Using Breakouts in the Science Classroom

Are your students tired of the same old study guides and review games? Looking for an activity that requires students to apply what they have learned while also building communication skills and perseverance? Need a fun way to introduce a unit and review prior knowledge? Try a breakout!

I often visit escape rooms with my friends. As a teacher, I always thought it would be fun to bring this experience to my students. How fun would it be to watch my students solve puzzles and work together in this way? After trying a few I found online, I began to develop unique breakout experiences, modifying puzzles I saw in real escape rooms, to help my students master the Science concepts we study.

In this image, you see a group of students fully engaged in their Chemistry Breakout. The students must apply their knowledge of the periodic table and the Bohr model of the atom in order to solve the puzzles, find the code, and open the box.

In this image, you see students working together on a word search. First, the students answer questions about DNA, then they find those answers in a word search. When they are done, the word search reveals a number code that helps them open the next lock.

My students love breakout days. One student asked if we could do one every week! While participating in the game, students get so caught up in the competition and puzzles that they forget they are learning.






Interested in trying a breakout game in your classroom? Click the links to find the Atoms and Periodic Table Breakout Game or the DNA Breakout Game on my Teachers Pay Teachers page.