Breakout Boxes

First time borrowers

1. Select a game

2. Meet with Andy Mann for an hour to review game play best practice, lock setup, and management tips

Tips

• In addition to playing breakout with the boxes, there are digital breakout games. You can find free games online, design your own, or if you have a BreakoutEDU account, you can find and play them using your account.

• You can build or go to the hardware store and purchase the locks and accessories to create your own brekaout boxes. However, you would need to purchase or create a UV flashlight, hint cards and would still need an annual subscription to be able to access the thousands of games on the BreakoutEDU site Most find it's just easier to purchase the Breakout box along with a license from BreakoutEDU.

• Many games are designed for students to work in teams of 6 - 8 students. If purchasing boxes for use in a single classroom, consider 4 - 6 boxes.

• A school needs a Breakout box manager. This may be a instructional coach, librarian, or teacher. They make sure the locks are returned reset to a default, such as all zeros, or that a copy of the last set of combinations are recorded and included with each box (this is how we do it.)

• IMPORTANT - have a lock "parking lock" for each team. This is usually a printed sheet with the names of the lock. Or it could be a basket for each team. After a lock is unlocked, if students keep it in their hands, they tend to fidget with it. And this often results in them accidently resetting the combination to an unknown value, making the lock impossible to open.

Integration Ideas

• Breakout games are ideal for building teamwork, or introducing/reviewing learning. There are breakout games for all ages and curriculum areas. While you could design your own, it's easier to get started by looking for a game at the BreakoutEDU site (login required - the MAISD/REMC 4 has an account we can let you borrow.) BreakoutEDU will provide teachers with an account for 1 - 2 week trial account at no cost.

• After you find a game, if you need to borrow the breakout boxes, follow the directions for the Discovery Center checkout process.

Resources

• Breakout EDU Platform RCPS : A guide for accessing your RCPS Breakout EDU account materials

• Breakout EDU Website

• Lock Tutorials

• Join their Facebook Group for ideas and resources