Https Www.breakoutedu.com Digital-game-design-courses

Students learn best when they are engaged! Students who are engaged are motivated and curious which makes learning experiences more meaningful. Engagement brings out the 4Cs: critical thinking, creativity, communication and collaboration. Engaging your students with the 4C's is a win for you and for your students. Breakout EDU games, kit and digital are the perfect way to engage your students in meaningful learning.

Check out our list of Great Starter Games to find a game such as Breakout the Beat, or Back to Reality to play with your class.

Once the students have broken out, keep the learning going with one of our extension activities below.

All Breakout EDU Kits now ship with a full deck of 4C Cards that help you facilitate discussions post-game that focus on each of the 4Cs. If you don't have a kit, you will find all of our 4C activities here.

New to Breakout EDU? Sign up for a free trial and unlock 4C engagement right away!

Visit breakoutedu.com/freetrial to get started.

COMIC STRIP
Students retell a moment of the game in comic book form. This can be a great way to have them showcase the actual act of playing the game (ex. finding a clue and working together to solve one of the puzzles) or it can be a comic about the game itself (ex. illustrating something to do with the story of the game).

BREAKOUT EDU: The Movie
Coming soon to a theater near you… the game you just played! Have students create a movie poster for the game. Students can draw, paint, use collages, whatever works for them to show off what a movie-style poster could be like for the game they just played.

MUSICAL PLAYLIST
Coming up with a musical playlist to accompany a game is a fun creative challenge. Students can choose music that ties in with the theme of the game or perhaps songs that heightens the mood in the room.

WE BROKE OUT!
Students love displaying the "We Broke Out" and "We Almost Broke Out" signs at the end of a Breakout EDU game. Let them get creative and make a new sign that ties in with the theme of the game they just played. Maybe it is the wording or the images - or both - that makes this sign unique to the game they just played. When they are done they can pose for a "success" photo with it.

WRITING A SEQUEL
Imagine if unlocking the last lock was just the beginning of a whole new story. What would a sequel to the game they just played be? Put your creative storytellers to work and ask them to describe what comes next.

Ever wondered what cognitive science says about the natural process of learning? This blog explores the research behind learning and offers a deep dive into why authentic learning experiences maybe the key to deeper student engagement.

First impressions are everything! Imagine your students going home after the first day of school full of excitement and telling everyone that they Broke Out! No, not broke out of the school - but broke out of an engaging activity that you, the most awesome teacher prepared for them. Too good to be true - it really isn't. In addition to your students being fully immersed in the 4Cs - communicating, collaborating, thinking critically and being creative, they will come to see learning as a game, something fun and something they love doing.

Breakout EDU games are the perfect way to engage your students in meaningful authentic learning experiences. We have over 1800+ games on our platform, and we are sharing 5 of our favorite games that we know you and your students will find are the perfect way to start the year right!

New to Breakout EDU? Sign up for a free trial and unlock engagement with your students right away.

Visit https://breakoutedu.com/freetrial to get started!

1. A FRIEND FOR KEYLA
Keyla and her friend Neila may come from different worlds, but they have so much in common. This game highlights the value of friendship as players work through the puzzles. Perfect for elementary grades! Play A Friend for Keyla.

2. BREAKOUT THE BEAT
Oh no! Our music is locked up and we only have our teacher's music from the olden days! We need to work together, and it may involve some problem solving to unlock our music and Breakout the Beat! Perfect for Elementary and Middle Grades. Play Breakout the Beat.

3. BACK TO SCHOOL BOOGIE
We want to celebrate with our Back to School Boogie, but our license to  dance is locked up! Perfect for elementary grades. Play Back to School Boogie.

4. BREAKOUT THE ALIEN CODE
Something strange happened at the Museum of Really Cool Stuff! It was noted that many of items in the exhibits were tampered with! Please put your heads together and help us solve the Masked Museum Mystery! Perfect for Upper Elementary, Middle Grades and High School. Play The Case of the Banded Bandit Break-In.

5. ALL ABOUT KEYLA
Our friend Keyla, who we will get to play games with several times this year, will start things off. She has created some puzzles, and when we collaborate, we will learn some fun facts about Keyla! Perfect for elementary school students. Play All About Keyla.

Designing a great Breakout EDU game doesn't have to be a puzzle. That's why we're here to give you an overview of the benefits of designing a custom game and what makes a great Breakout EDU game, so you and your students can start creating your own!

Why Game Design?

The first question we tend to get when discussing game design is 'Why?'. To this, we answer, because there are so many benefits for both educators and students in creating their own games!

Student Benefits

✓ Sparks Creativity - The Breakout EDU Game Design Studio helps students become content creators, rather than just consumers of content! Creating content allows students to use their creativity to develop and express the information and skills they've learned in a hands-on way.

✓ Improves Communication - Good communication is a necessary skill for students and can be developed through creative expression. A creative environment provides plenty of opportunities for students to explore ways to clearly express their ideas, concepts, and level of understanding of a topic through a medium.

✓ Enhances Critical Thinking - Developing a student's critical thinking mindset is crucial to ensure they can analyze the world around them effectively! Through game design, students apply strategic thinking skills as they are challenged to identify and analyze a subject, create connections from the information they gather, and form their own interpretation.

