Creating A Breakout Box

ENGAGING STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM

CREATING A BREAKOUT BOX HOW TO CREATE A BREAKOUT BOX

STEP ONE - creating a purposeful topic It is key to ensure that all information created within your clues are curricular, or relate to topics you have discussed within class. This creates content for the student that is both meaningful and insures they will be able to solve the clues (beneficail as a unit summary).

STEP TWO - creating the clues When creating the clues, it is important to understand that you can create differentiation within this activity. Think about your specific students, and create clues they can succeed with (challenge them to accomplish their personal goals), this will allow you to assess their growth within the activity.

STEP THREE - forming the lock box IIt is important to know the numbers, words, or movements the locks you purchase are able to achieve prior to creating your lock box. This is a simple step, however, it is important to know your limits prior to creating clues that might not work with given locks.

STEP FOUR - creating a hook Creating a hook, or something to draw the students into the activity is a great way to start your lockbox. For example, having a video that starts on the smartboard explaining what is happening is a great way to gather attention. Another way would be to have items within the classroom missing (locked up).

STEP FIVE - have "hint cards" Students are going to get stuck during this activity (differing degrees depending on the clues created), this is where hint cards will be helpful. Students can hand in hint coupons to the teacher and receive a hint in solving their current problem.

STEP SIX - be an active participant Work with the students, have fun, and be engaged with their learning. This will be extremely meaningful since you are buying into the activity, and modelling for students how excited this lockbox activity is. When the teacher is having fun, students will more than likely have fun with the activity as well.

STEP SEVEN - debriefing Finally, after the activity is complete talk to the students, ask them questions, and gauge how successful the activity was. This is an extremely powerful tool since it provides students and the teacher time to reflect and reconsider how to handle situations in the future.