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Mission Math: Classroom Escape Room

Ever been to an escape room with your friends? If you’re anything like me, you probably get a bit anxious, a little excited, but more than anything, you want to solve all the clues and WIN! Now, how about we think about how we can bring something similar into the classroom!

I made an Escape Room for my class for a few reasons. First of all, and I will be very honest, I needed to make sure I reviewed and covered a few concepts and skills before our big state math test! Secondly, I just wanted to have a little fun with the kiddos!

math problem solving escape room

Mission Math is meant to be completed “Escape Room” style. Students are given 5 missions to complete during the day. All missions meet 3rd grade math standards and are meant to be completed in teams. In my classroom, we broke the students into 5 groups. Students are told that they need to complete all 5 missions in order to help save the main character’s HUGE fortune from being stolen from the evil villain. Check out Mission Math on TpT.

In the problem I created for my class, I included the following:

Mission #1- Perimeter and Measurement Mission #2- Word Problems Mission #3- Bar Graphing and Line Plots Mission #4- Multi-Step Word problems and adding/subtracting money Mission #5- Fractions

math problem solving escape room

Placing the missions into these “briefcases” adds a fun touch. You can grab them from the scrapbooking section at craft stores.

Here are a few things I did to make the day run a bit more smoothly and to keep the kiddos engaged:

  • Breaking your kids into groups of 4-6 and keeping these groups for the entire day will work the best. I would suggest moving students into groups or working at a table for the day.
  • This is meant to be an full day mission, but you could definitely break it up over a 5 day period.
  • I suggest giving items to students in either manila folders or in small bins. This just helps keep everything organized. (See my pictures at the end of this packet to see the scrapbook bins I bought at my local craft store).
  • Each time a team finishes a mission, they receive a letter. The letters are at the end of this packet.
  • I did this right before our state math test toward the end of the year. Of course, you could also do this at the beginning of fourth grade to review third grade concepts.
  • I included three videos in this set, You can use the first video to introduce this mission to students. The second video can be projected and played throughout the day to set the scene. The third video can be used after students complete the missions. You don’t need to use these, as I also included the written letters with this information. It may just engage your students a bit more if you can play the videos.
  • As the day progresses, I give out SPY BUCKS . I start everyone off with 8 spy bucks. I give out more SPY BUCKS throughout the day as the kids answer questions correctly, do a great job problem solving, or working as a team. I can also take away spy bucks if students are off task, etc. However, I try to keep it positive.

math problem solving escape room

To add a fun touch, I bought a lockable toolbox and placed a Word Lock on. The kid then used the TOP SECRET word they obtained after completing the mission to open the box. It was filled with candy and prizes. 🙂

math problem solving escape room

We also brought in some black lights and put white yarn around the room to create a laser effect!

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July 28, 2017 at 4:27 am

I would love to do this but I don’t have the whole day and I have two classes that I meet. Any tips on how to make it happen with 84 minutes for each class?

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August 19, 2017 at 1:04 am

There are lots of different ways to set it up to make it shorter, just vary the questions and their lengths. I have one I have kids enter codes on a google doc, and when the solve it they go on to the next station. I have even used children’s lockable diaries with clues inside and when they unlock a lock box they find another math set of math problems and a key that unlocks the diary. You can make each station or mission have shorter problems to solve.

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February 1, 2018 at 4:29 am

Hi Were are dhe files??

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February 22, 2018 at 1:47 pm

Mission Math: Classroom Escape Room for Grades 2-5 on TpT

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October 2, 2018 at 4:43 pm

Do you have the files that you did with the students, like the measurement, word problems, fractions, ect.?

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January 7, 2020 at 8:16 pm

hi i am a student is there a way to jazz it up and not be so expensive with the black lights.

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math problem solving escape room

Math Escapes : Escape Room Style Activities in the Middle School Math Classroom

Math Escape Room

⭐ Watch a FREE Math Escapes Webinar – anytime, anywhere! SIGN UP HERE! ⭐

Why Escape Activities? 

Escape rooms have gained immense popularity in recent years, and it’s not difficult to see why. These activities encourage individuals to collaborate and use problem-solving skills to reach a common goal, making them a great way to promote teamwork and logical thinking among students. By incorporating escape room-style activities in the middle school math classroom, students can work together to solve math-related problems while having fun.

math problem solving escape room

What makes this escape activity different?  This activity does not require the challenges to be completed in any particular order. Students simply need to find all eight codes to “escape.” This makes the activity highly customizable and allows for differentiation and the ability to remove challenges based on time constraints. Additionally, teachers can make only one copy of each challenge and reuse them as groups finish.

This escape room is NOT… It’s important to note that while this activity is designed for end-of-year fun, it should not be used as a comprehensive review of all 6th grade standards. The primary focus of escape activities is on collaboration and problem-solving, and while they do help reinforce content, they should not be used as a substitute for thorough test review.

Is there a lot of work involved for the teacher?  While escape activities do require some preparation on the teacher’s part, they are guaranteed to engage students and make learning fun. Teachers do not need any special materials to carry out the 6th Grade Math End of Year Escape, and even the more elaborate methods of “escaping” only require simple materials like manila folders, metal paper fasteners/brads, and mirrors. Take a look at this video if you want to peek inside the 6th Grade End of Year Math Escape. I go over all of the prep needed in detail. It is a 30 minute video so you’ll need time to get through it all!

What materials are needed?  Here’s the great thing – you don’t technically need ANY materials. WHAT? Other than paper and typical classroom materials (glue stick, scissors, a ruler), manila folders , a metal paper fastener/brad and a mirror , you aren’t required to have anything else.

There are three ways to “escape”. The first TWO ways involve only the materials listed above. Students can either check their codes by themselves using a digital lock (a Google Drive file) or by having you check their code. It is as simple as that!

The third method does include a lock box , lockout hasp and a variety of different locks (four  4 digi t , two  3 digit and two  alpha ) that require materials but once you purchase them, you can reuse them over and over again.

What activities are used in Math Escapes?  The activity options are almost endless! Any skill can be turned into an escape style activity as long as the answer(s) can somehow be converted to a code. This is possible using ciphers, decoders, etc. or simple letter/number coordination.

Students can put together puzzles, complete worksheets, decipher messages, complete word searches or crossword puzzles, color by number, etc. There really are SO many different opportunities.

If you wish to create an escape style activity for your class and you want one challenge to lead to another you’ll need to make sure the code from one challenge somehow leads students to the next. The Math Escapes I have created do not have linking challenges so they can be used without worrying about having to complete all challenges or complete them in a specific order.

Take a peek This short video takes you inside my 6th Grade End of Year Math Escape so you can get an idea of the types of resources that are included.

Wrapping it up: In conclusion, escape activities provide a fun and engaging way to teach math and problem-solving skills. While they may require some preparation on the teacher’s part, the benefits of these activities in promoting teamwork, collaboration, and logical thinking among students make them well worth the effort

⭐ If you’d like to purchase any of the individual math escapes you can do so by CLICKING HERE !

⭐⭐ You can also get access to all current and future Math Escapes by becoming a Math Escapes Member!

*This post includes Amazon affiliate links which means if you make a purchase through one of the links, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

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Escape room math: a fun and challenging substitute teacher activity.

Escape Room Math offers an innovative and engaging way to teach math, making it an excellent activity for substitute teachers. It combines the thrill of solving puzzles with the educational benefits of practicing math skills. This activity not only captivates students' attention but also enhances their problem-solving abilities and mathematical understanding in a fun, interactive environment.

Key Takeaways

Escape Room Math is highly engaging, keeping students interested and involved in learning.

It's easy to set up with minimal resources and can be adapted to any math curriculum.

Escape Room Math activities cater to a wide range of math skills from basic addition to complex problem-solving.

Successfully implemented Escape Rooms can significantly enhance students' problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

This activity provides a dynamic educational experience that is both fun and academically rewarding.

Why Escape Room Math is Perfect for Substitute Teachers

Engaging students with challenges.

Escape room math activities are not just fun; they are a brilliant way to keep students engaged and actively learning. By presenting math problems in the context of a thrilling narrative, students are more likely to participate and stay focused. This is especially useful for us as substitute teachers, where capturing and maintaining student interest can often be challenging.

Ease of Implementation

One of the greatest advantages of escape room math is its ease of implementation. Most of the resources needed are readily available or can be easily created. This makes it a convenient option for substitute teachers who may not have access to all the usual classroom resources. We can set up an engaging learning experience with minimal preparation.

