Description

Can your sixth graders use their knowledge of inverse operations and solving one-step equations to escape the principal’s office? This activity provides a fun and engaging way to practice and review keeping equations balanced as students solve single-step equations in the form of x + p = q and px = q (6th grade math standard 6.EE.B.7). Students will race to match word problems with equations in one variable and find their solutions, find a code by identifying inverse operations, locate a clue using error analysis, and solve several one-step equations to escape!

This online activity is easy to implement and is completely automated by a Google Form™. Google accounts are not required; this math escape room can be completed by anybody with a device, browser, and internet connection. There are no clues to hide, and any printable pages are optional. The puzzles are completely self-checking and the form will only allow students to progress if correct answers are entered. Students will have to read carefully to figure out ciphers and codes!

Math skills required to solve the puzzles:

• Solve one step equations with one variable such as x+7=35 or 5x=15 (all of the puzzles in this escape room use whole numbers).
• Identify which inverse operation should be used to isolate the variable in a single step equations.
• Analyze errors in solving one-step equations and then correctly solve the equation.
• Match word problems with an equation written with a variable and find the correct solution to the problem.

What’s included in the PDF?

• Quickstart guide with link to escape room
• Optional link for Google Drive™ users to create a copy of the form to save to their own drives in order to view student results.
• Optional printable student recording page and cipher disk
• Detailed answer key & teacher tips
• Success signs to snap photos with after completing the activity (optional)

FAQ

• Do students need to have Gmail™ accounts? NO! Anyone with internet access and a tablet, computer, or even phone can complete the breakout.
• How long will this take? That is the hardest question as the answer varies depending on each classroom, student, or group. Most students will be able to complete this activity in under 45 minutes. You can allow 60 minutes to be safe. The form will only save data if students are signed into Google accounts, so if you are worried about your students not finishing on time, simply have them write their answers on scratch paper. They can then come back and quickly re-enter their answers and pick up where they left off. Some students with a firm grasp on the concepts covered in this escape room will be able to complete the puzzles very quickly (20-30 minutes), others will take longer.
• Can this be used for remote learning? Yes! This product is designed to be able to be completed completely online and can be done in-person, for distance learning, or hybrid models. Students will need a device and internet connection.
• Will students have to search the web to figure out the puzzles? NO! All of the information needed will be provided in the Google Form™. The math in this activity is all standards-based.

Escape rooms are a great way to provide extra practice for students, review for tests, or provide enrichment.

View all of our digital breakouts for 6th grade math standards

See all of our digital escape rooms and logic puzzles