Patriots and Loyalists Escape Room Word Search – Reading Comprehension Stations

Description

Patriots and Loyalists (Revolutionary War) Escape Room Word Search

This Print and Go Patriots and Loyalists (Revolutionary War) Escape Room Word Search is a winning combination of reading comprehension skills, movement, mystery words, stations, puzzles, collaboration, critical thinking, mini word search and close reading.

The activity strengthens non-fiction ELA skills with a fun, interactive approach to learning that keeps your students hooked from beginning to end. Give your students a chance to get out of their seats, decode puzzles and read passages, all while actively learning!

Topics: 13 Colonies, Declaration of Independence, American Revolution, Patriots, Loyalists, King George III, Thomas Paine

No prior knowledge is needed, so this escape room activity makes a great introduction to your Revolutionary War or 13 Colonies lesson plans. This reading comprehension activity allows students to get some facts while previewing key vocabulary words, people, places or events that you will teach throughout your unit. To ensure understanding, students will answer questions that can be found directly in their reading passage.

No locks required! No fancy envelopes to stuff! No odd shapes to cut out. This NO PREP, print and go activity is meant to make your teacher life easy!

How Does It Work?

With their informational text in hand, students will move around the classroom visiting 5 puzzle stations. Each clue card station includes 6 questions and a puzzle decoder. Each clue card, with questions answered correctly, results in a mystery word that needs unscrambled. Questions include matching, true/false, short answer, fill in the blank and multiple choice. Each station has a different set of question types.

When all clues have been decoded, those words will serve as the word bank for the mini word search – which ALSO reveals a final mystery word. This way, students must complete each task and can not simply find the words in the word search without putting in the work first. Hint cards are included to help with tricky puzzles, making this a fun experience for all students.

When an assignment includes elements like secret codes or mystery words, it feels less like work and more like a fun challenge. This added layer of excitement motivates kids to complete the task to win or uncover the hidden element.

Students will work in pairs (or individually) and race to complete all 5 clue cards. A friendly competition always increases engagement. As students progress through the escape room, they will earn clues to help them find the final code-word in the word search. In order to escape students must present correct answers for EVERY question.

What’s Included

• 1 Reading Passage (front and back)
• 5 Puzzle Decoders
• 6 Questions Per Puzzle Station
• Total of 30 Comprehension Questions
• Mini Word Search
• Teacher & Student Directions
• Hint Cards
• FAQs
• Answer Key
• Prop Signs

Rather than passively reading and answering questions, kids are actively seeking answers to solve the puzzle. Plus, what student doesn’t love a word search? The small and simple word search was intentionally designed to keep students focused on learning key concepts rather than spending too much time searching for words.

Question Types and Puzzle Stations

• Station 1: Students will answer 6 True or False questions and reveal a secret word using a cryptogram puzzle decoder.
• Station 2: Students will answer 6 short-answer questions which reveal a secret word using a keyboard puzzle decoder.
• Station 3: Students will answer 6 multiple-choice questions to reveal a secret word using a cipher puzzle decoder.
• Station 4: Students will complete 6 matching statements to reveal a secret word using a polybius puzzle decoder.
• Station 5: Students will complete 6 fill in the blank questions to reveal a secret word using a text message puzzle decoder.

Skills Used

• Reading Comprehension
• Critical Thinking
• Deductive Reasoning
• Problem Solving

Benefits of Use

• Active Learning
• Cross-Curricular
• Highly Engaging
• Self-Checking
• Print and Go
• No Prep

Options for Use

• Anticipatory Sets
• Early Finishers
• Stations or Centers
• Sub Plans
• Rewards
• Individual Work
• Partner Activities
• Extension Activities