Adaptable to Various Math Skills

Escape room math can be tailored to fit a wide range of math skills , from basic addition to more complex algebraic equations. This adaptability makes it an excellent tool for classrooms with diverse learning levels. By differentiating the tasks, we ensure that every student is challenged yet able to participate meaningfully in the activity.

Setting Up Your First Classroom Escape Room

Choosing the right theme.

When we set up our first classroom escape room, choosing the right theme is crucial. It should be engaging and relevant to the students' interests and age group. For instance, themes like 'Pirate Treasure Hunt' or 'Space Mission' can captivate different age groups and make the math challenges more intriguing.

Essential Materials Checklist

To ensure a smooth setup, we need a checklist of essential materials. Here’s a basic list to get us started:

Locks and keys

Decorative items to suit the theme

Task cards with math problems

Props for puzzles

Having all materials at hand before we start setting up will save us time and prevent last-minute rushes.

Guiding Students Through the Process

Guiding students through the escape room process is vital. We should explain the rules clearly and set the scene to build excitement. It's helpful to assign roles to students , such as a team leader or a timekeeper, to encourage teamwork and ensure everyone is involved. We should also be ready to offer hints if they get stuck, keeping the challenge balanced and enjoyable.

Integrating Math Skills into Escape Challenges

Incorporating addition and regrouping.

We've found that starting with basic operations like addition and regrouping sets a solid foundation for more complex challenges. It's essential to design puzzles that require students to use these skills in order to unlock the next stage of the game. This approach not only reinforces their math skills but also keeps them deeply engaged.

Using Logic Puzzles and Order of Operations

Logic puzzles are a fantastic way to integrate critical thinking into math learning. By incorporating the order of operations, students must apply a sequential approach to solve the puzzles, enhancing their problem-solving abilities and ensuring a comprehensive understanding of math concepts.

Differentiating Math Tasks for Diverse Learners

To accommodate all students, we differentiate the tasks within our math escape rooms. For instance, we might adjust the complexity of puzzles or provide hints for younger students while challenging older or more advanced students with fewer clues. This ensures that every student is actively involved and learning at their own pace.

Examples of Successful Classroom Escape Rooms

Haunted house math escape.

We've seen tremendous success with the Haunted House Math Escape , where students solve spooky math puzzles to find their way out of a haunted mansion. This theme captivates students' attention and makes the learning process thrilling. The key to its success lies in the immersive experience that keeps students engaged and eager to solve the next challenge.

Sandcastle Summer Math Mystery

The Sandcastle Summer Math Mystery is another hit. Here, students use their math skills to uncover hidden treasures and solve beach-themed puzzles. It's a perfect way to keep the learning going during the summer or to bring a bit of sunshine into the classroom during the colder months. Students love the thematic elements that make each problem-solving session feel like a mini-vacation.

Back to School Case File Challenge

To kick off the school year, we introduced the Back to School Case File Challenge. Students become detectives, using their math skills to solve a series of school-related mysteries. This escape room not only reviews important math concepts but also builds a sense of community as students work together to crack the case.

Tips for Keeping Students Engaged

Interactive elements to include.

Incorporating interactive elements into your math escape room can significantly boost student engagement. Think about adding puzzles that require physical movement or teamwork to solve. This not only makes the activity more dynamic but also caters to different learning styles.

Maintaining Pace and Excitement

To keep the energy high and students invested, it's crucial to maintain a brisk pace and introduce new challenges at the right moments. Keep transitions smooth and quick to prevent downtime, which can lead to loss of interest.

Handling Different Skill Levels

It's important to design challenges that are accessible to all students while still providing enough complexity for those who need it. Offering hints or different levels of clues can help ensure that everyone remains engaged and feels successful.

Assessing Learning Outcomes with Escape Room Math

Evaluating problem solving skills.

We've discovered that escape rooms are not just fun; they're a powerful tool for assessing students' problem-solving skills. By observing how students approach different challenges, we can gauge their critical thinking and ability to apply math concepts in real-time. This hands-on approach provides insights that traditional tests might miss, making it a valuable part of our assessment toolkit.

Feedback Mechanisms

Feedback is crucial in any learning environment, and escape rooms provide a unique way to deliver it. During the activity, we can offer immediate, personalized feedback based on each student's performance. This helps them understand their strengths and areas for improvement in a supportive, engaging context.

Measuring Engagement and Understanding

One of the key benefits of using escape rooms in education is their ability to measure student engagement. We can observe which puzzles capture their attention and which ones they struggle with, giving us a clear picture of their understanding and interest levels. This data is invaluable for tailoring future lessons to better meet their needs and interests.

Resources and Tools for Creating Your Math Escape Room

When we're setting up a math escape room, having the right resources and tools can make all the difference. Here's a breakdown of what you might need:

Printable Kits and Digital Platforms

We've found that printable kits and digital platforms are invaluable. They provide structured templates and interactive elements that can be customized to fit any math topic. For instance, platforms like MagicSchool.ai offer comprehensive tools that help in lesson planning and more, making it easier to integrate complex math problems into fun escape room challenges.

Teacher Reviews and Recommendations

It's always helpful to hear from other educators who have already walked this path. Websites with teacher reviews and recommendations can guide us in choosing the most effective materials and methods for our students. For example, engaging and humorous resources like Funny Math Riddles for Elementary Kids can add a light-hearted touch while promoting critical thinking.

Customizing Challenges for Your Classroom

Every class is unique, and so should be the challenges we design. By customizing the puzzles and tasks, we ensure that they meet the specific needs and skill levels of our students. This might involve adjusting the difficulty of the puzzles or incorporating diverse math skills to cater to all learners.

Wrapping Up: The Joy of Math Through Escape Rooms

As we've explored throughout this article, escape room math challenges offer a unique and engaging way for students to sharpen their math skills while having fun. Whether it's solving mysteries, cracking codes, or navigating through haunted houses, these activities provide a dynamic learning environment that is both challenging and rewarding. For substitute teachers, these math escape rooms are a perfect tool to keep students motivated and actively learning, even in the absence of their regular teacher. So next time you're looking for a creative and educational activity, consider setting up an escape room math challenge. It's an exciting way to make math enjoyable and accessible for students of all ages!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is escape room math.

Escape Room Math is an interactive activity where students solve math-related puzzles in a themed setting to 'escape' or achieve a goal. It combines problem-solving, teamwork, and math skills in a fun and engaging way.

How can substitute teachers implement Escape Room Math in the classroom?

Substitute teachers can easily implement Escape Room Math by preparing a set of math puzzles aligned with the curriculum, setting a storyline or theme, and guiding students through the challenge. It requires minimal setup and can be adapted to different math skills.

What are some popular themes for Classroom Escape Rooms?

Popular themes include haunted houses, summer mysteries like sandcastles, back to school challenges, and holiday-themed puzzles. Each theme can be tailored to incorporate relevant math tasks.

How do you assess students' learning outcomes in an Escape Room Math activity?

Learning outcomes can be assessed by observing problem-solving skills, student engagement, and the ability to apply math skills in practical scenarios. Teachers can also use follow-up questions or a reflection session to evaluate understanding.

What materials are needed to set up a Classroom Escape Room?

Materials typically include lock boxes, puzzles, clues, themed decorations, and digital tools or printable kits. Teachers should prepare these materials based on the chosen theme and math skills involved.

Can Escape Room Math be adapted for different grade levels?

Yes, Escape Room Math can be adapted for various grade levels by modifying the complexity of the math challenges, the theme, and the support provided during the activity. It's a flexible approach that can be scaled to suit elementary through high school students.

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Self-Checking Algebra Escape Room Activities

Algebra Escape Rooms

Algebra is so fun to teach, and learning algebra helps students build their problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Witnessing students' "aha" moments and their new understanding of abstract concepts throughout the school year is incredibly rewarding as an algebra teacher. 

With all this being said, learning algebra  can be hard for some kids. One of the big hurdles I saw students face in algebra was the transition from being able to solve math problems in their heads to needing to write everything down because of the multiple steps in algebra. Students who equated being “smart in math” with being able to solve problems mentally can struggle with feelings of inadequacy. Part of my job as an algebra teacher was to break this connection between mental math and being a math person. After all, we wouldn’t know about Albert Einstein’s work if he never wrote anything down. 

math problem solving escape room

In this post, I want to show you one of the interactive algebra activities I’ve been working on— algebra escape rooms . Each now comes in both printable PDF and digital form in the same file. The digital versions are the original versions and are self-checking in Google Forms. The new printable versions work great as group activities and when students just need to walk around. 

