Breakout Room Activities

Digital Scavenger Hunts/ Digital Breakout Games

Get students working together to solve problems as part of a digital scavenger hunt that unlocks little rewards. Consider using Flippity's online scavenger hunt template to create a game in which students solve problems to unlock each part of the game.

A Three Color Quiz 

I doesn't have to be a graded quiz activity. In fact, it's hardly a quiz at all, but that's the name that was given to it in this paper published by the University of Nebraska Digital Commons (link opens a PDF). 

Here's and example on how to run the Three Color Quiz in Meet.

Step One: First Color

Give students a question or prompt and have them spend two minutes writing responses on their own in a Google Doc. This should be done in one font color.

Step Two: Second Color

After writing on their own for a few minutes put students into breakout rooms to talk to a classmate or two for two minutes to get their ideas in response to the original question. While talking they should also be adding to their original answers. What gets added to the original response should be written in a second font color different from the first.

Step Three: Third Color

Bring the group back together then send them into new breakout rooms where they again talk to classmates for two minutes. This time they can also consult web resources and their notes as they talk. Again, while talking they should be writing and adding to their original answers. The writing in this step is done in a third font color.

The Three Color Quiz in breakout rooms accomplishes a few things:

• First, it gets students who might not otherwise talk to each other a chance to talk.

• Second, when they turn in their documents it shows much help a student needed from classmates or the Internet based on the use of color. (In Richard Byrne's example he does NOT grade the document)

• Third, by only making the breakout sessions a couple of minutes students don't have time to get off-task for too long if at all before the group is brought back together.

Virtual Social Time

One of the things that a lot of kids are missing right now is the experience of social interactions with classmates. Yes, many of them are Snapping, TikTok-ing, and texting their friends. But that doesn't replace having a conversation with classmates who aren't in their current circle of friends. Consider giving your students 5-10 minutes for casual conversations to interact with classmates they might not otherwise be communicating with. This activity works well during a weekly class meeting or right after. Share some discussion starters with your students, and place them in small groups in breakout rooms. When everyone comes back together, ask students to share an “ah ha” moment or a connection they had with another student.

Poll for feedback

Because working in breakout rooms is new for students, use the polling feature to gather student feedback once everyone is back in the main room. If you plan to use breakout rooms consistently, it’s important to find out what students’ experience was like so you know what adjustments or supports you need to put into place. you can create polls in Google Forms or other online tools such as.

Jigsaw

This activity works especially well when you have a long text, but you are short on time. It also deepens reading comprehension as students focus on one page. First, make sure your kids have access to the text. Put it in the learning management system or whatever organizing tool you use (class website, Seesaw, etc). Next, ask students to open up the text. Put the students into breakout rooms where each room represents one page. Students read their section together, discuss it, and choose a speaker to summarize what they read to the whole group once the breakout rooms close.

Four Corners Debate

In the main room share a statement with your students. Tell them that there are four stances they can take: strongly agree, agree, strongly disagree, and disagree. Give students time to think and make a choice. Students type their stance into the chat. Place students into breakout rooms based on their chosen stance. Once in their rooms, students develop an argument and choose a group speaker. When everyone comes back together, each speaker shares out. Students can type in the chat if they’ve changed their minds.

Strategic Small Groups

One of the biggest worries about lost learning time is that students have fallen significantly behind. Teachers may feel pressure to slow down or teach lower than grade level content. Differentiate instruction by designing learning tasks for each breakout room and strategically grouping students. This is an opportunity to remediate and fill in the gaps. 

Choice Board

Engagement is challenging online. Consider trying a choice board where you create different activities for practicing the same skill or learning about the same topic. In the main room, present the choices. Put students into breakout rooms based on what they select.