If you’re not familiar with the "Breakout Rooms" or “Escape Room” (and increasingly digital escape rooms) phenomenon found across the U.S., you’re definitely missing out! Escape rooms have made their way into recreational entertainment, board games, and even Hollywood! 
The idea is relatively simple: players must complete a series of tasks in order to gain passwords, retrieve clues, or gather other information needed to “escape the room”– digitally, physically, or both. The idea is great because it works with any content area, grade level, particular skill, or objective you’re teaching, and students get extremely into it. I have facilitated 2 Digital Breakout experiences at MSPS this year so far (in 4th and 5th grades) and the students were extremely engaged and asking LOTS of questions about the content!

If you never tried one, I recommend starting here - https://sites.google.com/view/statesofmatter3-5/homesites.google.com/view/statesofmatter3-5/home

If you want to build a digital or physical Breakout/Escape game for your students based around your content please reach out and I would love to help!

I have a "love/hate" relationship with twitter. On one hand, it can be an amazing tool for building a professional learning network or for finding new lesson ideas, resources, and inspirations. On the other hand, it can often feel like a "firehose" of information. That said, I have found so many great ideas that I have turned into lessons or lesson fragments. I often get asked what is the best way to get started. Participating in "twitter chats" can be a great way to get started. Here is a great resource to learn more about these: ​https://www.iste.org/explore/professional-development/44-education-twitter-chats-worth-your-time

Find a hashtag topic you find interesting and go for it! You will find so many amazing educators sharing ideas, resources, and lessons. Also, challenge yourself to post some resources of your own. Respond in the comments if you find a twitter chat particularly useful or if you are hosting a twitter chat of your own!

​P.S Follow me at @mr_renne