Printable algebra escape rooms 

The printable algebra escape rooms work a lot like scavenger hunts. Students solve the 4 problems in a puzzle, write down their 4-letter code, then check the NEXT STEP box to see which puzzle to visit next. There are 5 puzzles to visit in each algebra escape room activity. 

Over the years, I have heard from teachers who didn’t have access to computers, wanted days without computers (love that idea) and had students with print-only accommodations who wanted printable versions of the escape rooms. So I added the printable PDF versions to meet these needs. 

How to use the printable algebra escape rooms : 

1: I'd recommend printing a few copies of the escape room. If a student group has completed one puzzle, then they don’t have to go idle waiting for their next puzzle to open up. 

2: Each student gets their own answer sheet. Student directions are printed on their answer sheet, though they may need a nudge to read the directions. 

3: Scatter the puzzles around your classroom. You can put them on tables or tape them to the walls, whichever you prefer. 

4: Break students into pairs or small groups, depending on which you prefer and which works best for your class. 

5: Start each group at a different puzzle. There are 5 puzzles in each escape room. When a group finishes one puzzle, they go on to their next.

6: Students get solving! 

Benefits of the printable algebra escape rooms : 

By working together, students are building their collaboration skills. This collaboration builds teamwork and allows students to learn from one another. Walking around the room visiting each new puzzle also builds in movement that this age group tends to like.

Digital algebra escape rooms 

The original versions of the algebra escape rooms are self-checking Google Forms. They are simple to assign and require correct 4-letter code to move on to the next puzzle. There are 3,024 different possible 4-letter codes made from the 9-letter grid, so the chance that a student will guess a code without doing the work is slim. 

Students can work together in pairs or groups, or they can work independently, depending on your preference and what works best for your students.

Benefits of the digital algebra escape rooms : 

The self-checking aspect eliminates your need to grade. You can go back into the Responses tab of the Google Form in you Google Drive to see who successfully solved all 5 puzzles. 

Incorporating self-checking algebra escape room activities into the routine lets students work together to reach a common goal and gives them that instant feedback they crave. By combining the thrill of an escape room with algebraic problem-solving, you can engage and motivate your students while reinforcing key concepts. These activities foster teamwork, critical thinking, and independence, all of which are vital skills for success in algebra and beyond. 

Both the printable and the digital escape rooms are in the same files so that you always have access to both.

"I LOVE THESE. They are easy to use for students and teachers. They are great review and / or assessment tool. They're my favorite to use after reviewing for a "homework" grade. I know if they can get to the end of it they understood what we were doing." — Morgan M.

"My students love working through the escape rooms! It is a fun and engaging activity that I like to leave when I have a substitute or if classes are shortened due to weather delays. They become so competitive when working through the puzzles but that allows for great math conversations." — Kelley N.

Browse all digital math escape rooms on TPT

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Let’s face it, getting students excited about and engaged in math is sometimes easier said than done. But it is also crucially important! Students engaged during math class increase their attention and focus, leading to a more meaningful classroom experience, making students more likely to see math as a subject they can succeed in. Students who no longer fear math go further and are more likely to take advanced courses like Precalculus and Calculus.

I have found that digital escape rooms really capture students’ attention and hold their interest. I used to set up physical escape rooms in my classroom with little safes and fake keys and prizes strewn about my classroom. But with the recent need for digital products, I pivoted to creating digital math escape rooms and students LOVE them. I mean ALL students. Even high school students love digital escape rooms. Some of my Calculus students’ absolute favorite activities are math digital escape rooms.

How do math escape rooms work?

Digital escape rooms involve no-prep, are self-grading, and they really increase student engagement and I find that they are best used for those concepts students tend to struggle with or that are essential skills. You know, concepts like factoring quadratic trinomials? I don’t know what it is about factoring quadratics that students hate, but they really, really do. Start class by mentioning that students are going to complete another factoring worksheet and you will hear the groans. But start class by telling students that they are going to have to factor quadratic trinomials to escape a digital escape room and they will look at you with intrigue and curiosity.

My list of essential (or “groan-inducing”) concepts:

Order of operations

Operations with integers

Solve linear equations

Determine slope of a line

Multiply binomials

Factoring (literally ANY type of factoring)

Solve systems of linear equations

Solve quadratic equations

Exponential growth & decay word problems

Solve radical equations

Solve rational equations

Permutation & combination word problems

Right triangle trigonometry

Solve logarithmic equations

Operations with complex numbers

Conditional probability

Evaluating derivatives

What does your list look like? I am sure you could add even more topics to this list. When I think about using escape rooms, I just think about the concepts that, if I found a genie in a bottle, I would wish for my students to understand completely.

I also LOVE using themed digital escape rooms. Think about how many semester reviews or final exam reviews you make your math students take. Imagine replacing one more review packet with a cumulative semester or final exam review digital escape room. I also love Halloween themed digital escape rooms . Halloween is the first holiday of the new school year and students of ALL ages love Halloween. If you can combine Halloween with a groan-inducing mathematical concept – that is a win-win scenario for a digital escape room. I even use Halloween themed digital escape rooms for younger students that I tutor – enter 5th grade word problems (I think every student I ever met loathes word problems).

math problem solving escape room

How to start with digital escape rooms?

Usually, digital escape rooms are made in one of two ways. The first way is with Google Slides and the second is housed on a Google Site. If you are just getting started with digital escape rooms, I suggest starting with Google Slides. When I say Google Slides, the bulk of your escape room will be in Google Slides but the lock (what students use to escape) will be used with a Google Form.

To start, open a new Google Slide and you will want to insert or create a background image. You can purchase a stock image or search sites like Canva or Pixabay for great images. I use my own images, so when I go on vacation I will take pictures of museums (without people in the image of course) or I like to go to the library when it first opens and get a picture of an empty library, or aisles of books, it all depends on the theme of my escape room.

Once you have your slide, you are going to create clickable images. This can be done by laying transparent shapes over images already in your room or by inserting new images. These will typically be smaller images in and around your background picture. In this picture (that I took from a museum) I made transparent shapes on top of things like buildings, the signs on the wall, cars, and added images like the fire alarm. So you start with something that looks just like a picture but has different clickable links in it.

math problem solving escape room

Next, it is time to determine where all of your clickable images will go. These will serve as your clues. They can link to another slide in the presentation with a problem on it, they can go to a document with a set of problems or riddles on it, they can go to a video where they have to answer questions; where the links go and how complicated you make the clues is really up to you.

Now that you have your image and you have some pictures that will serve as your clickable links, you need a lock (which will be a Google form) for students to use to “escape”. In my picture, the small keypad is the lock. Students click on that, and it brings up a Google form where they input all of their answers. Students are told once they have found and solved all “x” clues, they must click on the keypad to bring up the lock and enter their answers to escape. See my lock below.

math problem solving escape room

When building your lock, it is nice to include a final “Congratulations” question for when the students escape. Again, you can make this in Canva or Pixabay.

math problem solving escape room

So that is a very high level of how you can create a digital escape room using Google slides. If you have questions, feel free to drop them in the comments below.

How to implement digital escape rooms

Whether your students are working independently on these digital escape rooms or in groups, online or in-person, digital math escape rooms foster deeper thinking, they are engaging, require no-prep and really get your students interested in and talking about your math class. Digital escape rooms can be built in Google slides with a Google form serving as the lock, but my FAVORITE escape rooms are housed on a Google site as they are seamless, contain no outside links, and function more like an actual escape room than those made in Google slides.

I have assigned digital escape rooms as homework and I have set up 2 computers in my room with an escape room, along with 3 other center stations allowing students to work in teams of 4 to compete against each other. How can you use these in your math class? This list recommends only a fraction of the ways these escape rooms can be implemented – you are only limited by your imagination.

⭐ Assign as homework

⭐ Use as a teamwork activity on computer lab days

⭐ Assign as an individual assignment on computer lab days

⭐ Set it up in the classroom as a center (on one or more computers)

⭐ Use it on a projector with kids in pairs, small teams, or a whole class activity

The only question left is, how will you use digital escape rooms in your math class?