✓ Boosts Engagement - When teachers provide ways for students to take an active role in their classrooms, asking questions, solving problems, conducting experiments, and participating in group discussions - engagement soars.Game design immerses students into their project, as they own their ideas and actively participate in bringing their concept to life.

Educator Benefits

✓ Personalized Lessons - Designing a game allows you to match games to your curriculum, and your student's abilities and interests. As the game author, you're able to integrate standards in a meaningful way.

✓ Improved Discussions - Creating original games with topic-related puzzles fosters an environment in which students ask more questions, and engage in the critical thinking needed for deeper learning and recall.

✓ Engaging Reviews - Whether presenting an educator-created game or challenging your students to create their own for end-of-unit reviews, students are sure to be engaged as they work through topic-related puzzles!

Want to learn more about the Breakout EDU Game Design Studio? Visit the resource below!

Getting Started With Game Design

Step 1: Create A Story

The first step to game design is crafting an exciting story that motivates your students into completing the challenge!

When creating a story, you'll need to choose a theme or curricular area for the game. Develop a storyline that flows with your theme, and engages the players. Your established game should have a title, and should be something simple, not complicated.

A Great Story Will:

• Provide purpose

• Engage players

• Weave clues together

• Move the game forward

Here's an example of a well-crafted storyline, for inspiration to create your own:

A rogue U.S. spy, G. McFly, decided that he wanted nothing else to do with the spy game and decided to start sharing top secret information with informants all over the world in an attempt to compromise the United States spy program as well as the head of the FBI, one J. Edgar Hoover.

Contained within the box is the current hiding location of G. Mcfly... Can you find him before he shares more information with another foreign spy?

Step 2: Select Your Lock

Breakout EDU digital games have a variety of lock options: text, number, directional, shape, and color. Choose a lock and think about the possible combinations.

Step 3: Create Clues

The next step is to create your clues or puzzles. You have the option to use an image, text or video clip as well as additional text if needed. Craft your clues so that they fit the theme of your game and follow the story. You want your clues or puzzles to require players to do some thinking and not be too obvious.

Step 4: End-of-game reveal

This part is the final step! Once your students finish solving all of the clues, and 'breakout' by solving all of the lock series - they'll have an end of game reveal! What will they see? You may use our 'We Broke Out' signs, or craft one that better fits your story. Whatever you choose, make sure you celebrate Breaking Out!

Game Design Use Cases

There are so many ways educators can leverage Breakout EDU's Game Design Studio in the classroom!  Explore the Game Design Studio as a way for students to design a game based on their content mastery at the end of an important lesson or unit, or to review abstract or concrete concepts during lessons.

Student-created games allow students to demonstrate the student's understanding of content and mastery of new skills in a creative and fun way, that is sure to be a memorable experience for everyone involved!

READY TO BEGIN UNLOCKING THE LOVE OF LEARNING THROUGH GAMES?

GET STARTED TODAY WITH OUR 14-DAY FREE TRIAL.

To gauge a students' progress and understanding of lessons, educators use formal and informal assessments. Formal assessments are systematic, typically being standardized or aptitude-based exams. Students usually study and prepare for these assessments in advance, and final scores may be compared to established standards and benchmarks. Informal assessments are observation-based tools, typically being more spontaneous to get a more natural feel for a student's progress and insight into areas in which they may need more help.

Informal assessments are just as important as formal assessments, as they can help identify potential problem areas during day-to-day lessons, allowing teachers to quickly address them and ensure all students are understanding content.

Informal assessments helps educators:

✓ Understand if lessons are being delivered at the right pace, and adapt if needed

✓ Target student's specific problem areas

✓ Identify students that may need further individual support and intervene as needed

✓ Plan future lesson plans to meet student needs

Using Game Design for Informal Assessment

There are various tools you can use to conduct informal assessments. The Breakout EDU Game Design Studio is one tool that is perfect for these types of observational assessments, as it can help teachers effectively pinpoint students' strengths, weaknesses and get a deeper insight into student's mastery over a lesson or course!

What is it? The Game Design Studio is a ready-to-use teaching resource that consists of a series of Student Game Design Courses and Mini-Lessons that walk your students step-by-step through the process of creating a Digital Breakout EDU Game. Once completed, students can use the Digital Game Builder to create their own game.

How to use the Breakout EDU Game Design Studio for Informal Assessment

First, select a topic or academic area to focus on. Then, assign a Student Design Course to students, which will lead them through the process of game design, helping them become informed game designers!

Once courses are completed, provide clear instructions and establish expectations for the game you wish for them to design. Then, split your students into small groups, so they may work collaboratively to create a game!

Together, students will work as a team to form questions, test ideas, and use backward mapping to develop a game. Educators will be able to observe student communication skills and participation in the group's efforts. Once the game is created, the final project may be presented and shared with the rest of the class. Educators can assess the final product, gaining insight into the group's understanding and knowledge of the lesson, based on how much was applied to create the game.

Want to learn more about the Breakout EDU Game Design Studio? Visit the resource below!

READY TO BEGIN UNLOCKING THE LOVE OF LEARNING THROUGH GAMES? GET STARTED TODAY FOR FREE WITH OUR 14-DAY FREE TRIAL.

