Breakout EDU: The Good, The Bad, The INTERACTIVE!! :)

Have you heard of Breakout EDU? If you haven't, it's definitely worth checking out! Our local education coop bought a kit for each school in the area, so I had to see what it was all about. For starters, you need to go to www.breakoutedu.com to get a login to access the games. This program is just getting started, so it seems to me like there a lot of kinks to get worked out. However, there are six games on the website for you to try out once you have a kit. If your school doesn't have a kit, you can purchase one for $99 or you can make your own.

Breakout EDU follows the same idea as an "escape room" or something of that nature. However, instead of students trying to escape the room, they are trying to break into a box. At first I saw this as a team-building exercise or something to help students think creatively and critically. As I've done more research, joined the Facebook community, and so on, I've found that there are ways to tie Breakout EDU into any curriculum. I'm looking forward to making my own Breakouts, and I will DEFINITELY be sharing them on this blog.

Today, I had my students try out the "Candy Caper" Breakout from the website. I found it somewhat difficult to set up, even though there was a video. The written directions and the video didn't really mesh for me. So, as I was setting it up, I was thinking about how I would do my own and the differences I would have in my Breakout. Anyway, my students had a complete blast on this Breakout and solved it a lot quicker than I was expecting. It was fun to see them work together and see the gears turning in their little heads as they were trying to solve the clues.

I took some pictures to go along with our Breakout today.

This is what I found when I opened my box: lots of different locks, a smaller lock box, an invisible ink pen, and a UV flashlight. My brain instantly started thinking about what I could do!

 Here are some pics of my students solving the clues. Of course, they found themselves surrounding my desk, hoping I'd offer some help!

If you've tried Breakout EDU before, have created any of your own games, or have any ideas, please share them in the comments! I'd love to collaborate on this and learn more about it. It's totally right up my alley as it's so interactive, and I saw how much fun my kiddos had today! 

Lastly, there are sales going on at both of my shops: Teacher's Notebook and Teachers Pay Teachers. They are site-wide and store-wide. So, you can save an additional 20% in my store this week!! Check it out, if there's anything you've been looking for or waiting to purchase!

                            

Thanks for all your do for your students each and every day! 

Find something INTERACTIVE and engage them each day!! :)

Encyclopedia Brown - New Product and a SALE!!

Hello Everyone! I've finally added a new product to my store: "Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Secret UFOs" Novel Unit!

This is another of my complete novel units, loaded with comprehension questions, vocabulary, and chapter activities. Your students will be sure to love it! With the addition of this new product, I've decided to throw a sale on all of my Encyclopedia Brown novel units. So, if you've been looking for the perfect time to add one of these novel units to your collection, now's that time! The units will be on sale for $4.00 instead of $5.00.

I've been making my own novel units for many years. I enjoy the simplicity of my novel units because the students are still getting comprehension and vocabulary practice, but it does not take up too much time in your day. Also, the chapter activities are completely optional, so you can choose to do them, if time allows, or not. They just add a bit more understanding to the overall story, and students get to do some cross-curricular work as well. I use these novel units frequently in my classroom, and my students always enjoy them. I hope yours will too! Take look around, and I hope you find something that interests you!

Thanks for checking in!! Have a great rest of your week!!

Back to Blogging in 2016!

Hey strangers! I know I've been quite MIA for...hmm...about half a year. There's a reason for that, I promise!

Yep...I've been on this roller coaster of life with one more little guy to enjoy it with. Meet Winten Bernard Gunderson! Isn't he a cutie?! He was born in August, and I was able to stay home with him until the beginning of October. He's a little honey, and we love our little addition SO much!

But, that's only part of the story. I came off of maternity leave to a new teaching position. I am now teaching a 5th & 6th grade combination class in the town I grew up in and currently reside. So, the sweet thing is that I get to walk across the street to work with my three big boys, which is totally awesome. I also only have 5 students, which is pretty amazing. Oh the wonderful hands-on learning that can be done in a small classroom! I'm LOVING it! The only thing I'm not loving is that I don't teach math to my wonderful kiddos, but I get them for every other subject. It's a juggling game and a lot of work, so that's why I've been so MIA lately. I'm hoping to be better in the new year, now that I've finally settled in to my new position as teacher and mommy. Thanks for checking in! I'll be back online soon with some teaching tips and tricks, as well as some new novel units I've been working on. Check back soon!! :)