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Two Step Equations Activity: a DIGITAL Escape Room for Google Forms

math problem solving escape room

Have I mentioned yet that I get REALLY excited about escape rooms? I created a two-step equations digital escape room activity just in case you find yourself in a remote or hybrid learning environment! It is very similar to my two step equations activity escape room and I think your students are going to LOVE it! Just check out the introduction trailer below:

Do you think you HAVE to have it? Just click here for more details or see the run-down below!

Click here to subscribe to “Math Teacher Tuesdays” and get access to my FREE resource library !

How this Two-Step Equations Activity Works

Once this activity is assigned, students will be asked to watch the intro video above. Not only does this explain the instructions, but it also gets them excited to try and escape!

They will be taken from one clue to another being asked to: 1.) Write the equation that represents the situation 2.) Solve the equation 3.) Determine where the next clue is hidden

All questions are multiple choice. The answers to their questions form a 3-digit code! They cannot continue until they have the right combination!

two step equations digital distance learning activity for Google Forms

There are 9 clues altogether. Each clue describes a specific, hypothetical school-related activity. The “Up Next…” section leaves a clue as to where they can find the next clue! Once they’ve completed all clues, they will have escaped just in time for the school dance! Believe me, you don’t want to miss out on this one – grab it now !

Tell me how your students enjoyed this activity below!

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Solving One and Two Step Equations Digital Escape Room Bundle Middle School Math Activities

Solving one step equations and tw0 step equations takes on a new level of fun with these two digital escape rooms. The two versions of this digital escape room allow middle school math teachers to differentiate and challenge students to practice and review expressions & equations standards. These fun and engaging math activities are easy to implement and can be completed by anyone with an internet connected device. Please note that the two versions of this activity are meant to allow teachers to differentiate; both activities lead to the same answers.

Learn more about the two digital escape rooms included in this middle school math bundle:

7th Grade Math Two-Step Equations Digital Escape Room Activity Expressions & Equations

6th Grade Math One-Step Equations Activity Preview

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Solving one step equations and two step equations will help your middle school math students escape the principal’s office! This digital escape room bundle includes to versions of “Escape the Principal’s Office” to allow for differentiation. The 1 step equations version focuses on 6th grade math standard 6.EE.B.7, while the 2 step equations version focuses on 7th grade math standards 7.EE.B.4 an 7.EE.B.4a. Both versions include the same types of puzzles. Students will translate word problems into equations, perform error analysis, solve one and two-step equations in one variable to find a key, and much more! It can be a challenge to keep middle school students engaged with math; digital escape rooms are a great alternative to worksheets to change things up a bit!

Math skills required to solve the puzzles in the two-step equations version:

  • Solve two-step equations with one variable such as 5x+2=37 or 5(x-4)=15  (all of the puzzles in this escape room use positive whole numbers).
  • Identify which inverse operation should be used to isolate the variable in a 2 step equations.
  • Analyze errors in solving two-step equations and then correctly solve the equations.
  • Match word problems with an equation written with a variable and find the correct solution to the problem.

Math skills required to solve the puzzles in the one-step equations version:

  • Solve one step equations with one variable such as x+7=35 or 5x=15 (all of the puzzles in this escape room use whole numbers).
  • Identify which inverse operation should be used to isolate the variable in a single step equations.
  • Analyze errors in solving one-step equations and then correctly solve the equation.

What’s included in the PDF?

  • Quickstart guide with link to escape room
  • Optional link for Google Drive™ users to create a copy of the form to save to their own drives in order to view student results.
  • Optional printable student recording page and cipher disk
  • Detailed answer key & teacher tips
  • Success signs to snap photos with after completing the activity (optional)
  • Do students need to have Gmail™ accounts? NO! Anyone with internet access and a tablet, computer, or even phone can complete the breakout.
  • How long will this take? That is the hardest question as the answer varies depending on each classroom, student, or group. Most students will be able to complete this activity in under 45 minutes. You can allow 60 minutes to be safe. The form will only save data if students are signed into Google accounts, so if you are worried about your students not finishing on time, simply have them write their answers on scratch paper. They can then come back and quickly re-enter their answers and pick up where they left off. Some students with a firm grasp on the concepts covered in this escape room will be able to complete the puzzles very quickly (20-30 minutes), others will take longer.
  • Can this be used for remote learning? Yes! This product is designed to be able to be completed completely online and can be done in-person, for distance learning, or hybrid models. Students will need a device and internet connection.
  • Will students have to search the web to figure out the puzzles? NO! All of the information needed will be provided in the Google Form™. The math in this activity is all standards-based.

Escape rooms are a great way to provide extra practice for students, review for tests, or provide enrichment. Challenge students and encourage collaboration with these engaging middle school math activities!

Check out all of our digital breakouts for 6th grade math standards

View all of our digital breakouts for 7th grade math standards

See all of our digital escape rooms and logic puzzles

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Idea Galaxy

Adventures in Junior High and Mathematics

How to use escape rooms in math class

January 10, 2021 by Rachel

Escape Rooms caught my attention a couple of years ago. I saw friends post pictures of weekend outings where they proudly announced they’d escaped! Then, I heard students telling me about the escape rooms that were doing in their science class. Intrigued, I decided it was time to see what all the fuss was about. So, I broke out an escape room all about the Growth Mindset . And just like that, I was hooked.

If you’ve never used this activity in your classroom, it’s a simple twist on the physical escape rooms people visit for fun. An escape room activity consists of a mystery or challenge, some classwork, and then using the answers from your work to crack some codes to solve the mystery.  

math problem solving escape room

Students love escape rooms! I’m sure that they love escape rooms for similar reasons to why people love games on their phone. You get a little emotional boost when you crack the code. That little emotional boost gives students a little motivation to keep doing their math work. By adding the code cracking part to the activity, engagement increases.

In this article we’ll share:

  • A break down what escape rooms look like
  • A FREE digital escape room
  • Tips and tricks for success
  • Where to find escape rooms for middle school math topics

Let’s dive in!

A Walk-through of a Digital Math Escape Room

I think the best way to learn about this activity, and what it looks like when using with students, is to go through an example.

Set-up with digital math escape rooms is a cinch. It’s a completely digital activity with little prep- so there’s no copying or cutting. First, as the teacher you’ll make a copy of the escape room in Google Drive. Then, you’ll assign the escape room to your students. When using Google Classroom, you’ll want to choose “Make a copy for each student.” This will generate an unique copy for each of your students. 

I build my escape rooms as a presentation in Google Slides. However, students don’t use it in presentation mode. Instead, students write directly on the slides, using the slides like a work mat. This way, students’ work is saved as they complete it, and they turn the presentation in at the end as the artifact of their work.

The Mission

To get started, students are presented with a scenario and mystery that needs to be solved. In our escape rooms students are helping a detective to solve the mystery of what was stolen, who was the thief, and the location of the theft.

Escape rooms add mystery and challenge to math practice. They're engaging for students and so easy to prep and use. Read more about these fun math games, and grab a FREE escape room in this post.

After completing each activity students use their answers to create a passcode. Once they have a passcode, they enter it into the decoder to reveal part of the mystery.

Watch a Video Walk-Through of a Digital Math Escape Room

Our escape rooms include 3 passcodes to solve the mystery. To unlock each passcode, students complete a math activity with 5 or 6 questions. Overall, students will solve 15-18 questions in the whole escape room activity.

Students use their answers in combination with some ciphers to find the passcode. After they have a passcode, they enter it into a passcode decoder to check.  

One of my favorite digital math activities is the math escape room. They're a fun, challenging way to get students practicing math skills. Read all about math escape rooms, and grab a FREE one, in this post!

If their passcode is incorrect, students go back to see what they did wrong.  This gives students immediate feedback and tells them when they have to check their math work. If they’ve found the correct passcode, then part of the mystery is revealed.

Then, students move on to decode the next part of the mystery. They complete this process three times until they’ve revealed the stolen item, the thief, and the location of the theft.

After answering all the math problems and solving the mystery, it’s important to close out the activity and have students reflect. So, the last slide of the escape room includes a reflection for students. This gives them a chance to reflect about their practice. Students choose and answer a prompt using 2 to 3 sentences to show their thinking. Also, they use an emoji to evaluate how they feel about their understanding of the topic at this point.  

After completing the reflection, students turn in their Google Slides presentation to the teacher. You can check to see that they completed the work and read their reflection.  

One of my favorite digital math activities is the math escape room. Finishing with a reflection page gets students thinking about their learning. Read all about math escape rooms, and grab a FREE one, in this post!