Educators are always looking for new ways to make lessons and projects highly engaging for students. One way to do this is by harnessing the high engagement students have with technology to transform them into active creators! An easy way to bring an inquiry-based learning strategy into your classroom is by using the Breakout EDU Game Design Studio.

What is the Breakout EDU Game Design Studio?

The Game Design Studio is a ready-to-use teaching resource consisting of a series of Student Game Design Courses and Mini-Lessons that walk your students step-by-step through the process of creating a Digital Breakout EDU Game. The courses are divided into smaller lessons that focus on the individual parts of game design, including narrowing down your topic and theme, creating an engaging story and characters, choosing the perfect lock, and sharing ways to make fun, challenging clues. By the end of the Game Design Course, students will have created a digital game using the Digital Game Builder that they may share with their classmates!

Why The Game Design Studio?

Creating a digital game actively encourages students to be innovative, communicate effectively, think critically, be problem solvers, and use backward mapping to develop puzzles that challenge their classmates' thinking. Additionally, developing a story that weaves the theme into the clues, creating images that send the right message, and adding a hint or two pushes game design skills to the next level. Great game design fosters high-level engagement and creativity, especially as students listen to each other, share their ideas, and work together to design a game.

Game Design Studio Use Case

There are so many ways the Game Design Studio can be leveraged in the classroom. Utilize the Game Design Studio as a way for students to design a game based on their content mastery at the end of an important lesson or unit, or to review abstract or concrete concepts during lessons!

Student-created games will effectively allow students to demonstrate the student's understanding and mastery in a creative and fun way that is sure to be a memorable experience for everyone involved!

Want to learn more about the Breakout EDU Game Design Studio? Visit the resource below!

READY TO BEGIN UNLOCKING THE LOVE OF LEARNING THROUGH GAMES?

GET STARTED FOR FREE TODAY.

After a long, eventful school year of online and hybrid learning, many educators are looking for ways to escape screens and bring the excitement of collaboration back to the classroom.

That's why this upcoming school year we're encouraging our community to pull out their Breakout EDU kits and break into active learning!

For over six years, classrooms around the world have played Breakout EDU kit games to engage, collaborate, problem solve and deepen connections.

What are Breakout EDU Kits?

Breakout EDU Kits are physical boxes that include everything you need to play Breakout EDU kit-based games found in our Breakout EDU Game Library. A kit includes five locks, a hasp, and other tools such as a red lens viewer, and a UV flashlight which are used to solve puzzles during games. The Breakout EDU Kit is designed to create a unique escape room experience right inside of your class, as students work together to 'Breakout'!

Boost Engagement Offline

The only way to successfully 'Breakout' is through hands-on teamwork! Breakout EDU Kit-based games challenge students to collaborate and actively apply their critical thinking skills to ask questions, analyze clues, and solve the puzzles. Watch students come alive as they immerse themselves in the problem-solving challenges. Classroom interactions improve as students learn to effectively communicate to solve the mystery in the kit!

Getting Started With Breakout EDU Kits

There are over 900+ kit-based games on the Breakout EDU platform in a wide variety of topics and subjects, making it easy to find the perfect game for any lesson or classroom event. Sign up for a Breakout EDU Subscription With a Kit to get started!

Already have a Breakout EDU Digital Subscription? Grab a Breakout EDU Kit to unlock all of our kit-based games for your class!

UNLOCK THE Breakout EDU EXPERIENCE FOR FREE

Sign up for a free 14-day trial to Breakout EDU!

Well-designed games—unlike competitive multiple-choice quiz games—provide immersive experiences for students. Like novels, films, plays, and other media, teachers instructor may use high-quality tools like games to help students access the curriculum while keeping engagement high. The "fun" of gameplay is a core component of why games are so successful with children, according to educators. Games can help children develop important, yet difficult, skills that they would otherwise avoid.

What is Social-Emotional Learning?

Social-Emotional Learning became a popularized educational movement during the early 1990s through the Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), an organization which was founded to bring together educators, psychologists, child well-being advocates and researchers with the purpose of helping integrate social and emotional development into school curriculums. CASEL defines Social-Emotional Learning as "the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions" (Casel.org).

Benefits of Social-Emotional Learning

Schools and educators worldwide are implementing SEL into their lessons. As SEL becomes a rising priority in education, many are curious as to exactly what the benefits are. Let's review some of the impacts and outcomes that have been identified to stem from SEL.

✓ Better Socialization

SEL competencies include developing social awareness and relationship skills. Because of this, SEL outcomes include students developing and maintaining positive, productive relationships with their peers, family and teachers. One study notes that students taking part in SEL programs also have long-term improvement in areas of aggression and outbursts.

✓ Better Classroom Behavior

 An analysis of 213 studies that surveyed more than 270,000 learners found that students who received lessons with SEL, on average, modeled better positive classroom behavior than students that did not receive SEL-based curriculums.

✓ Better Academic Outcomes

When observing academic impacts, one study found students who participated in SEL programs have an 11 percent increase in their overall grades, paired with a higher average in their school attendance and classroom participation!

✓ Better Lifelong Outcomes

A study by the American Journal of Public Health found students involved in social-emotional learning curricula from the kindergarten level, were connected to favorable outcomes in their adulthood, such as engaging in less criminal activity, receiving higher academic and professional achievements, and reporting better mental health.

