Generic Escape Room 2!

Got 8 problems?  Then you can ESCAPE with this generic escape room! And it is made for the whole class to do!

WiFi connection and bar code scanner are necessary as you need to be able to QR Code scan and access Google Docs as well as Google for trivia.

Last year, I shared a generic escape room template and how to easily set it up yourself.  I included the needed items as well.  See original post here.

This year, I wanted to change it up a bit since I have quite a few repeaters so I used the exact same concept but changed the 'Clues'. One clue is shown below.  Last time, I had science clues so mixed it up a little to bring in come other subjects. A little cross curricular action here!

I also discovered they needed a 'master' clue sheet to keep record on and created the following Class Clue Sheet.  There is also one in the original escape room folder.

As last time, each group gets a clue and I adjust based on the number of groups. I make sure I do small lock clue then large lock clue so they have to wait until all groups finish to open both locks.

I found this super cute detective border at pageborders.org if you want to find something to theme around. The unique font I used was KG Broken Vessels Sketch and you can download from dafont.com for free here! 

These clues will remain in place as long as I have this Google account so you may have your kids use them.  REMEMBER.... if you copy them it will change all the QR Codes so you will need to recreate everything (I think!)

Everything you need to escape any assignment AGAIN can be found here for FREE!!  

Enjoy!
Lisa

Generic Escape Room Template!

Previously, I had posted about trying to create an escape room!  You can read about it here.  It was very overwhelming and I usually end up going way overboard and making things more complicated than necessary.  My first escape room was actually not the case but creating an interactive 'escape box' was not simple.  When I went to use it this year, I of course had to 'fancy' it up!

Last summer, I spent some time getting to try out and develop escape rooms.  This year, when redesigning, I found it simpler and discovered I could make a generic one to share with my Systems Maps.  

I was blessed with a Breakout EDU kit through Donors Choose but you can do it without!

All you need is (some items have examples pictured):
-Some problems to solve or questions to answer!  
-2 locks with changeable combinations (so you can set them to my answers)
       -1 3-digit combination lock
       -1 4-digit combination lock 

-a hasp (to use the 2 locks to secure the treasure)

-a lockable box (I chose one big enough to put 'treasure' in 

        Dollar Stores have lockable tool boxes you could easily use

Optional:
- I created QR codes for the students to receive when they solved/answered their problem to get the clue so you will need a QR code reader for this.  You could also just print the clues but I wanted to integrate some technology into our Scavenger Hunt Escape Box!  I also wanted a little something extra instead of just handing them a number to the combination.
-treasures 😏

Basically, I am doing my Systems activity I linked earlier but each time they come back, they get a QR code now.  

It will link them to clues that provide numbers.  The numbers will be arranged or used to find the combination for each lock.  The 4th clue for each lock will be how to arrange the previous 3 clues.

I named them small and large lock because I was using these locks from my Breakout EDU kit.  You could label each one if yours are the same.

There are 8 clues but you could easily adapt it to less, just give multiple clues to some groups.

I also made a class sheet for them to keep track of their clues on, also, if it lasted longer than a class period, I had the info so they could pick up where they left off.

We will be 'escaping' the last week of November and I will update you further.  

These clues will remain in place as long as I have this Google account so you may have your kids use them.  REMEMBER.... if you copy them it will change all the QR Codes so you will need to recreate everything (I think!)

Everything you need to escape any assignment can be found here for FREE!!  

Enjoy!
Lisa

Ahoy Mateys!!! It's a Systems of Equations Treasure Hunt with an Escape Room Feel!

Well... Earlier in the month I posted about my beginnings of an Escape Room with an Escape Box!  Within that I  posted about the systems mapping activity that I used with it that was inspired by a Twitter Post by @AnkerMath.  Here I will post a detailed explanation with editable files for you to use with your school maps.

Thanks Ms. Anker!!!

I emailed and received a map of the school that we give our parents and guests so it a nice clean copy.

It was a PDF so I used the Snipping Tool on my computer.  This is the GREATEST COMPUTER TOOL EVER!  If you are not familiar with it, do a search on your windows computer and pin it to your desktop toolbar.  It's Icon looks like this:

I 'snipped' different parts of the map and made 7 different maps to place a coordinate plane over.  You could do just one map of the whole school but I wanted to make their points in general directions and I wanted them all different so they could not just copy.  I pasted the map in a word document.  **You want to layer it behind the text**

I also created a table to paste over it for the coordinate grid.  These files are in word and available here.  You will want to download the Austies Bost Envelopes Font here so that you do not have to change any formatting in word.  I included the PDF so you can see what mine looked like. They are both vertical and horizontal so you can make it fit you map as desired.  

Then I found locations I could use that were accessible but not easily seen from the long hallway... didn't want them just seeing it from afar.  I did two systems problems on each map.  I did them already in y=mx+b as well.  You can adjust difficulty and do standard form of course but I wanted all kids to be able to do it.  At first, I thought it would only be like a warm-up and then we'd do notes.  TIME ALERT:  I know everything always takes longer than planned but this took the WHOLE PERIOD!  Just an FYI.

Every X was the same color too and just showed the X.  But of course, they could just go to any X right?  No WAY~!!  So every X had the flip answer to make sure they found the correct one.

Once they found their X, they had to take pictures and post them on Twitter or Instagram tagging the class account.  I did not allow SnapChat.  They could do themselves or just the maps and spots.  This is all specific in their instructions.

I demonstrated my expectations after they all received their maps.  I made them complete their maps before they left my class.  

