In this one-day review activity, designed for a high school Chemistry classroom, students work in small teams to “escape” their chemistry room by answering questions and solving Gas Laws Unit problems.

Basic Idea:

1. Student answer questions at each level to figure out the breakout code.

2. They type the breakout code in the Google form (link provided) to progress through the different levels.

3. Upon unlocking the last level, students are be given a numeric breakout code that will grant them safe passage out of the classroom.

Why and how does this learning strategy work?

Escape room-style lessons are fun, engaging, and motivating. They involve friendly competition between teams as each group wants to be the first to escape, but the students’ main competition is time. Each breakout room level is designed to be progressively more difficult and calls on more advanced content knowledge and skills. While designed as a review lesson, I find that many students (inadvertently) use the Gas Laws and Properties Breakout as the opportunity to learn and understand the gas unit content and calculations better. In addition to learning subject knowledge, students improve their teamwork-related skills, such as communication, role distribution, and time management as they collaborate toward reaching a common goal.

Student Learning and Performance Objectives:

1. Put together a periodic table of chemistry students in our class.

2. Create an element box for each student with their characteristics, likes, dislikes etc.

3. Start building a classroom community.

4. Allow students to familiarize themselves with each other by learning a few things about their classmates.

What's included:

1. 13 pages that introduce, explain, and guide the teacher and students through the activity.

2. Google Form students use to input their answers to progress through the levels (They can only progress by inputting correct answers)

3. Printable escape room levels (4 pages)

4. Teacher notes including the set-up, introduction to students, and frequently asked teacher questions

5. Materials needed

6. Teacher Answer Keys for each Breakout Level