Have you heard about the new craze in education known as
BreakoutEDU? If you have not heard of BreakoutEDU before, I will try to do my
best to explain the idea. I first learned about BreakoutEDU in a workshop over
the summer. At the center of this concept, there is a background story and a
box with locks attached. The idea is to solve clues that help unlock the locks.
Once all the locks have been unlocked, the students “break out” and see what is
inside the box (which typically involves the background story).
You can learn more about BreakoutEDU by visiting their site. You can purchase a box from BreakoutEDU site or you can piece together your own box and locks, which is what the Media Specialist from my school did. She purchased the box (toolbox) from the Dollar General and the locks from Home Depot, Lowe's, and Amazon. The locks purchased were directional lock, 4-digit lock, 3-digit lock, key lock, and a word lock. In order to attach all the locks to one box, we purchased a hasp from Amazon. When the hasp is closed, we locked all 5 locks to the one hasp. We have also tried a few Breakouts where we used 5 separate boxes and attached one lock to each box.
You can learn more about BreakoutEDU by visiting their site. You can purchase a box from BreakoutEDU site or you can piece together your own box and locks, which is what the Media Specialist from my school did. She purchased the box (toolbox) from the Dollar General and the locks from Home Depot, Lowe's, and Amazon. The locks purchased were directional lock, 4-digit lock, 3-digit lock, key lock, and a word lock. In order to attach all the locks to one box, we purchased a hasp from Amazon. When the hasp is closed, we locked all 5 locks to the one hasp. We have also tried a few Breakouts where we used 5 separate boxes and attached one lock to each box.
I decided to try this out on my third graders and connect
the BreakoutEDU with Ancient Greece.
Background Story:
Students watched a short clip on Odysseus. The movie clip included information about Odysseus' journey to Ithica and the challenges he faced. I explained to the students that they are the warriors traveling with Odysseus and are trying to make it to Ithica. The students have to overcome five tests.
Setup:
Signs for each challenge Print these signs and place in sign holders or just laminate and place at each challenge. I also had a laptop next to each box that had the BreakoutEDU clock (YouTube link that counts back from 45 minutes) along with a bowl to place unlocked locks in. 
Test 1: Directional Lock - Map of Greece
Directions on Sign: You,
Odysseus and the other warriors are trying to navigate the sea between Scylla
and Charybdis. If you and the crew sail too close to Scylla, the six-headed
monster, you may lose six warriors. If you sail too close to Charybdis, the
enormous whirlpool, the ship will be swallowed by the ocean. How will you and
your warriors survive?
Setup Information: A standard in 3rd grade is to be able to locate Greece on a map. This test used a printed map of Greece and surrounding countries. Using an invisible ink pen with a UV light, I drew arrows that mapped a route from Italy to Greece. The directions in the correct order unlock the directional lock.
Document Link and Preparation: Map of Greece (after printing, use an invisible ink pen with a UV light to draw arrows on the map, then laminate. My arrows went from Italy to Greece and the solution to the direction lock was up, up, right, right, right, down, down).
Document Link and Preparation: Map of Greece (after printing, use an invisible ink pen with a UV light to draw arrows on the map, then laminate. My arrows went from Italy to Greece and the solution to the direction lock was up, up, right, right, right, down, down).
Test 2: Word Lock
(Gods/Goddesses)
Directions on Sign: Hurry and solve this puzzle before you, Odysseus and your
warriors get lured by the sound of the Sirens. This puzzle will give you the
magical word to turn the songs of the Sirens off and give you time to escape
their song!
Setup Information: Students were given a book of Greek Gods/Goddesses and asked to solve word puzzles. In each puzzle, a letter was circled that spells the word that unlocks the word lock.
Document Link and Directions: Word Lock Clue Laminate document and place an informational book about Greek gods/goddesses. Document link has an answer key with word that will unlock the word lock.
Document Link and Directions: Word Lock Clue Laminate document and place an informational book about Greek gods/goddesses. Document link has an answer key with word that will unlock the word lock.
Test 3: Key Lock
(Column Hunt)
Directions on Sign: You, Odysseus, and the other warriors have been captured by
the Cyclops. He wants to eat humans for his dinner! AGHHH!! You MUST find the stick to drive through the
only eye of the Cyclops! Once you find the stick, you will be able to unlock
the key lock on the box.
Setup Information: My class played this BreakoutEDU in the Media Center. We created a scavenger hunt using books in the library. We printed pictures of the three different columns and created QR codes to glue on the back. The Doric column had a QR code that led students to the next column. The QR code when scanned gave students a call number of a Greek themed book from our library (Olympics, architecture, or gods/goddesses). Inside the book with the correct call number, there is the Ionic Column with another QR code on the back. This QR code displays a call number which leads to the Corinthian Column/QR code. This call number leads students to a book on the Parthenon which has an envelope with the key to unlock the key lock.
Document Link and Directions: Column Hunt Key Lock I attached two separate hunts that worked in our media center at our school. Your Media Center may have different books, so you would want to change the call numbers by creating a new QR code. The final key was hidden in an envelope that had a picture of a stick on it (Stick Envelope)
Document Link and Directions: Column Hunt Key Lock I attached two separate hunts that worked in our media center at our school. Your Media Center may have different books, so you would want to change the call numbers by creating a new QR code. The final key was hidden in an envelope that had a picture of a stick on it (Stick Envelope)
Test 4: 4-Digit Lock
(Democracy)
Directions on Sign: Don’t get turned into a PIG! Complete the Direct Democracy
obstacle before Circe finds you and turns you into a pig! HURRY!
Setup Information: Students take a quiz about Direct Democracy using Microsoft Forms. When students answer the final question correctly, a hint appears that gives students the 4-digit number lock.
Document Link and Directions: Democracy Quiz QR Code The QR code leads you to a quiz on direct democracy using Microsoft Forms. When the final question is answered correctly, the students are given the 4-digit number to unlock the 4-digit lock.
Document Link and Directions: Democracy Quiz QR Code The QR code leads you to a quiz on direct democracy using Microsoft Forms. When the final question is answered correctly, the students are given the 4-digit number to unlock the 4-digit lock.
Test 5: 3-Digit Lock
(Olympics)
Directions on Sign: Calypso is trying to place a spell on you and keep you in
prison for 7 years. Will she accomplish this? Solve the math problem before
she finishes her spell and save yourself!
Setup Instructions: A coworker of mine came up with this fabulous idea. We printed/laminated a picture of the Parthenon and the Greek alphabet/values. Students had to calculate the value of the word Parthenon by adding the value of each of the letters. The sum is the solution to the 3-digit lock.
Document Links and Directions: Greek Alphabet and Values and Parthenon picture Laminate and give students a whiteboard or paper to calculate the sum of the letter values of Parthenon. The sum is 664, which is the answer to the 3-digit lock.
Document Links and Directions: Greek Alphabet and Values and Parthenon picture Laminate and give students a whiteboard or paper to calculate the sum of the letter values of Parthenon. The sum is 664, which is the answer to the 3-digit lock.
After students solve all 5 locks, the students open the box to find an Arrow to record time (used because we were competing against 7 other 3rd grade classes) and BreakoutEDU signs to take pictures!
More pictures of Ancient Greece BreakoutEDU in action:
