Cracking the Code of an Engaging Lesson: Why Digital Escape Rooms Are Essential for Your Students
I can remember how excited I was to make my first hands on Escape Room with my Biology students. I went to a “Break-out Room” PD session and left there SO motivated to have my students doing these amazing escape rooms!
So I went to the store, got the locks, boxes, and envelopes. I spent what seemed like hours getting everything ready for the BIG DAY.
For my first-class the escape went great, but my second period class had a few kids who liked to mix things up a bit and the next thing I know the locks were reprogrammed, the envelopes got mixed up and my dream of the perfect escape room for the other classes vanished into thin air.
Thankfully I had back-up locks and tried to make the best of it for the remainder of the day but it suffices to say that I felt like I was living an “Instagram vs. Reality “moment with what I thought this day would look like!
I thought I was done with escape rooms until I found DIGITAL escape rooms! All the fun but none of the mess or work!! No more stuffing envelopes or locks that don’t work! I bought several made on Google Sites and I was ready!
Visually appealing Google Slides keep the attention of the students!
Digital escape rooms became my new “go to” for a mid-content review! The students really seemed to enjoy the competition and I was thrilled.
Then for reasons unknown to me…. my district b l o c k e d Google Sites and all my favorite escape rooms were over. ☹ I tried to find some other ones, but the “Escape Rooms” were either just one Google Slide that the kids clicked around OR they just had Drag & Drop activities OR they were WAY too elementary styled for my classes.
So, I decided to start making my own on Google Slides. To make is as easy as possible for the teachers, I embed a Google Form as a clue in all of my Escape Rooms. There are no copies to make, just ONE LINK to send out! Students’ progress through visually appealing Google Slides while putting their clues on their Google Form.
The style of the escape room is self-checking so the students get immediate feedback since they cannot advance along without a correct answer. They are presented with a story that draws them in, making them eager to solve the puzzles and unlock the next code. This engagement can help reduce distractions and keep them focused on their learning.
I recall how hard it was to find high quality escape rooms for my biology classes, so I am starting with my biology teachers in mind! Learning Macromolecules and Photosynthesis was never so intriguing now that you have these escape rooms to use!
Looking for after testing or end of the year activities? Check out the Spring Escape to keep your students engaged!
Teachers love these activities because they are NO prep and NO grading! We have all been there in the middle of a unit trying to come up with something to review the content in a fun and meaningful way. If you have not tried a digital escape room, you are in for a treat!
Students like them because it is more fun than “just a worksheet”. They really get into the competition and want to be the first one to escape!
Digital escape rooms are a fantastic addition to your teaching toolbox! They engage students, foster critical thinking skills, and offer a creative and fun way to learn. So why not give it a try? Who doesn't love a good mystery to solve in the classroom? Happy escaping!