Fostering SEL

Breakout EDU games are a great way to incorporate SEL into your lessons and have fun at the same time.

Breakout EDU games are designed to foster SEL skills by challenging all 5 SEL competencies (self-awareness, self-management, decision-making, social awareness and relationship building) through fun, educational puzzles. Get started on adding SEL into your lessons by exploring our great starter games!

Collaboration is a positive experience for students and it provides opportunities to hone valuable life skills. Let's review what exactly are some of the benefits of student collaborative learning includes!

Classroom discussions challenge students to think deeply and articulate their ideas to develop their critical thinking and communication skills. During classroom discussions, students can strengthen their understanding of a topic by listening to their peer's perspectives, asking questions, and sharing their own reasoning.

Breakout EDU games and 4C cards help facilitate meaningful class discussions.

Facilitate Discussions with Breakout EDU Games

Breakout EDU games are team-based activities that challenge students to put on their thinking caps and work together to solve a series of puzzles. To successfully complete the game, students need to engage in conversations and share their thinking.

Students leverage their knowledge and understanding to make sense of each puzzle. Because all students tend to have different strengths and perspectives, new insight is gained as they share and explain their reasoning step by step. Questions tend to arise as students run into roadblocks, present differing opinions, or further observations. These questions spark deeper discussions to come to a solution.

Keep the Discussion Going with 4C Cards

The conversation does not end when the game does! Teachers can facilitate lively discussions at the end of gameplay to reflect on the learning and social interactions that occurred. One great way to do this is by using the Breakout EDU 4C Cards. These cards have unique prompts related to each of the 4Cs (Collaboration, Creativity, Critical Thinking, and Communication). These cards help students reflect on the game through discussions, such as discussing areas of strength within the game, and areas that need improvement.

As we continue to adapt to remote learning, Breakout EDU is here to help bring collaboration and engagement to your virtual classes. By incorporating Breakout EDU digital games and digital game design courses, distant learners can still bond with their classmates and immerse themselves into their lessons.

Digital Games

The Breakout EDU Platform has over 800 digital games for your class to enjoy remotely. Our games are designed to foster 4C skills. Each game consists of a series of puzzles which challenge students to think creatively and critically to come up with possible solutions. It's through communication and collaboration, that students are able to come together to 'Breakout'.

New to Breakout EDU? Learn how to play here. See instructions below on how to set up a Breakout EDU game inside a digital environment such as a Zoom or Google Meet so that your students can virtually collaborate.

Game Design Studio

With the Breakout EDU Game Design Studio, students become creators, not just  consumers by building their own digital games. The Game Design studio includes Game Design courses and mini-lessons, to help teachers guide their students through the process of creating games.

Designing games serves as a form of creative expression, allowing students to express their knowledge and understanding of a concept in their own unique fashion. Students will not only grow and apply creativity but also spark critical thinking as they come up with their original ideas and innovative ways to present their academic content.

Students may work in small groups or as a class to build out a challenging, fun game that can be played together once complete! This activity is perfect as a way for students to display their creativity and lesson proficiency from their remote setting.

Louie Montoya introducing the game to participants

When we started Breakout EDU, we really didn't know what type of adventure the next five years would bring us, aside from a few splinters and new found love for gaming. Fast forward to late 2019 when we got an email from the d.school saying that they've been experimenting escape rooms for the past few years as an alternative to testing.

Essentially, two separate entities that saw the educational benefit of escape rooms in the classroom! Our team has been a long time fan of the work the folks at the d.school have done so we jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with them on a fun engaging opportunity.

From our initial meeting at the school, through the entire process of developing a unique escape room, we found a sense of validation in knowing that the passion work we had put in for so long was also being worked on from the academic side of things. Grades and worksheets are far too commonly used to test the ability of students, while communication, collaboration and critical thinking should be the benchmark for employable skills in any workplace.

In January of 2020, the d.school hosted Future Fest, a conference showcasing what the future of education would look like and wanted to create a way for them to showcase the work they have been doing with escape rooms as a means for assessment. Together, we designed a custom escape room utilizing Breakout EDU that could be used as an echo-chamber to showcase the idea of collaboration as a means for assessment. Below is a video showing what that experience was like.

After seeing these assessment tools in action, we decided to make this game and resources available for our community to use and share. You can find the assessment resources on the d.school website and find the game, Breaking Barriers, on our platform available to ANYONE with a Breakout EDU account.

At Breakout EDU, we embrace the opportunity to try something different and we hope these resources act a springboard for you to do the same.

The Design Team- Ingvi Omarsson, Louie Montoya, Mark Hammons & Ann Brucker

You may already know that Breakout EDU is perfect for engaging students through creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking in a digital world. While digital team building games are great for distance learning, the true heart of Breakout EDU is the kit-game experience. With our guidelines for playing in light of social distancing, there's never been a better time to have it all! Breakout EDU games are team-building experiences that can be played safely in-person or collaboratively online.

WASH THOSE HANDS!
As recommended by the Centers for Disease Control, all players should wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after playing a Breakout EDU Kit game. If you forget to start the timer, players can hum the "Happy Breakout to You…" song from beginning to end twice!

