The Earth Day Escape Room helps students learn about the history of Earth Day and how they can help solve some of the environmental problems facing the Earth. Every year, Earthday.org chooses a new theme for Earth Day. The theme for 2022 is “Invest in Our Planet.” The Earth Day Escape room this year is focused on an invest in our planet theme.
Why teachers love digital escape rooms
Teachers love escape rooms for many reasons, including:
- Escape rooms are low prep. All the teacher needs to do is post a link.
- Students are happily engaged for 20-40 minutes while learning about an important topic.
- Students have an opportunity to practice collaboration and cooperation and communication skills.
- Digital escape rooms require much less prep time than physical escape rooms which needs boxes, locks, and clues printed and hidden throughout the classroom.
- Digital escape rooms build growth mindset and reinforce the importance of grit and perseverance.
Why students love digital escape rooms
My students beg for escape rooms. They prefer escape rooms with locked boxes and clues hidden around the room, but they also love digital escape rooms. Here’s why:
- Escape rooms are a break from the monotony of regular class work.
- Escape rooms give students a chance to talk with and work with their friends.
- Students enjoy the feeling of success when they figure out a puzzle.
How the Earth Day Escape Room works
When a class is completing the Earth Day Escape Room, the teacher provides the students with a link by sharing it on Google Classroom.
The link takes students to a Google site which has a video explaining the problem they must solve.
After watching the video, students scroll down and see the note that Mr. Carmichael left for them on the door.
Students will Google what year the first Earth Day was and discover it was in 1970. At the bottom of the page is a Google Form asking which locker they want to open. Note: Students must be signed in to a Google Account for this to work, however, the form does NOT collect email addresses. If you are concerned, have students sign in on a dummy account.
Entering 1970 into the Google Form brings students to a page with a link and a question.
Clicking the link takes students to a digital drag and drop activity. They must drag the correct answers to the boxes and then read the red letters from top to bottom to figure out the password.
In this case, the password is RECYCLE. Students then are asked what they theme of this year’s Earth Day is, which is easily Googled. After entering Invest In Our Earth, Students reach another link.
Clicking the link leads to another digital worksheet. In this case, students must type the correct answers in the boxes. As each correct answer is entered, more clues are revealed. The worksheet includes a link to a slideshow on climate change that students can use to find the answers. In this case, entering the correct answers reveals a picture of the Earth with the 5 digit code 74382.
Entering 74382 into the Google Form brings students to another page which contains a video and an image of 10 statements about plastics. The question asks how many of those ten statements are true (9). Entering 9 into the Google form leads students to the last puzzle.
The last puzzle is a poem which says that the key to the supply closet is on the QWERTY keyboard. Students either know that QWERTY is the type of keyboard on a computer, or they can Google it. They are asked where they should look for the key and are given choices like in the auditorium, on the piano, or on the computer in the library. When they choose library, students are rewarded with the successful completion of the escape room. They get a congratulations message and this video.
If you’re interested in purchasing the Earth Day digital escape room for your students, you can purchase it on TeachersPayTeachers by clicking here or buy it for 50% off now through the end of April on JustAddH2OSchool.com.
If you have any questions regarding the Earth Day digital escape room, please click here.