Breakout → Scavenger Hunt
If you have a breakout box set up or would be interested in learning more about that version of that task check out this blog post for all of the details:
The Process
Students will should work in small groups of 3-5. Each group will start with envelope 1 on their desk. The objective is to complete checkpoints by interpreting the clues and determining the secret passwords. Once groups think they have correctly filled in their checkpoint password, they must check in with the gamemaster (most likely the teacher), and if correct, receive their next envelope. Groups successfully complete the scavenger hunt by completing all 5 checkpoints and correctly answering their final problem.
Checkpoint Answer Cards
Checkpoint #1
Checkpoint #2
Checkpoint #3
Once they find all of the missing energy values, all they need to do is follow the clue and rank them from smallest to largest. On the back of each card is a shape. Counting the corners in this ranked order provides the 4 digit answer to gain access to the next envelope
The three triangle clues used for checkpoint #2 are also puzzle pieces to complete a QR code. Of course, the QR code won't work until they have all of the pieces and the fourth piece is found in the fourth envelope. The colored outlines are there to help students assemble the puzzle correctly. Once they have the pieces assembled, the code takes them to a google site with information about the diver's impact velocity
The final piece of information that is required is the mass of the diver. The line up of people is from the very beginning of the task but the group doesn't know which mass to use until they find the final triangle clue in the fourth envelope. This clue is simply a picture of the person, and it is up to the group to make the connection that this is the same person as the diver in the problem
With the impact velocity and the mass, it should be possible to use the conservation of energy to solve for the missing kinetic energy.
Checkpoint #5
To complete this challenge, groups need to solve one last problem that they find in the fifth envelope. In the breakout version of this task, each group receives a different version of this final problem. This isn't necessary for the scavenger hunt but could make the final challenge feel more individualized.
Since this task was designed to be used in several different levels of classes, there are two versions of this clue. Level 1 is a simple conservation of energy ramp question where students need to find the missing energy while Level 2 requires more calculation to find the velocity of a roller coaster at a certain location.
Note: if you want to shorten the length of the breakout task, this clue is the easiest one to get rid of because it doesn't interact with any of the other clue paths
Printing out the Clues
I knew going into this task that I wanted to make something that I could use over and over without a huge reset between class periods. Because of this, I chose to print out all of the clues on card stock and laminate everything with my handy thermal laminator. Of course, it would work just fine on regular paper as well. Just be prepared to have sets of clues to refill the envelopes if you are doing this for multiple classes in a row. I wouldn't expect that you will be able to reuse any of the printouts from class to class because it's almost guaranteed that someone will write on them even if instructed not to. This was another great benefit of the lamination because students were able to write on the clues with a dry erase marker or Vis-a-Vis wet erase transparency marker and wipe it clean at the end of class.
Here are the files in pdf and powerpoint formats organized by clue groups. A couple things to keep in mind:
Setting up the Scavenger Hunt
The biggest part of the set up for this task printing and organizing the clues into envelopes. Each groups will need a set of envelopes so the more groups there are, the more set up there will be. It might help to have names for the groups so that you can label the envelopes and better keep track of which group is on which clue
Download
Below you will find a .zip file of the digital (PDF and editable) files needed for this breakout task. All of the files are included individually in the sections above as well but it's nice to get everything in one tidy package!
Please leave a comment or contact me directly if you have any questions about this activity or setting up your own breakout box escape room activity. I'm excited to continue adding more in the future so I can get some more value out of these kits
Download an outline of this task (essentially a printer friendly version of this blog post)
Click here for more tasks like these!
Comments
|
Joe CossetteFather, Physics Teacher, Knowles Fellow, Friend, Techie, and Musician Blog Posts |