PRINT EXTRA PAGES
Another way to ensure that players get a fun, hands-on experience while not exposing themselves to unnecessary germs is to print enough clues so that each student has her own materials to handle. Distribute a copy of one or two clues to each player as well as a copy of a lock recording sheet. With this method, players will be able to communicate details about their clues and listen to what others are sharing. You might also display one or two of the puzzles on a projected screen in the front of the room to help. Students can keep track of the combinations as they figure them out on the lock recording page.

**PRO TIP: use your printer settings to print more than one copy on each page!

If it works for your classroom, you might have students work in smaller groups, each group with a complete set of clues. With each student only handling one or two clues, group members can spread themselves out to ensure that social distance protocols are followed.

ASSIGN A "LOCKSMITH"
We recommend that only one student, or "Locksmith," handle the locks. This allows that one student to keep a safe distance from others, and only one set of hands will touch the locks.

SANITIZE EVERYTHING
We recommend that the locks are cleaned before and after game play. Use a disinfecting wipe to gently wipe all surfaces that eager hands may have touched, including locks, boxes, the hasp, the flashlight, etc.

The game is not over once the locks are opened! Some of the best learning happens when reflecting on the game. Pose one or two reflection questions as part of a large group or small group discussion, or you might consider having students write or draw their game reflections. In addition, encourage each student to design or decorate his own "We Broke Out" sign so you can take that all important end-of-game class photo of the students holding up the signs from their desks!

If you have tips or success stories for using your Breakout EDU Kits, we'd love to hear them! Give us a shout at info@breakoutedu.com or share your pictures on Twitter or Instagram (@BreakoutEDU).

With so many students now learning in a mostly-virtual environment, one of the most impactful human elements of classroom learning that has suffered is collaboration. Throughout the initial phases of quarantine, the 4Cs (collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking) as a whole took a bit of a hit, as many teachers found themselves working hard to adjust their teaching to get content out to students in a new and changing environment. Now that digital-first learning is the new normal, we have seen more and more examples of teachers who are harnessing the wonderful power of digital tools to bring those critical skills back into play!

Agnes Palucki, a Digital Learning Coach from Illinois, recently Tweeted a picture of a class of fourth graders with whom she had just collaborated to complete a Breakout EDU Digital game via Google Hangouts (she's also done this activity with second graders and had great success). Since we've seen several social media posts and replied to a few emails from teachers wondering how to do something just like this, we reached out to Agnes to see how she made the magic happen.

First, Agnes and her colleagues love Breakout EDU kit games, and so when the school closure occurred, she and her team began brainstorming ways they could continue to engage students in meaningful, collaborative ways. "What else can we do?" was a question that prompted the team to try running a digital game remotely. She shared the following tips for how she learned to make the experience a successful one:

1. Decide on a game: What's the learning objective? Agnes talked with her collaborating teachers and then searched the Breakout EDU Platform for games that met their criteria. In the end, they settled on a game themed around field day (which they happened to be missing that week).

2. Have two screens if possible: Agnes discovered the activity worked best when she joined the Hangout as "herself" in one, and then shared the game in the other so that she could see and hear students as they interacted.

3. Send the link in the virtual chat so students can play along: Agnes said that the students liked being able to see the puzzles and clues on their own screens while the game was happening; she coached them ahead of time on how to keep the game and the chat running in separate tabs.

4. Explain how a Breakout EDU Digital Game works: For students who had never played a Breakout EDU Digital game before, it was important that they understood what would happen when a lock was selected (ex. that it turned green when the combinations were correct, and so on).
   *One helpful resource to share with students on this topic can be found by visiting brkedu.com/HowToPlay

5. Let students participate: Agnes didn't keep her students muted during the game; instead, she laid out the rules ahead of time for how they should get her attention when they had an idea to share or when they needed help. For example, she told them not to shout out answers, but rather to raise their hands when they had something they wanted to ask or tell. This empowered learners with the sense that "they were helping me" when it came time for her to enter the combinations on behalf of the class.

6. Encourage students to share their thinking: Just like in a physical classroom, students were empowered by the discoveries and ideas of their peers. When they were able to see, hear, and understand how a classmate solved a puzzle, they felt more successful to try that same tactic on their own in the next puzzle or game.

We have put together a quick, clickable guide (linked above and downloadable here) to share how easy it is to play a digital game with students! Please be sure to share your tips, tricks, and successes by commenting below, sharing via social media, or emailing us at info@breakoutedu.com.

Hang in there, and keep up the amazing work!

"I successfully did a digital breakout digitally with my 4th graders about 2 weeks ago. I sent students all the link in google classroom about 15 minutes before our zoom started. They were allowed to look over it and try anything they wanted on their own for those 15 minutes. This allowed them to already have the link. We discussed rules and time frames and then "broke out" in to 2 rooms on zoom. The two teams were able to work as two separate teams and it was amazing to jump from room to room and hear them working just like in the classroom. I suggested that one student in each "room" share their screens so everyone can see what was going on. I also suggested using that one shared screen as the one to breakout of each lock. When the time was up they came back, I gave them a 60 second reminder to come back to the original room an we discussed successes and answers. One team broke out and the other was only one lock away. It felt very good for me and my students LOVED it. They are excited to have a Breakout planned on Thursday."

