END OF THE YEAR Escape Room (Team Building Activities)

If you are looking for a team-building activity to keep your students engaged during the last few days, weeks or month before summer break, then THE GREAT END OF THE YEAR ESCAPE is for you! There are six end of the year-themed (trivia) challenges included in this file. Students will complete a variety of tasks using different skills including: problem-solving, critical thinking, reading comprehension, and basic math. Looking for a digital end of the year escape room? If so, click HERE!

A fun, one-minute ★introductory video★ has been included, which will help to set the scene before the escape room is to begin! The video outlines the themes of each of the challenges. Simply, open the video file included, display on a Smart Board and let the fun begin!

Do we have to complete ALL of the challenges? No, you can mix- and-match the challenges, as each puzzle is independent of the other. As the teacher, you can decide which puzzles you may want to use and in which order they will be completed. Several detailed and thorough teacher instruction pages have been included, which provide differentiated instructions and suggestions for the various challenges. Answer keys have also been provided for ALL of the challenges!

Group size: 3-5 students (Note: This can be completed as an individual and/or pair activity)

Time: Approximately 30 minutes per challenge (Provide hints along the way if time is a factor!)

Materials: Aside from the materials that you would already have in your classroom (pencils, pens, scissors and colored pencils or crayons), no additional supplies are needed! These escape room-style games were created as a print-and-go resource.

How to use this with your students: (several, flexible options)

• One activity a day, for the # of activities used

• As a complete activity (over several, continuous class periods)

• As bonus work for students who finish their work early

• As a homework activity to promote critical thinking skills

THE TASK:

The end of the year is here! But, before you can leave the school for summer vacation, you will have to successfully complete a series of tasks and challenges. Will you escape?

Challenge #1: Return your Overdue Books

I hope you’ve been catching up on your reading because, in order to successfully complete this challenge, you will have to be able to identify various quotes from well-known texts. Choose the answers carefully or the library will charge you a late fee! (Note: Editable file has been included, so that you can add in different book selections if desired.)

Challenge #2: Apply for a Summer Job

Brush up on your resume writing skills! In order to successfully complete this challenge, you will have to work together to decode the job-related words and phrases in four separate cryptogram activities. Then, you will attempt to unscramble all of the shaded letterboxes from the answers, which will provide you with the answers to the four code words.

Challenge #3: Clean out your Locker

Put your detective skills in place because this challenge is going to require you to unlock a secret message in a unique font, which was found taped to the front door of the school office. In order to successfully complete this challenge, you will have to answer a series of questions based on three “from the desk of” notes from various people within the building. Once you have successfully answered each of the multiple-choice questions related to the notes, you will be given a key, so that you can begin to decode the hidden message.

Challenge #4: Clean-up Your Desk

Grab your backpack! In order to successfully complete this challenge, you will have to match up popular school items to their correct name (brand) or picture. You will do this by placing the correct items with its match in the Magic Number Box. If your answers are all correct, the numbers in each column and row will add up to the exact same number. This is the “magic” number. Your correct answers will help you unlock your locker and to retrieve your backpack, which is the final step in this challenge.

Challenge #5: Pick up your Yearbook

Don’t forget to get the back of your yearbook signed! In order to successfully complete this challenge, you will race to answer a bunch of pop culture trivia questions that occurred during the 2023-2024 school year, then color your yearbook according to the directions on the task cards.

BONUS Challenge #6: Pass the Final Exam!

Make sure you study! In order to successfully complete this challenge, you will have to sharpen your pencil (and eyes!) and pay attention to the letters within the maze to identify the area in the school. You will collect letters along your way, which will spell out the word (location or area).

*Upon completion of the challenges, two themed ("The Great End of the Year Escape") editable certificates have been included, so you can easily type in a name and date and give each student who participated something for their efforts! In addition, station cards (for challenge organization), a sticky note editable template (for group member organization), and a post-challenge reflection has also been included!*

What other teachers have said about this escape room...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Renee said, I cannot speak highly enough of this resource! My school is small and at the end of every year, I am alone with all the 7th & 8th graders for an entire day while 5th & 6th are on a field trip. I needed something fun, lasting, and end of the year themed to occupy them for the day.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Katie said, We LOVED this resource!! The kids and I had such a blast on the last final days of classes!! It was such a great activity and the kids really enjoyed it!! Super awesome end to the school year!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Alison said, Awesome last day of school activity! Highly recommend!

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