of the day, cross off the words that you’ve already used on the Word Search Word List. Playing the Game on Touchtown Web Portal Option 1: Send a new word of the day in an email to residents. Use the Account Manager to create an easy mailing list of all your residents’ email accounts. Here’s how: 1) In the Account Manager choose the Show Resident Accounts button. 2) Highlight all the information that appears in the gray box (from Site ID to Campus, last resident account to first). 3) Right-click on the highlighted text and choose Copy. 4) Open Microsoft Excel. Right-click in the first cell (A1) and click Paste. 5) Mouse over the “D” above the fourth column until you see a black down arrow. Click on it. This will highlight everything in that column. 6) Right-click on the highlighted column and choose Copy. 7) Open your email and compose a new message. Right-click in the BCC box and choose Paste. This will insert all resident email addresses in the box. 8) Make the Subject Touchtown Word Search. Type the word of the day in the body of the message. Then send the email. Option 2: Post a new Touchtown Word Search discussion topic in a community forum. Each day post a reply to that discussion with the next day’s word. Be sure to include instructions and attach a copy of the Word Search Handout to the first forum post. Final Event (Optional) 1. Collect completed handouts. 2. Determine the winners while residents enjoy the Final Event activity. 4. Announce and reward the winner(s). 5. Add an Announcement that displays the winner(s) on Touchtown TV+, Digital Signage, or the Web Show. Activity Ideas from Make Your Own Word Search: Make your own community-specific word search(es) using this free word search maker: http://www.puzzlemaker.com/WS/index.htm Alternatively, during the kickoff event ask residents to come up with a word search topic of their choice, complete with word list. Sometime before the Final Event, use the free word search maker to create their puzzles. Pass them out at the final event (either to the authors, or exchange them between residents). Ask them to solve these puzzles while you are determining the winners of the Touchtown Word Search. Name Word Search: At the kickoff event write down the names of all participants. Use the word search maker (link shown above) to make a Name Word Search for the final event. Play and Online Puzzle (Web Portal Activity): Option 1: Teach residents how to go to Touchtown’s Web Games page and play the Word Search game. Option 2: Show residents how to make their own puzzles. Use the free word search maker suggested above, or do a Touchtown Google Search to find Word Search makers of your own. Prize ideas: Word Search lover’s basket: Notepads, pens, highlighters, word search puzzles, word search memorabilia (Tshirts, mugs—look for these in online stores).