A digital escape room is a great practice activity during a class period. If students don’t finish in a class period their work will be saved for the next day. They’ll have to re-enter their codes into the passcode decoder, but that shouldn’t be a problem because they should have recorded the codes right there in the presentation.  

Try One for Free

If you want to see what an escape room looks like and try it out with your students, you can download this freebie here . This escape room reviews combining like terms, distributive property and solving two-step equations. 

Grab this FREE Math Escape room in this post. This escape room activity article explains why these are a great digital activity for the math classroom, and how to get the most out of them.

Tips and Tricks

Here are a few tips and tricks to help you get the most bang for your buck when using digital escape rooms:

  • The first time doing this activity will take a little bit longer because everyone has to learn how a digital escape room works. Be patient with everyone the first time you try an escape room.
  • Many teachers have commented that a digital escape room works great for centers or when students have choice in which practice activity to use.
  • If you want to see students’ work, you can have them add a slide to the presentation and upload a picture of their work to that slide.
  • A digital escape room is a great partner activity if you are in a position where students can collaborate with each other.
  • Remind students to not yell out the codes for the different parts of the mystery.
  • Give digital escape rooms to fast finishers.
  • Use them in intervention time or with students who struggle to get motivated.

Find Digital Escape Rooms Here

Whatever middle school math topic you’re teaching right now, there’s a good chance we have an escape room activity ready to go for you. See our entire collection here .

To find all of our digital escape rooms at a huge discount, check out these bundles:

6th Grade Digital Math Escape Rooms

7th Grade Digital Math Escape Rooms

8th Grade Digital Math Escape Rooms

Mega Bundle of all of our Escape Rooms

Try One in Your Classroom Today

If you’re looking for an engaging activity that will get kids excited to do math, then try a digital escape room! Remember to grab this FREE escape room here to see what it’s all about.

Escape rooms are no-prep for you and lots of fun for kids. Imagine assigning the escape room and then watching kids get right into their practice activity. Give it a try, and maybe you’ll find a new favorite, no-prep practice activity.

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New Rooms

Excitement is in the Air!

Just in time for summer fun, 60out is opening the largest and most innovative immersive entertainment center on the west coast at HHLA. This flagship location will feature five escape rooms and a VR room with more than 30 live-action adventures.

Be the first to find our opening date, early access to booking, a first look at exclusive pictures, and more! Enter your email:

What Are 7 Types of Common Escape Room Puzzles to Look for?

How many common escape room puzzles do you know?

Preparing for your first escape room can be exciting and a little daunting. You know there will be puzzles to solve and clues to find,

but do you know what puzzles will turn up and how you can solve them?

With this guide, you’ll understand the seven common escape room puzzles that you’ll come across and what to look for.

What Common Escape Room Puzzles Will I Find?

There are seven categories of common escape room puzzles.

1. Numbers and Texts

You don’t need to have a degree in mathematics or English in order to solve common escape room puzzles, but you’ll definitely be using numbers and words in your solutions.

  • Basic math puzzles for hints or puzzle solutions. These puzzles usually don’t require a lot of mathematical skills, but do require you to cleverly put together numbers. That Sudoku puzzle on the wall will probably require solving in order to unlock the next room.
  • Equations. Equation puzzles are excellent places to hide clues and solutions. If you see mathematical signs or symbols in the room, chances are you’ll have to put them together. Make a note of any signs that seem like they’re missing; you’ll probably have to provide that last addition!
  • Crosswords and missing-letter puzzles. When you have to find the right word for a clue, it adds an extra layer of difficulty. If a word seems to be missing from a poem, or you’re met with a jumble of letters that don’t seem to spell anything, look a little deeper.

2. Physical Puzzles

Physical puzzles are common in escape rooms.

  • Undoing knots. Perhaps you need a key that’s tied to the wall with a confusing knot. If you’re able to untangle that knot, you’ll be able to move on to the next room in a snap.
  • Moving large objects. It’s important to remember the directions in the introduction before trying to move a dresser — your specific room might not need you to move anything. However, if you’ve been given the green light and you see a suspiciously out-of-place cabinet, get the family together and move it!
  • Easily moved objects. Forcing a puzzle can often lead to you to break something important. Instead, remember that physical puzzles rely more on dexterity than on brute-force strength.

3. Light and Sound

You may be surprised at how many common escape room puzzles will subtly incorporate the environment by introducing light and sound cues.

  • Listen closely to background sound. The ambient noise around you could be giving you important clues! Listen for Morse code through beeps or taps, whispered words, and the direction noises are coming from.
  • Pay attention to where lights aren’t shining. When light is shining somewhere, it’s usually to draw your attention there. However, common escape room puzzles function as much on being hidden as they do on being visible. If something’s suspiciously unlit, find a flashlight and look into it.
  • Listen to any lyrics that you can catch. If you start the record player in the corner and someone starts singing, note the lyrics very carefully. It’s an extremely easy way to hide clues, and that’s why so many common escape room puzzles use it.

4. Hidden Objects

It’s rare that you’ll find a clue laid out for you as soon as you walk into a room. The most common escape room puzzles have to be found before you even start solving them.

  • Look through books. A book safe, which is created by hollowing out the inside of a large book, is one of the most popular ways an escape room will hide clues. Is there a bookshelf in the corner? Assign a family member to open each one, just in case.
  • Leave no drawer unopened. In an escape room, looking through drawers and cabinets shouldn’t just mean giving it a quick once-over. Look all the way in the back, feel for false sides, and leave things opened just a bit, so you can remember what you’ve already looked through.
  • Don’t just stop at one discovery. With the bookshelf, for example, you may find a book safe in one of the first books you’ve opened, and neglect to check the rest. Don’t stop until you’ve looked through everything! It’s very likely that you’ll find more than one hidden object.

5. Visual Design

The room’s design isn’t just for atmospheric effect; common escape room puzzles will almost always be incorporated into the design of the room.

  • Take a close look at baseboards and edges. Is there a suspicious pattern of dashes and dots against the bottom of one of the walls? You could have to translate Morse code that just looks like decorative filler.
  • Search for clues in pictures that are hung on the wall. Sure, it might just look like a family photo. But there could be something out of place that will give you information, whether it’s an explicit key or just a clue toward finding it.
  • Point out anything that seems out of place for the theme. If your escape room is set in a family home, for example, it would be a bit odd for there to be a Victorian-themed painting. By taking note of these anachronisms, you may be able to put together a clue.

6. Logic Puzzles

Most of the time, you’ll need more logic than knowledge to solve common escape room puzzles.

  • Pay attention to repeated themes. Does the bookshelf have six copies of one book, while the rest of the books are unique? When something is being repeated, it probably holds some sort of importance.
  • Don’t settle for the obvious answer. When you’re trying to solve a riddle, the answer probably isn’t extremely obvious. Ask your kids for a perspective you may not have thought about. Take the theme into consideration. Whatever you do, just make sure you’re thinking outside the box.
  • Take note of mysterious symbols. Codes don’t have to be previously-established to be utilized with common escape room puzzles. Instead, utilize only the clues you’re given. Try to match this symbol to another symbol you find in the room or think about what a symbol could mean based only on the way it looks.

7. Combination Puzzles

Common escape room puzzles don’t rely on just one puzzle type. You’ll usually have to combine them!

  • Keep these different puzzle types at the forefront of your mind. When you know the types of puzzles to look for, it’s easier to put them all together once you’re presented with a combination puzzle.
  • Don’t be afraid to try multiple options. Maybe the picture you’re looking at has a secret code hidden in it, or the puzzle that you think is an equation is actually a logic puzzle. Staying flexible is an important part of solving common escape room puzzles.
  • You may have to combine more than one puzzle type. If one clue has already utilized visual design and hidden objects, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve reached the solution. Keep trying different strategies.

How Do I Find Common Escape Room Puzzles?

By being alert and constantly trying different things, you’ll be able to find and solve common escape room puzzles.

If you’re stuck, remember that different family members often have different perspectives. Sometimes that’s literal — a shorter family member may be able to see something that a taller one can’t!

The beauty of having your whole family in an escape room is that you can each bring your knowledge and ideas to the table. By having everyone scour the room for common escape room puzzles and clues, you may be able to solve the room faster.

If you’re looking for a suitably challenging place to solve common escape room puzzles in the LA area , look no further than 60OUT.

60OUT has 23 different themed rooms across seven locations , which means that there are plenty of options for you and your family to choose from. Whether you’re going with a small group of escape room pros or you’re a big family trying escape rooms for the first time, there’s an option for you.