— Becca S.

"My students have had so much fun doing digital Breakouts during our weekly Google Meets!!! I "present" my whole screen allowing me to open the picture clues in another window for them to see. They deliberate with each other and then agree on a combination for me to try.

We've had a ball with it!!!!
#avidbreakoutteacher
#breakingoutsince2015"

— Laura S

Celebrate National Reading Month with these Breakout EDU Games

HELP HANSEL & GRETEL

Recommended Ages: Elementary 1-4

Hansel and Gretel are visiting the Witch and her neighbors' candy cottages. She really isn't as scary as the fairy tale suggests, she just loves when Hansel and Gretel visit and wants the children to stay longer. She knows the bread crumbs they dropped were already picked up by the birds and other forest creatures, so she locked up the map Hansel and Gretel need to find their way back home. They need to leave for home in 45 minutes or they will miss dinner! While they distract the witch and her neighbors, they need you to figure out the clues and open the box to Breakout the map home!

BREAKOUT OF MR. LEMONCELLO'S LIBRARY

Recommended Ages: Elementary / Middle School 3-8

School has ended and you and your friends are still in the library working quietly on your school project. Mr. Lemoncello has begun his closing procedures and forgot to check the back area where you and your friends have been working. He sets the alarm and leaves for the day. You and your friends get up to leave and notice the library is locked and the alarm is set. This isn't the first time this has happened, so Mr. Lemoncello has a "Breakout" procedure for those students locked in the library that he left near the entrance.

Can you and your friends breakout in time for dinner?

THE DOT: MAKE YOUR MARK

Recommended Ages: Elementary 1-4

Based on The Dot (c) by Peter H. Reynolds. Originally published by Candlewick. Used with the permission of Pippin Properties, Inc.

It's time to make your mark! You have the talent, you are something special, and the world wants to see what only you can do! The only problem is the Eraser was in the classroom last night and thinks he locked all of our creativity and inspiration in the Breakout EDU box. He believes without it, we will not be able to make our mark! Of course, no one can ever take away our creativity and inspiration, however he did lock up all of our drawing paper in the box.
We need to figure out how to open the box get our drawing paper and use our creativity and inspiration to make our marks!

DETECTIVE DAN IS ON THE CASE

Recommended Ages: Elementary 2-5

Someone broke into your school and made a mess!  Detective Dan is on the case!  Solving mysteries is what he does best.  The suspect left his fingerprints behind. Along with clues that you must find. Please hurry, don't wait! Solve the clues to seal the suspect's fate! You have 45 minutes before it's too late!

READING DOWN UNDER

Recommended Ages: Elementary 1-4

We had some visitors from Australia last night!  The Aussies got in our room and left us a new book by Mem Fox,  one of their favorite authors! They love to play tricks, so they locked the book in the Breakout EDU box and left us clues to help us figure out the combinations. They are hoping we learn a wee bit about the animals of the Land Down Under as well as Mem Fox as we open the locks, but we need to work fast, as we only have 45 minutes to figure it out and open the box, or we won't have time to read our new book!

EVERY PUP NEEDS A PAL

Recommended Ages: Elementary 2-4

Everything is changing! My human, my home, my routines… I can't even count on my nose anymore! From sneaky, smelly squirrels to bright new sights and sounds, I'm feeling fairly fussy. Can I count on you to help me feel at home again? Will you be my friend and help me find my way back to normal? If you will, I'll lick you forever!

WE ARE READERS

Recommended Ages: Elementary 1-3

Inspired by author Lauren Castillo's collection of Picture Books including The Reader, Nana in the City, Twenty Yawns, and The Troublemaker. Visit her website to learn more about Lauren Castillo and her books.  http://www.laurencastillo.com/

The Troublemaker is trying to stop us from Reading! He locked all of our bookmarks in the box and thinks if we  keep losing our place in the books, we will give up and stop reading. Well, the Troublemaker is wrong! We will never stop reading, but we do want our new Bookmarks! As a reward, if we can get the bookmarks out of the box before the Time is up, we will get to spend all the rest of the Time Reading! There might even be a fun new book to read in the box. Let's hurry and open it and find out!

BUSY BEES

Recommended Ages: Elementary 1-4

The bees are always very busy! However Billy Bee has forgotten what he needs to do to help out the hive. Help Billy Bee get his jobs done!

RHYME RACE 1000

Recommended Ages: Early Elementary grades K-3

Congratulations! You won the Rhyme Race 500 and have made it to the final world race, the Rhyme Race 1000. Rhyme a lot Ryan is at it again! He has placed obstacles in your way so that you can't win. Can you solve the puzzles to get around the obstacles to win the Rhyme Race 1000? Good luck!

BIRD OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER

Recommended Ages: Elementary / Middle School grades 3-8

I was getting ready for work when a flock of ducks invaded my bathroom!  They seem to have a fascination with Figurative Language. Can you use your knowledge of Figurative Language and help me get these ducks out of my bathroom?

THE MYSTERY OF LOCK-NESS

Recommended Ages: Upper Elementary 3-6

You are visiting your Uncle who is a little eccentric. One day you discover a hidden room filled with information on the mysterious local legend - "The Lock-Ness!" Can you decipher what is fact and what is fiction to determine the truth?

SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME

Recommended Ages: Upper Elementary / Middle School 5-8

The world is filled with amazing books to read, cool sculptures of book characters, and fantastic book festivals. As a passionate reader, your bucket list is filled with ideas related to books. You have been saving your pennies for years, prioritizing your list of places and events, and making detailed plans for the moment when you can set off on your adventure. Get your bucket list and head off on the trip of a lifetime!

COMICS CRUSADER

Recommended Ages: Grades 5-12

You are trying to find inspiration for your next graphic novel, but don't want to accidentally steal anyone else's ideas! Use your skills to unlock the ultimate comic your brain can create!

I recently got a chance to sit down with Billings, Montana high school teacher-librarian/technology integration specialist (aka a lady who has practically seven full-time jobs and crushes every one of them with her magic and enthusiasm) Shaundel Krumheuer. She had hosted a special event in her library, and with her two library colleagues, ran four games simultaneously with nine groups over the course of three days. If that gives you the mouth-sweats (as she would say), she actually called it "one of the most rejuvenating days" she's experienced in the library. Here's what else she had to say about it:

Our high school library received a grant for 12 Breakout EDU kits plus Schoolwide Full Platform Access last spring, and have been partnering with classroom teachers and hosting events in the library. Our vision was that we would be able to check out boxes to teachers for use in their classrooms or partner with them in the library. So far, every teacher we have collaborated with has chosen to use our library for Breakouts, so we have been there to witness the learning firsthand.

Last week our school piloted an intervention week where we used a block schedule that included real class time plus time for extension or remediation. This is a new concept for our teachers, so there was much discussion on how to use the extra time in a way that would serve students best.

Teachers from all ranges of subject areas brought students to the library to experience a Breakout EDU game. The students ranged from psychology students to special education classes and high-risk students. We selected and prepped four different games, choosing them based on the subjects or topics the teachers requested, then we adapted and customized the puzzles based on suggestions from the teacher and our own insights. Our goal was to provide games that would allow students to experience success, but games that were also challenging enough for high school seniors to need to see and look at things differently.

When the first class came in, we divided them into six groups of four. At the start of the game, every single group said, "We don't know what to do; this is really hard!" Especially frustrated were seniors in a psychology class who have been conditioned to be told the "right" answer... so, when they embarked upon the games, they wanted someone to tell them what to do. We had coached the teachers not to provide them with answers or "clues," but rather to say, "look around you and see what you have to work with." Once students began to figure out that the elements were puzzles, it all started to fall into place, and their initial triumphs started a domino effect once the small box was open.

It was fascinating to watch. The senior psychology students were actually a perfect audience; being somewhat used to being spoon-fed, they really struggled with the "not knowing what to do." They definitely thought the activity was hard, however, they were willing to struggle without the fear of being "judged" by their peers. The activity was barely over when they were already asking when they could do another!

If anyone ever says, "Oh, my kids can't do this, " I would say NOT TRUE! One of the special education students, when watching the group struggle, said, "Oh, it's so obvious - don't you see it?! The colors are right here at the bottom!" He spotted a pattern before his classmates, but also before any of the teachers did. Not only did those students who typically struggle in school have a chance to shine, but the teachers also learned that they didn't need to "feed" kids information as much as they thought they would or even should. The amount that students worked together was amazing; many of them are in the classes they are because they tend to struggle socially. Given this opportunity, students communicated, they worked together, and they experienced success. The teachers even said how impressed they were with their students' ability to use soft skills they aren't necessarily able to use in a traditional classroom setting.

In Shaundel's words (which can truly only be said whilst singing along), "You've got to find a way, say what you want to say… mmmmmm Breakout!"

Did you know that Breakout EDU is actually just a team of 6? Truth. Five of us are humans, and although Adam does the work of at least 7 people on his own (he's basically superhuman), let's be honest . . . we let Chewie get by on his coolenss and ability to reach things on high shelves. All of us (sans the furry guy) are former teachers who, in one way or another, found a common passion for games, puzzles, and the idea that learning can and should be done better.

As much as each of us admires and aspires to lofty goals of creativity, there is no way the six of us could possibly have created the 1600+ games that now live on the Breakout EDU Platform. We credit that work to a clever group of people who share in our dream and have shown a willingness to share their creations with the world. We have highlighted some of them recently through our social media communities (meet them by following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!), and will continue to do so as a tiny thank you for the work they have done. There are over 300 people who have contributed their games to the collection, and that number is always growing!

We are frequently asked if we're hiring… and the answer is YES! We are always in search of Breakout EDU game authors! In fact, both Patti and Ann, who have since joined the team full-time, both started out by creating and submitting games. Patti's first game, The Wolf's Den, still lives on as not only a Breakout EDU classic but as one of the very first elementary level games ever published. While Ann's first game, The GAFE Gauntlet, is ready for a facelift (her own words… it uses too many locks), she still considers it one of her greatest challenges (and personal triumphs) as a teacher. As the Breakout EDU Games Team, Patti and Ann both agree that writing Breakout EDU games changed their teaching for the better. The stretch in thinking required to not only create clever puzzles but to publish them for the world to play requires some next-level thinking.

