Breakout!

I am OBSESSED with a new educational style, method, strategy... I'm not even sure what to call it exactly.  Breakout EDU is the object of my obsession these days.  Let me try to explain why... 

Have you ever gone to one of the Escape Room "games" that have started to pop up around cities in the US? I did one in Minneapolis when I was there for the NSTA STEM conference last year and was hooked.  Solving puzzles, riddles, searching for clues, using reason and logic, map skills, literacy... it was a mind blowing experience for a teacher.  I even came back and two months later my best friend (also a teacher) and I were talking about how we wish we could recreate it for our classrooms.  She was a little more motivated, but I was lost in how to actually make it happen.

In later January, I stumbled across the Breakout EDU facebook page.  Done.  I was sucked in.  I used the open source list from Amazone and ordered all my boxes, locks, invisible ink... must have been an interesting order from an outsiders perspective :) 

The idea behind running a breakout is two-fold, in my opinion.  First, the content.  Content is woven in through each clue the students must find and solve.  For example, in a weather breakout, they have to find average changes, define seasons, read barometers, etc.  All real life scenarious they are solving to find codes to open locks.  The second thing, cooperative learning... TEAMWORK!  I've NEVER seen my students work so well together.  Sure, leaders emerge, but in each breakout, its been a different students.  One of my most quiet students figured out one of the locks in the last minute of a breakout and she was the hero of the day, week... they still talk about it.  The pride they feel as they complete each lock makes my heart burst.  I literally have almost cried tears of joy during breakouts.  I love seeing the love that they have for learning when we do these.  

And it's not hard to get started once you get the matierals...

First you either design your own breakout or sign up on the website and access some pre-made breakouts that have been created by the most amazing teachers around the country.  The sharing and collaborting that happens amongst breakout teachers is phenomenal.  You feel like you are a part of something.  

After getting your breakout planned, you set your locks and set up the box. I put mine in the center of the room so the minute they walk in the excitment and curiousity is palpable.  

The offical Breakout boxes are handmade one by one and are wooden... they look awesome and I encourage you to order one (www.breakoutedu.com).  I couldn't wait and used their open source list.

Then there is a story to kick off the breakout.  I think this is one of the most important parts.  It gives the students the background of what they are doing.  We did a Dr. Suess breakout on March 2nd, and it was a story all about how the Cat in the Hat lost his Hat.  And the Hat was locked in the box.  Amazing.  

I always post the story at the front board so everyone can see it!

Then the timer starts.  40 minutes is the standard breakout time.  I've done a few in 30 minutes to fit them in my 40 minute periods, I just modify the game to make sure I feel that it is attainable.  

And the kids do their thing!  They search for clues, do work, and try to unlock the main box, other mini boxes hidden in the room...

Here the students are using a UV flashlight to read invisible ink on clues to get even more information about what to do next.

Here at student is doing some math problems to find the code to open a lock.  In the background, you can see the official breakout timer going... with supercool spy music playing. 

The students are working together to see if these fish that I placed here before the school day started hold any information for them.

Attempting a lock!

So as the game goes, they just keep plugging away at different pieces of the breakout.  They work their little behinds off to figure it out. Every time.  We have been doing breakouts for about 2 months, I think we've completed about 6 breakouts- we try to do one every other week and it is their activity of choice during holiday parties and free time.  

Check out these happy faces... this is why I teach. 

 Go learn more about Breakout EDU... from me, the website, facebook.  Just give it a try once, you won't regret it.