Hatchet Escape Room Novel Activity - Breakout Review for Gary Paulsen's Novel

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Hatchet Escape Room Novel Activity is a fun and engaging way to have your students review the most important elements of Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. Students will visit stations and complete puzzles and challenges related to the plot diagram, characterization, story elements, and vocabulary in the novel. This highly-engaging, interactive escape room for Hatchet will not only be the perfect ending activity for the novel, but it will also review and check their understanding of the text.


How The Hatchet Escape Room Activity Works:

Students work in small groups and move about the classroom to five different stations to complete puzzles and activities related to the novel. The goal of the escape room is to help Brian escape and survive the Canadian wilderness.
  • The Plot Diagram Station: Students will help Brian survive the plane crash by ordering plot cards according to the plot diagram to determine a numeric code.
  • The Characterization Station: Students will help Brian find shelter by matching up quotes from Hatchet to the characters who said them and use the information they gather to reveal a secret code word.
  • The Analysis Station: Students will Brian start a fire by completing a multiple-choice analysis assignment about story elements to reveal a mystery word.
  • The Vocabulary Station: Students will help Brian learn to fish by matching new vocabulary words from examples in Hatchet to their proper definitions (using context clues). Once they have matched them up correctly, it will reveal a mystery word.
  • The Encryption Station: Finally, students will help Brian find the transmitter and signal to be rescued by decoding an encrypted message based on hidden symbols they find throughout the Hatchet escape room to reveal a quote from the novel.
Please note that students must have completed the novel before attempting the escape room. They should also have an understanding of the following: plot diagram, conflict types, dynamic character, and point of view types.

Included in the Hatchet Escape Room Activity:

➡️ Teacher Instructions: These detailed teacher instructions will help you facilitate the Hatchet escape room in your classroom. With step-by-step instructions, you'll feel totally confident implementing this breakout.

➡️ Classroom Poster: Welcome students and build anticipation by putting this poster on your classroom door as they enter.

➡️ Station Signs: Use these signs at each of the five stations, so students can easily keep track of which ones they have completed.

➡️ Station Story and Instruction Cards: Each of the five tasks come with a story card with quotes from the novel to share their goal for that station. Also included are instruction cards, so students know what to do to solve each task related to the novel.

➡️ Escape Room Station Materials: Included are all the materials you need to set up each station, including envelope templates, plot cards, character cards, an analysis multiple-choice assignment, a vocabulary puzzle, and an encryption assignment.

➡️ Hatchet Escape Room Answer Booklet: Students will use this booklet to record each of the codes and keys they find at each station. An answer key is provided.

➡️ Reflection and Response Assignments: Included are two reflection assignments that students can complete after the breakout. One is a reflection on the quote revealed in the final puzzle, and the other is a reflection on the escape room activity.


What Teachers Are Saying About The Hatchet Escape Room:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ We loved using this escape room after reading the book Hatchet! I loved how some of my lower performing students were able to see the patterns and became the experts with the higher level kids. We had an awesome Hatchet day! Thank you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My students and I loved this resource! We started reading Hatchet in an advanced reading class and this provided the class with direction and focus.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My students loved this escape room activity, and so did I! It was easy to set up. The complexity was enough to be challenging, yet the majority of my groups finally solved all the puzzles and “escaped.” It was a good review for the 9 weeks test.

>>>Teaching Hatchet? Grab our best-selling unit plan below!


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