So how do you get started? First, check out the many resources available at BreakoutEDU.com/create

The Breakout EDU Game Design Template is one of the many resources available at BreakoutEDU.com/create

There you will find tutorials to walk you through the process of game design, resources you can use in your games, as well as all of the tools and templates you'll need when you're ready to submit your game for publication.

If this idea seems intriguing to you, then we'd love to hear from you! We are seeking a few GREAT game designers to help us create some kit based and digital games in a variety of subject areas. We have the most openings for high school level game designers but are always on the lookout for great middle and elementary school level designers as well. Please complete this form if you are ready to take the next step as a Breakout EDU game designer!

**Please note: All game design applicants must be over 18 years old. Submissions from students can not be considered.

How do we make sure every student is ready for the future? This question keeps many of us up at night. Every parent wants their children to be prepared for the world, and every school wants to know that they're doing their part. Unfortunately, legacy institutions and policies have created rigid systems where students are shuffled from class to class based on age, attempting to have them master a specific skill at the exact same time. These practices may have worked 75 years ago, but they are wildly insufficient today.

Students deserve better, but how do we get started?

The Google for Education team playing a Breakout EDU game in their company team building day.

We built Breakout EDU to empower teachers to create engaging learning environments and cultivate career readiness skills (collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking) without sacrificing time spent mastering academic skills and acquiring content. Breakout EDU games provide students with an opportunity to get out of their seats, work collaboratively with their peers, and solve complex problems.

In 2017 Google conducted a research project to learn what made employees most effective. What they learned surprised them… Hard skills like STEM and academic prowess were secondary to career readiness skills like empathy and collaboration. They found that "the best teams at Google exhibit a range of soft skills: equality, generosity, curiosity toward the ideas of your teammates, and emotional intelligence."

As a result, Google increased the value of these skills in the hiring process in order to boost performance.  Google has used Breakout EDU games on several occasions to help cultivate these skills in their employees.

When students are solving Breakout EDU puzzles they are testing their cognitive limits and persevering when they encounter setbacks. With the clock running, students are not afraid to test their thinking, and step back and reevaluate when they realize that they're wrong. More students deserve this opportunity.

We need to prepare our students to solve the complex problems currently facing our planet. Whether it's climate change, disease, or gun violence, each problem will require a wide range of skills and deep experience collaborating with others. Like in Breakout EDU games, each problem can be seen as a locked box and we need to prepare them to open them.

Your students are sure to love these great games for Valentine's Day!

CUPID'S PARTY

GRADES K-4

Cupid loves Valentine's Day!  He is having a party for all of his friends. The valentines are ready, the music is set, and the decorations are perfect. The only problem is the guest list is locked up and Cupid needs your help to open the Large Breakout EDU Box and Breakout the Party!

AUSSIE LOVE HEART DO

GRADES 4-8

It's almost time for the Aussie Love Heart Do to kick off in the Dreamtime of the Wiradjuri Tribe. All of the animals get together to dance and laugh with old friends and new. It's 5:45 and the party kicks off in 45 minutes but we can't find Barandang the Koala. He is in charge of the night. Wandaayali the Echidna saw him head to the Eucalyptus tree but we can't seem to find his spare tree key!

CUPID'S CATASTROPHE

GRADES K-5

Valentine's Day is coming and Cupid is preparing. Last year he locked his bow and arrows in the box for safe keeping and now he can't remember any of the combinations! Can you help Cupid get into the box to his bow and arrows in time for Valentine's Day? Good Luck!

VALENTINE'S DAY CARD CONUNDRUM

GRADES 1-5
This morning your teacher had everyone place their Valentine's Day cards in the box. She/he locked the box to keep them safe but the problem is she/he can't remember the combinations. The party starts in 45 minutes. Can you help your teacher unlock the locks so you are able to pass out your cards at your party? Good luck!

CUPID'S CATASTROPHE 2

GRADES K-5

Now that Cupid has retrieved his bow and arrows, he is preparing his annual Cupid's Bash to celebrate Valentine's Day. He loves puzzles and has a few to prepare for his big bash but he can't remember how to solve any of them. Can you help Cupid in time before his party starts?!

KEYLA'S VALENTINE

GRADES K-5

Keyla is excited to celebrate Valentine's Day with her friends. She has everything ready, but cannot find her valentines! She is going to re-trace her steps to see if she remembers where she left them. She only has 20 minutes before her friends arrive to celebrate with her. Please help Keyla find her lost valentines!

HAPPY HEARTS

GRADES K-6

Can you check out the puzzles and use the clues to avoid getting caught up in woes and the blues? Just click on a lock and then give it a try, and watch as your broken heart goes bye-bye!

PETEY PUPPINGTON'S PARTY PLAN

GRADES K-3

Facebook Community Collaborative Valentine's Day Game!

Petey Puppington is pumped for this year's Valentine's Day party, but there's been a hitch: the place where the party was going to be held is double-booked! Can you help him find another venue? Venture out there and check out a couple of potential party places for us so we can get this just right!

Https Www.breakoutedu.com Digital-game-design-courses

Source: https://resources.breakoutedu.com/blog

Posted by: wardunty1992.blogspot.com

Share this post