Escape Room Development and Execution!

Our teams were working hard to finalise their puzzles last week and determine their locations and the anticipation began to build in earnest!  The students have created a wide variety of puzzles to solve, word puzzles, number codes, Minecraft  and Rubix cube challenges as well as physical challenges to name a few.

  Today they placed their items in their hiding places and the escape rooms began!

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The invited guests worked together to solve the puzzles in record time.  There was really positive feedback too with the guests thanking the creators for making the opportunity available to them.

While the various group were working, they didn't know they were being observed for their habits of mind.  Specifically, the Whakaaro students were looking for the ways in which they were Thinking Interdependently.

As a group we brainstormed what this Habit of Mind should look like in individuals and groups as they work together and today, they were able to see it in action rather than reflect on their own skills.

Some of the things they spotted were:

• They were celebrating together which meant that they knew what was happening
• They used an open mindset.
• They needed some clues but that didn't stop them.
• There was a little less communication than we expected.
• They talked to each other heaps...but not insanely heaps...When there was a problem, they talked.
• Some people did more than others.
• If it wasn't their turn they split up and got distracted.

Thanks to those of you who helped with supplying small items and with managing excitement!  Its been really fun to watch the students collaborate and create these escape rooms!