At 60OUT, we’re excited to help you experience and solve these common escape room puzzles. Book a room today !

Mama Teaches

35+ Free Digital Escape Rooms

Share with your friends!

Board games, card games, and coloring are all super fun, but can certainly run their course for kids of any age.

Not to mention, with the global pandemic we are in, keeping your kids entertained at home 24/7 may be proving difficult.

Even if you are reading this post-pandemic, it can still be hard to find engaging entertainment for your little ones.

Load one of these FREE Digital Escape Rooms to bring some well-deserved amusement to your home or classroom!

20+ Free Digital Escape Rooms for Home or School - MamaTeaches.com

WHAT IN THE WORLD IS A DIGITAL ESCAPE ROOM?

Your immediate thought might be, “What in the world is a Digital Escape Room?”

Escape Rooms are traditionally a physical “locked” room in which there are clues on how to escape.

You need to solve each clue or problem that is presented in order to move onto the next clue, which, when you’ve solved enough, will eventually allow you to leave the room.

Now, imagine this scenario but in a virtual setting. 

A digital escape room, like the ones described below, will give you a short story in reference to the theme.

As you click through the prompts they give you, there will come a time when you need to solve a problem or a clue in order to click to the next prompt.

Just as in real life, you won’t be able to “escape” until all the clues have been solved. 

WHEN AND WHY: DIGITAL ESCAPE ROOMS EXPLAINED

Other than using these escape rooms to entertain you and your kids when stuck inside because of a global pandemic or simply a rainy day, there are plenty of other reasons to use them.

Escape rooms, in general, all help build an individual’s problem-solving skills. Depending on your child’s age, these escape rooms could serve as a great educational tool. 

You Might Also Like: 20+ Virtual Field Trips for Distance Learning

You can make virtual escape rooms into a race amongst friends or within your family by pulling the digital escape room up on two separate devices.

After starting at the same time, you or your team will try to finish as fast as you can before the other team does.

You can do this in person or through video chat! This method is great while practicing social distancing or if one of your friends lives terribly far away. 

20+ Free Digital Escape Rooms for School and Home - MamaTeaches.com

This article contains affiliate links to things that you might like.

ANSWER KEYS TO THE DIGITAL ESCAPE ROOMS

Please note that the answer keys to the escape rooms are not available unless they have an asterisk next to their name.

I’m not hoarding them; I simply don’t have them. =)

If you are interested in using them with your students, I strongly suggest that you complete the escape room prior to assigning it. Have fun playing!!

*Answer Keys are found in the Freebies Library. If you’re not already a member, you can sign-up (for free!) at the end of this article.

FREE DIGITAL ESCAPE ROOMS FROM MAMA TEACHES

Check out these NEW additions to the list below:

  • NEW! Regrouping Race Math Virtual Escape Room with Answer Sheet & Answer Key
  • NEW! The Stormy Night Parts of Speech Digital Escape Room with Answer Sheet & Answer Key
  • NEW! Decimals Multiplication Digital Escape Room with Answer Sheets & Answer Key!
  • NEW! Decimals Addition & Subtraction Virtual Escape Room with Answer Sheets & Answer Key!
  • NEW! Decimals Place Value Digital Escape Room with Answer Sheets & Answer Key!
  • NEW! Greater Gator Math Digital Escape Room with Answer Sheets & Answer Key!
  • NEW! Place Value Virtual Escape Room with Answer Sheets & Answer Key!
  • Winter Word Problems Virtual Escape Room with Answer Key
  • Thanksgiving Digital Escape Room
  • Halloween Mini-Digital Escape Room with Answer Key
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  • Save Sports! A Math Digital Escape Room

FREE VIRTUAL ESCAPE ROOMS

Abraham lincoln’s assassination.

In this digital escape room you take the role of John Wilkes Booth, Abraham Lincoln’s killer.

Work through the clues to discover Booth’s motives and uncover the reasons why he felt he had to do what he did.

Difficulty: HARD – No Answer Key Available

Alice in Wonderland Digital Escape Room

Fall down the rabbit hole with an Alice in Wonderland-themed escape room.

It’s described as being for all ages, but it may be best to work with your kids on this one if they are below ten years old. 

No Answer Key Available

American Revolution: The British are Coming

Choose your side and start your adventure!

This history-based digital escape room offers two different versions – the Loyalists or the Patriots – and explores the basis of the American Revolutionary War.

It’s ideal for upper elementary and middle school students who are studying US History.

Animal Adventure

The animals are loose! Can you help the zookeeper round up the animals that have escaped and return them to their home at the zoo?

This digital escape room is great for lower and middle elementary grades.

Asteroid Collision!

There’s an asteroid that is set to hit your space station and you’ve lost the codes to the secret lab where the tool you’ve been working on that destroys asteroids is at!

You have 45 minutes to crack the code to your lab before the space station is hit!

Brain Teasers *

Test your ability to solve brain teasers with this digital escape room that’s perfect for beginners.

It’s best for students in grades 4-8 or if parents are completing it with their kids.

Difficulty: Easy ; Answer Key in the Freebies Library

Camouflage Caper

Use your best detective skills to find the animals hiding using their camouflage colors.

Can you find them all before it’s too late? This escape room is perfect for lower and middle elementary grades.

Cinderella’s Escape

Cinderella is waiting for your help to escape her evil stepmother so that she can dance her heart away at the ball!

Cinderella’s Escape is most appropriate for tweens and up.

However, an early elementary age child could absolutely work through this escape room with help from an adult.

Hopefully, Cinderella will meet the Prince…

Civil War Digital Escape Room

As stated above, these escape rooms can be used as educational tools as well!

In this Civil War-themed escape room, you must solve the clues given in order to escape the American Civil War!

This escape room is best for 8th graders and up.  No Answer Key Available

20+ Free Digital Escape Rooms for Elementary and Middle School - MamaTeaches.com

Decimals Addition & Subtraction Escape Room *

Give your students practice with adding and subtracting decimals with this free virtual escape room!

It’s great for students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade.

There is addition with regrouping and subtraction with borrowing in this escape room.

There are 20 questions.

A free student answer sheet and the teacher answers are in the Freebies Library here at MamaTeaches.com.

Answer Key in the Freebies Library

Decimals Multiplication Escape Room*

Are your students needing more practice with decimal multiplication?

This virtual escape room has them solving problems to discover the secret word at the end.

There are free student answer sheets and a teacher answer key in the Freebies Library here at Mama Teaches for you to download.

This escape room is best for students in 4-6th grades.

Decimals Place Value Escape Room*

Before moving on to more complex math problems with decimals, make sure your students understand decimal place values.

This escape room features 20 problems and asks students to identify place values from tenths to millionths.

It’s great practice and review for your upper elementary students.

There are free answer sheets and an answer key for this escape room in the Freebies Library here at MamaTeaches.com.

Dog Man Digital Escape Room

Scholastic superhero, Dog Man, found himself in this Escape Room!

Dog Man books by Dav Pilkey are recommended for kids ages 6+.

For an Escape Room like this one, younger kids should be joined by an adult to help them with more difficult clues. 

Oh, the places you’ll go with this Dr. Seuss-inspired escape room!

You’ll need to work through five fairly difficult clues. Work as a team or individually.

There isn’t an age restriction on this escape room, but it may be better for young kids to be accompanied by a parent or older sibling!

Escape from Star Killer Base! (Star Wars)

PEW-PEW-PEW! Stormtroopers are firing their blasters at you! You need to escape from the Star Kill Base, pronto.

The Star Wars-themed escape room has multiple roles to choose from and therefore is intended more for a group, but can be played alone. (You’ll just play all the roles!)

You can try out this escape room at any age! 

Escape the Fairy Tale: Part 1

Goldilocks escaped the three bears home before they arrived back from their walk, but can you?

Get excited about this fairy tale book-themed escape room.

This Escape Room is great for ages 10+, but would still work great for younger crowds if an adult helps them with the more difficult clues. 

Escape the Lion’s Den

You’re on a field trip and get left behind in the lion’s den… Can you escape before the lions come back from their visit to the vet?

Escape the Lion’s Den can be done by 2nd graders and up. 

Famous Americans

Second and third graders are being called upon to save some famous Americans in this digital escape room!

Choose one of the historical figures and solve the clues to help them escape from certain doom.

There are 10 famous Americans to choose from.