Here- I'd like to take a moment of this blog post to discuss the social media expectation.  The day before the treasure hunt I posted for the class that they needed a Twitter or Instagram to complete this activity.  This led to some of the best real life discussions I've ever had with students.  I explained our district mission statement and core values and felt that the social media fit right in with this.  We discussed the expectation of privacy and how their accounts could influence their futures so if they had something on there they didn't want me to see..... that was probably something they wouldn't want a potential employer to see.  It was very well discussed among my students throughout the day.  WOW!  I'll leave it there.  

Here are some of their posts:

It was great!  After this, they them came back to me and received a hint card with a numeral that was part of a 3 number combination bike lock like below.  I got these at Dollar Tree.  

The 7th team received a hint card that told them what place a number was in.  I adjusted how I gave out the cards accordingly for how many groups I sent out.  They were weaved through my previously posted 'Escape Box' Treasure Chest.  The green baskets were also purchased at Dollar Tree and the zip ties from the 99 cent Only store which is NOT $.99 ONLY anymore I might add! 

The back of the chest is connected with zip ties so they HAD to undo both bike locks to flip it open. (Lesson previously learned!)

Once inside, they had a code to find out the final treasure lock.  I put it under the tool box (student suggestion) so they could not slip it out of the green treasure box.  Both the box and lock were purchased at Dollar Tree.  I laminated the combination sheet so they could write on it with expo markers and folded it in half.

Inside the treasure box I put candy and school stuff like post-its, pencils and pens.  The kids liked even the school supplies!  

This entire class was working the locks!

It was exhausting but great!  The kids actually thanked me!!  Thanked me for a learning experience!!  Several questioned the time I put into it (as if they had an appreciation of that!!! How often does something like that happen?!?!).  That makes every minute and dollar worth it.  Everyone seemed to be working hard and it accommodated all levels.  I did this after we did notes over graphing and an assignment.

In summary:  I LOVED the results.  The kids loved the results.  The kids did work.  The kids had an experience.  And the biggest take-away....

If you loosen your corset too much.... it doesn't hold stuff right!  

Thank you,

Lisa

Escape Room Math Edition the Beginning... Escape Box!

So I've been playing with the idea of doing an Escape Room in my math class for a while.  Just researching it is overwhelming!  There are so many things and I need to consider the objectives that make it viable in the high school math classroom.  Of course, the optimal material would be solving equations and we are far past that at this point.  I decided to start gathering the materials and slowly start working on the logististics.  First, I Googled and Pinterested.  Then I dollar stored!!

At Dollar Tree I found combination bike lock chains which I decided to put to use with something 'mathy'.  Then the problem came, where to start?!?!?  I don't even know what an Escape Room is!  Ugh... maybe I should have thought this out a little more... but no, not me...it's full steam ahead!  I decided to incorporate an 'Escape Box' into my class first.  I used some of the supplies above and mysteriously Tweeted this:

https://twitter.com/CBHSRichMath/status/929793441864863745

Well.... that's it right?!?!  I kind of put the horse out in front of this race while I'm still hanging on the barn fence trying to figure out how to ride.  I decided to work it in to an already planned activity after Thanksgiving Break.  So I came in to class Monday morning and placed this at the front of the room.  2nd period.....

'What's that for?'
'What's in that?'
'Is it Star Wars?'
'Is it stickers?'

To which I replied, 'you will have to wait and find out'.  So now, I've got their attention, time to figure out how to ride the horse!

I saw from Sarah Carter's Monday Must Reads post about a mapping activity from Mrs. Anker last week and I had already developed it for my class for post break!

Here is mine!  I took 7 different versions of the school map and they will need to map the two systems of linear equations on each map and find the 'Spots' in the school.  I've included my assignment here. You will need the Austie Bost Envelope font which you can download for free here if you don't want to change the fonts around to print.  Just change my pictures for your school maps and adjust the points.

So how is this leading to the Escape Room?  Well, at the end of the treasure hunt they need a treasure box right?  And now I know how to use the teaser 'Escape Box'!  There are 7 maps, as each group/pair comes back, they will receive a scratch off with Lock A or B and a number in the combination.  There are 2 3-digit bike locks, so what does map 7 get?  They will get a scratch off telling them the first number of the combination for one lock.  Not super tricky or 'escapy' but I thought a nice intro to the concept.  I also decided to introduce some codes in as after all the excitement of getting everything set up and worked out, I remembered there was a combination lock on the box inside.  I so often get ahead of myself that it no longer phases me having to rethink or redo things several times!  

I decided to use the Mason cipher I found on the following blog post: https://birthdayblueprint.blogspot.com/2011/05/spy-party.html?spref=tw.  She even provides you with the font to download.  After their test this week, I am giving them all a quick puzzle with no guidance to see if they can figure out the code.  They say things like 'We are Clear Brook!' or 'Mrs. R rocks math!'  I did them all in lower case font as it is just for interpretation of the symbols and I did not want anything too discouraging.  I also made them all different as I want them to think about it and not just copy.  I had to figure it out too as I had no idea!

I felt this was a nice comfortable way to work in the beginnings of an Escape Room as I feel it will take some time to develop the whole thing out.  I'll let you know how it goes!

I have a few things ready and all the boxes prepped (way more work than I thought too) to start developing more intensive 'escapes'.

I put smaller boxes in the locked baskets so they had to open all the locks before getting the items from inside.

Probably the most challenging was finding a cipher wheel I wanted to use and could figure out ;-)

I got the ones above for free from Dabbles and Babbles and The Teacher Wife.  I even put them together to form an adapted one.

Thanks!

Lisa