Free Escape Rooms to Engage Students!
This post will teach you everything you need to know to start using your free escape rooms (at the end of this post!).
If you are looking for an easy way to engage your students in practice or review then you’re in the right place. I’m Michelle Klink, and I love finding ways to engage my students without sacrificing the rigor I know they need to reach mastery. Today I’m excited to share one of my favorite activities: 360° Digital Escape Rooms.
Keeping Students Engaged
As an upper elementary teacher, you know all too well the practice that is needed when you introduce a new skill or concept to your students. Students must practice a skill multiple times to reach a level of mastery. But . . . you probably already know (and have experienced) the moans and groans that come with another worksheet of practice problems. As teachers, finding a way to engage our students can be half the battle.
Finding the right activity can be a challenge. After all, we don’t want to decrease the rigor just to increase engagement. Add to that the fact, that our 21st-century students have been raised in a world with instant access to images, sounds, videos, and entertainment. It’s no wonder that traditional classroom activities miss the mark when it comes to engagement.
But don’t worry; it’s not a lost cause. I’ve found an amazing activity that not only keeps students engaged and learning, but leaves them begging for more. Literally!
360° Digital Escape Rooms
You might be thinking, “I know what an escape room is. But what is a 360° digital escape room?” The best way to describe a 360° digital escape room is a cross between an escape room and a virtual reality game.
In the gaming world, you put on those virtual reality goggles and are immediately transported to another place. You can look 360° around you and it’s an immersive experience. You are there without actually being there.
It’s a little more difficult to do this in the classroom, but with 360°digital escape rooms, you can get a little closer. In a 360° digital escape room activity, students will be immersed in a new environment. Completing the activity on a computer or tablet, students will be able to search in 360° to find all the clues, problems, and challenges needed to complete the escape room.
Benefits of a 360° Digital Escape Room
Engagement
There are many benefits to using a 360° digital escape room activity in the classroom. First, and probably one of the most important, is the engagement factor! Any time you can add a new and exciting activity in class, you can almost guarantee increased student engagement. Add to this the game-like feel of the activity, and you are left with an activity your students will be asking for more of!
Lots of Practice
360° digital escape rooms are also a great use of time. An average 360° digital escape room activity takes about 45-60 minutes to complete. During that time, students will complete around 50 skills-based questions, in addition to the escape room clues. And . . . the students won’t even complain that they are answering so many questions!
Problem Solving Skills
These escape room activities are also wonderful opportunities to work on critical and creative thinking skills. As students work on the skills-based questions, they are also posed with a variety of puzzles and challenges that must be figured out to get the clues needed to escape.
No Teacher Prep
When it comes to all that you have to do on a given day, minimal teacher prep is by far one of the best benefits. Everything you need to assign and facilitate a 360° digital escape room is provided. All you have to do is share the link with students so they can access the activity on their computers or tablets. It’s that easy!
Getting Started with your free Escape Room
Getting started with 360° digital escape rooms is not hard. First, make sure that your students have access to a device to complete the activity. If you don’t have 1-to-1 devices, you can group students together as partners or in small groups. In addition to the great skills practice, students also get to work on interpersonal and group decision-making skills.
Note: Many digital escape rooms require access to things like Google Forms or Google Slides. Even if you use Google Forms or Google Slides on a regular basis in your classroom, digital escape room links come from outside your school’s domain. A quick chat with your IT person will clear this up. Finally, be sure to read the small print before purchasing this type of fun review activity for your students!
These 360° digital escape rooms are designed to be used after a skill or topic has already been introduced to students. They are perfect for that mid-unit practice or an interactive review before a test. They also work well as a Fun Friday activity, after a few days of standardized testing when you are expected to teach, or on those days leading up to a holiday or school break.
Try Free Digital Escape Rooms in Your Classroom
Looking for a way to try out 360° escape rooms? Get a free escape room!
Check out these FREE 360° digital escape rooms that are ready for you to use with your students today!
Don’t take my word for how amazing these activities are. Instead, grab a free escape room and see for yourself.
Still have questions about 360° digital escape rooms? I’d love to connect with you. Email me any time at usemymindsaveyourtime@gmail.com or find me on the Use My Mind Save Your Time website.
About the Author
Michelle has her Ph.D. in education from Florida State University and did postdoctoral work at Yale University, Zigler Center for Child Development and Social Policy. She is a mindset and student engagement specialist that is passionate about equipping students with the skills they need to be successful today and tomorrow.