Fortnite Reading Comprehension Battle Royale

Have any Fortnite fanatics in your midst? This Fortnite digital scavenger hunt tests your reading comprehension, as well as your knowledge of maneuvering around Fortnite.

It’s super fun for those reluctant readers and kids who are sometimes difficult to engage.

Greater Gator Virtual Escape Room with answer sheets and answer key*

Students practice their greater than, less than, and equal to math skills as they work their way through the escape room.

They are awarded a secret word after completing all of the problems correctly!

The printable answer sheet allows them to jot down their answers so that you can rest assured that they completed the problems.

The answer sheets and a teacher answer key are available in the Freebies Library.

Great for grades 3-5.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium ; Answer Key in the Freebies Library

Halloween Mini Digital Escape Room with answer key *

There’s nothing spooky about this free digital Halloween escape room!

This one is created by us here at Mama Teaches so that means that the answer key is available in our Freebies Library!

Great for grades 3-5 ; Answer Key in the Freebies Library

Halloween Haunt Digital Escape Room

Hurry and solve the clues before the clock strikes midnight!

This Halloween-themed digital escape room is perfect for upper elementary and middle school grades. 

Harry Potter Digital Escape from Hogwarts

Transform yourself into a first-year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with this Harry Potter-inspired digital escape room.

This escape room is a great escape into the magical world for any young witch or wizard, but can certainly be enjoyed at any age.

25+ Free Digital Escape Rooms for Distance Learning - Perfect for use at home or at school! They're great for distance learning too!!

Hunger Games

Compete in a game of life or death: The Hunger Games throws you a few curveballs.

Do you think you’re up for the test?

This digital escape room incorporates literary elements and figurative language in its clues, so put on your thinking caps to solve these problems. 

Looney Tunes Escape

The Looney Tunes world comes alive on your screen as you unravel the puzzling problems.

Complete all the tasks and crack the codes to unlock the digital doors. Enjoy this virtual escape room at any age.

Marvel’s Avengers Superheroes: Escape from the Hydra Base!

You and your team must uncode the location of a world-ending doomsday device before undercover Hydra agents use it for evil!

Anyone at any age will find this Marvel’s Avengers escape room fun. For little ones, it’s suggested an adult or older sibling join them in solving the clues.

Native Americans

Can you help the Native Americans?

Choose your tribe, research the clues, and solve the puzzles to help them escape! 

Pikachu’s Rescue

Oh no, Pikachu has suddenly disappeared!

Can you or your team solve the mystery of Pikachu’s disappearance?

This challenge is best for ages 6+. 

Place Value Virtual Escape Room*

Give your students practice identifying numbers in the ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands place values!

This free escape room is a MamaTeaches.com original and comes with a FREE answer sheet for students and an answer key for teachers.

There’s also a Special Word included at the end of the escape room so you can be assured that your students completed it correctly!

Difficulty: Easy/Moderate ; Answer Key in the Freebies Library

Regrouping Race Math Virtual Escape Room*

Practice makes progress and when it comes to addition with regrouping, your students need plenty of it!

This math virtual escape room makes addition with regrouping fun!

It’s a MamaTeaches.com original and comes with a FREE answer sheet for students and an answer key for teachers.

The special word at the end of the escape room helps you check to make sure your students have completed it all the way through!

Difficulty: Moderate ; Answer Key in the Freebies Library

Rescue the Revolution

History fans, rejoice! This American Revolution-based digital escape room calls for all hands on deck as colonists (that’s you!) race to find the key to winning the Revolutionary War.

Will you save the country?

Save Sports! Math Digital Escape Room *

The school’s sports teams are in jeopardy! Can you help solve the clues and save the sports program?

This free digital escape room is geared toward grades 3-5 and includes multiplication, addition, subtraction, and even a directional clue.

Sherlock Holmes Digital Escape Room

Can your detective skills hold up in this Sherlock Holmes digital escape room?

Brought to you by Sherlock the Musical, a detective at any age could solve these mysteries.

It’s recommended that you have a pen and paper on hand to help you with the clues. 

Smurfs Escape!

Gargamel has captured the Smurfs! Help them unlock Gargamel’s trap by answering all the puzzles before the evil giant comes back.

Whether you’re in second grade having a parent’s help or you’re an adult who loves a challenge, the Smurfs could use your help. 

Spy Apprentice Adventure

Travel the world as a Spy Apprentice, solving clues and mysteries.

As the clues are a bit difficult, this escape room would be more appropriate for teens or adults looking for tricky problems to work on. 

States of Matter

This science escape room focuses on all things states of matter related.

It’s great for grades 3-5 and ties in perfectly with your science unit studies.

Can you solve the clues and uncover the states of matter?

The Stormy Night Parts of Speech Virtual Escape Room*

Give your students practice identifying nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives with this 20-lock free virtual escape room!

It’s a great center for language arts, to use as homework, or for fun for your early finishers.

The free answer sheet and answer key are in the Freebies Library!

Thanksgiving Virtual Escape Room *

Celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with a bit of digital math and language arts review in this free Thanksgiving digital escape room!

This one is created and maintained by us!

Winter Word Problems*

Do your students need practice with their multiplication and division word problems?

If so, this winter-themed virtual escape room is the perfect answer.

There is no mention of holidays in the questions, so it’s generic enough to use throughout the winter months!

Since we created this one, the answer key is in the Freebies Library.

Virtual Escape Room Fun

Each of the escape rooms above can give you between ten and thirty minutes of challenging clues. Grab your kids, a friend, some family, and get to problem-solving!

We hope that you find a few digital escape rooms that strike your fancy during this time being stuck at home.

Tag us on Instagram @MamaTeaches when you escape one of these fantastic virtual worlds. 

You Might Also Like:

100 Minecraft Activities for Kids

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math problem solving escape room

Algebra Math Escape Room

£ 3.60 inc. VAT

A great resource for secondary students studying Algebra. A Math themed Escape Room for students’. This Digital Escape Room is a great way to have a super fun lesson whilst also exploring problem-solving, Communication and Teamwork skills in Maths. Designed by our Maths Specialist.

Description

Algebra Digital Escape Rooms – Mathematics Revision – Perfect for Revision or for the end of term based on the topic of Algebra

x1 Math Escape Room in editable format with all the resources you needed to run a fantastic and engaging educational escape session for your students

Math Escape Room Here you have an escape room appropriate for KS4 and KS3 students about Algebra   Students can be divided up into six groups (12 if you really wanted)  and must advance through a series of puzzles based on revising  Algebra  to find the “key” that allows them to move on to the next round . Students will practice key vocabulary and improve their knowledge of Algebra

Math Escape Room Contents: ☞ Escape Room Interactive Tracker PowerPoint – Keeps the competitive nature on display ☞ Escape Room Puzzle Keys (Six Sets for Six Teams) ☞ Escape Room Team sheet – Record codes, answers clues as they progress through the 7 rooms ☞ Escape Room Puzzles (= 7 Different styles of Puzzles involving numeracy, literacy and lateral thinking) ☞ Teacher Answer Sheet – Quickly confirm to teams they have solved the puzzle correctly ☞ Teacher instructions detailing how to set up the escape room and what to print and top tips and shortcuts.

✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰✰

Our Philosophy ✿ We aim to help you equip students with the knowledge and skills to take ownership of their own learning. Our Products come ‘Ready-to-Teach’ with everything you need to teach fun and creative lessons. Our products are teacher-designed, classroom tested & student approved.

Check out our full library of Maths by  EXPLORING HERE

Why not also check out our  Blogs Section  or subscribe to our  newsletter  for updates and free resources or check out our growing library of  2,500+ Resources

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Solving Equations Math Escape Room Activity

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Description

About this resource :

This escape room style activity provides students with a collaborative way to review solving basic one and two-step equations . Included are eight challenges that require students to solve basic equations to find codes that will unlock each puzzle. Operations with integers and fractions are NOT included.

NOTE: The challenges in this escape are IDENTICAL to those in the Solving Higher Level Equations Escape . The codes are also the same. This was done so teachers can use the challenges to differentiate without students finding different codes or doing different challenges. It will look like they're all working on the same puzzles, but the content will be easier with this version.

This escape room is NOT…

This resource is not a comprehensive, complete review of solving basic equations. Math escapes do focus on content but the primary focus is on the collaboration and the problem solving.

What makes this escape activity different?

