On the winter La Noʻonoʻo days, I am testing out a new game format with my 4th graders.  It is based on the idea of the Breakout Room which has been around for a long time.  The basic premise is students are given a group challenge in the form of a locked box.  In order to open the box, students work in teams, use their critical thinking skills and apply their knowledge of the content area to complete a series of puzzles.  When they solve a puzzle, they have to figure out how to use answer to the puzzle to open one of the locks on the box.  The box contains a variety of locks and in order to open it, the students must open all of the locks.

Our first breakout game was entitled “Reindeer Games”.  Students worked in teams of five to solve the five puzzles.  While some of the puzzles were given out when the game started, others were strategically hidden around the room.  The students had a blast and the first class to breakout was Room 18.  Congratulations!