Breaking in a New Year with Breakout Activities!

Like last year, students in Literacy Studies class welcomed a new year in the library with a Breakout activity that got them up and moving around, working together in teams to solve library- and reading-related riddles to open locks.

Sixth grade students used the same Library Orientation Breakout from last year--you can read about it here. With five different locks to open, students were problem solving to riddles related to finding books on shelves, to recognizing checkout procedures, and to locating the different sections in the library.

Seventh graders worked through a new library breakout, unofficially called "Get Reacquainted with the Library." Because (presumably) these students were already familiar with the library orientation elements from the sixth grade Breakout, this work--and opening four locks--focused on specific pieces of the library, such as state award nominees and winners and Public Lists on Destiny Quest. Students needed to spend time in the shelves to think through their clues and determine the combinations to their different locks.

So, were students successful? Yes! Both grade levels had groups that were able to break out, and many groups had just one lock remaining as the class period ended. 

As the year progresses, look for more breakout activities, both digital and blended. Students enjoy the process and solving the riddles, and in the process, they learn some valuable teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills!

Library Breakout!

Students in Literacy Studies recently participated in a library-themed breakout activity inspired by a breakout from BreakoutEDU.

In August, World Languages & Cultures teacher Kristine Jimenez shared the BreakoutEDU materials she'd received in a DCG Foundation Grant, and after trying to revise an existing Breakout to fit our DCG Middle School library, she graciously offered to help write a breakout for *our* school. A BIG "thank you" to Mrs. Jimenez--she was instrumental in getting our breakout ready!

First step? Choosing what kinds of locks to use and creating clues with embedded combinations. In the end, we used five locks and provided corresponding clues. 

Receipt link, Letter link, To Do List link (not pictured), Comic available on ToonDo0 (search "Online Catalog ToonDoo")

Based on the information students received in their packets or found around the library, they would have what they needed to open two different number combination locks, a padlock with key, a color-code combination lock, and a directional lock.

A brief introduction day gave students a quick overview of the activity & its many purposes:

•  to share and work as a team

•  to work together & think critically about possible lock combinations

•  to test their ideas

•  to problem solve should initial combinations not open locks

•  and ultimately, to open the box.

During the introduction, students also could see the box itself and the locks to be used with the activity.

Finally, the big day arrived and once in teams, students began their work. Without a doubt, this activity is one of the most engaging things students have done in the library!

Several groups were able to break out (or specifically, break *in* to the boxes after determining all combinations for locks. Always group members were excited, and we often heard exclamations of "We did it!"

More Breakout activities to follow! With the success of our first time out, it's likely we'll be trying another physical Breakout like this one! At least one digital Breakout is in the works, too, so stay tuned!