This activity does not require the challenges to be completed in any particular order. In order for students to “escape” they simply have to find all 8 codes. This allows for (a) differentiation, (b) removal of challenges for time and (c) the ability for you to only make one copy of each challenge because as groups finish one challenge their next one can be whatever is available.

What is included?

⇢ CCSS and TEKS standard alignment

⇢ Four pages of escape directions

⇢ A digital lock option

⇢ Links to locks/boxes to purchase

⇢ Detailed puzzle teacher information

⇢ 8 challenges with prep instructions and materials

⇢ Hint cards for each challenge (PDF format and EDITABLE PPT format)

⇢ Group code sheet

⇢ Student workbook

⇢ Photos that show each challenge prepped

⇢ End of escape signs and a sign template

⇢ Prize ideas

⇢ Answer keys

Materials Needed

You do not need to spend money on locks and boxes (although that option and links to materials are included). You can simply use manila folders or the included digital lock.

All you will need is scissors, a ruler and a fastening brad!

Skills Covered

► Solving One-Step Equations (3 challenges)

► Solving Two-Step Equations (3 challenges)

► Solving Word Problems with Basic Equations (2 challenges)

Bundle Information:

This resource is part of the Math Escapes Membership!

Want More Math Escapes?

Check out all Escapes currently available by CLICKING HERE!

Licensing Terms :

By purchasing this product, you own a license for one teacher only for personal use in their own classroom. Licenses are non-transferable and therefore can not be passed from one teacher to another. If the teacher who purchased this license leaves the classroom or changes schools, the license and materials leave with that teacher. No part of this resource is to be shared with colleagues or used by an entire team, grade level, school or district without purchasing the correct number of licenses. If you are a coach, principal or district interested in transferable licenses that would accommodate yearly staff changes, please contact me for a transferable license quote at [email protected].

Copyright Information :

© Lindsay Perro. Please note - all material included in this resource belongs to Lindsay Perro Inc. By purchasing, you have a license to use the material but you do not own the material. You may not upload any portion of this resource to the internet in any format, including school/personal websites or network drives unless the site is password protected and can only be accessed by students, not other teachers or anyone else on the internet.

✮✮If you are interested in gaining access to an exclusive set of free resources, CLICK HERE.

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IMAGES

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COMMENTS

  1. Math Escape Rooms and Challenges

    Tips and Tricks for Creating and Using Educational Escape Rooms Teachers and students alike love taking a break from worksheets and making learning fun with alternative activities like games or escape rooms. I began creating escape rooms when my own children complained about math being boring, now The Great Classroom Escape is my business!

  2. Scaffolded Math and Science: Digital Math Escape Rooms

    Teachers are using digital math escape rooms as review, as independent, partner or group classwork, as station activities, and even as concept reinforcement during summer school. They can be assigned to individual students or worked on in pairs/groups. Digital math escape rooms are also nice paper-savers when students have access to technology.

  3. Mission Math: Classroom Escape Room

    Mission Math: Classroom Escape Room Ever been to an escape room with your friends? If you're anything like me, you probably get a bit anxious, a little excited, but more than anything, you want to solve all the clues and WIN! Now, how about we think about how we can bring something similar into the classroom!

  4. Middle School Math Escape Room Activities

    These activities encourage individuals to collaborate and use problem-solving skills to reach a common goal, making them a great way to promote teamwork and logical thinking among students. By incorporating escape room-style activities in the middle school math classroom, students can work together to solve math-related problems while having fun.

  5. Escape Room Math: A Fun and Challenging Substitute Teacher Activity

    Escape Room Math offers an innovative and engaging way to teach math, making it an excellent activity for substitute teachers. It combines the thrill of solving puzzles with the educational benefits of practicing math skills. This activity not only captivates students' attention but also enhances their problem-solving abilities and mathematical understanding in a fun, interactive environment ...

  6. Scaffolded Math and Science: Self-Checking Algebra Escape Room Activities

    Self-Checking Algebra Escape Room Activities Algebra is so fun to teach, and learning algebra helps students build their problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Witnessing students' "aha" moments and their new understanding of abstract concepts throughout the school year is incredibly rewarding as an algebra teacher.

  7. Digital Escape Rooms

    Whether your students are working independently on these digital escape rooms or in groups, online or in-person, digital math escape rooms foster deeper thinking, they are engaging, require no-prep and really get your students interested in and talking about your math class.

  8. Two Step Equations Activity: a DIGITAL Escape Room for Google Forms

    A two step equations digital escape room activity is the perfect way to practice setting up and solving two step equations! It is great for remote learning!

  9. Math Problem Solving Escape Room- Escape the Winter Storm!

    Are you looking for a resource to engage your students this winter while helping them practice problem solving in math? If you said yes, this is the perfect resource for you! This Math escape room is a 60-90 minute activity designed for 4th grade, but would work for most 5th grade classrooms to as ...

  10. Solving One and Two Step Equations Digital Escape Room Bundle Middle

    $7.50 Solving one step equations and tw0 step equations takes on a new level of fun with these two digital escape rooms. The two versions of this digital escape room allow middle school math teachers to differentiate and challenge students to practice and review expressions & equations standards.

  11. Online Math Escape Room Classes for Kids & Teens

    Exciting Math Escape Room classes designed to engage kids & teens in problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration in a fun virtual environment.

  12. How to use escape rooms in math class

    Digital escape room are a great way to get students practicing middle school math skills. Read how to use them, and grab a FREE escape room.

  13. What Are the 7 Common Escape Room Puzzles?

    There are seven categories of common escape room puzzles. 1. Numbers and Texts. You don't need to have a degree in mathematics or English in order to solve common escape room puzzles, but you'll definitely be using numbers and words in your solutions. Basic math puzzles for hints or puzzle solutions. These puzzles usually don't require a ...

  14. 35+ Free Digital Escape Rooms

    This virtual escape room has them solving problems to discover the secret word at the end. There are free student answer sheets and a teacher answer key in the Freebies Library here at Mama Teaches for you to download. This escape room is best for students in 4-6th grades. Answer Key in the Freebies Library.

  15. Math Escape Rooms: A Novel Approach for Engaging Learners in Math Circles

    The themed escape room presents a unique opportunity to connect problem solving, cooperative learning in mathematics, and current cultural trends as an engaging avenue for a Student Math Circle.

  16. Results for escape room problem solving

    This Math escape room is a 60-90 minute activity designed for 4th grade, but would work for most 5th grade classrooms to as review. This resource will have your students completing different problem solving challenges to earn winter symbols that will help them decode the message to escape the winter storm! Your students.

  17. Math Escape Room

    This engaging, team-building math escape room experience, steeped with problem-solving challenges designed to review multi-step equations, fractional parts of a whole number, and order of operations practice, this fun math escape is just the ticket! Whether it's Back to School or End of Year, before or after holiday breaks, or anytime a ...

  18. Maths Chance and Puzzle Escape Room

    What does this escape room game involve? This exciting Maths escape room activity pack involves 5 different tasks for students to work through. The focus of this pack is on chance and problem-solving. The pack includes full instructions for teachers and students along with all activities and resources.

  19. Math Problem Solving Escape Room by Carton Classroom

    Escape room problem solving has students working together to work on challenging problems to increase their problem-solving skills. I use this product with 8th grade math students. I separate them into groups and have them each pick a group name. We go through the opening scenario as a class. With the lights dimmed, each group gets their first ...

  20. St. Patrick's Day Problem Solving Activities: Digital Math Escape Room

    In this St. Patrick's Day math activity, students use cooperative learning and their math problem solving skills to solve a math challenge and "escape the room." This fun, engaging, self-grading resource is presented via Google Forms and includes one math challenge with 7 problem solving tasks.

  21. Cre8tive Resources

    Algebra Math Escape Room. £ 3.60 inc. VAT. A great resource for secondary students studying Algebra. A Math themed Escape Room for students'. This Digital Escape Room is a great way to have a super fun lesson whilst also exploring problem-solving, Communication and Teamwork skills in Maths. Designed by our Maths Specialist.

  22. Digital Escape Room

    Then, they'll jump into the Escape Room Game made with Google Forms. They'll have to solve 20 math problems to unlock five different locks. Each lock needs a special four-letter code, which they'll find by solving groups of four questions in each puzzle. Once they get the right code, they can move on to the next challenge.

  23. Solving Equations Math Escape Room Activity

    This escape room style activity provides students with a collaborative way to review solving basic one and two-step equations. Included are eight challenges that require students to solve basic equations to find codes that will unlock each puzzle.