5th Grade Christmas Math Activity The Rogue Reindeer Digital Escape Room Game

Can your fifth graders use their math skills to save Christmas in this fun and engaging digital escape room? This is the perfect activity to keep students engaged and practicing standards before winter break. The Case of the Rogue Reindeer will have students searching the North Pole to save Christmas! Dividing by 2-digits will open a locker, adding fractions with unlike denominators will operate the elevator, and performing multiplication, addition, and subtraction of decimals will reveal a secret elevator. A challenging logic puzzle and fun ciphers encourage collaboration and get students talking and thinking outside-of-the-box.

This online activity is easy to implement and is completely automated by a Google Form™. Google™ accounts are not required; this 5th grade Christmas escape room activity can be completed by anybody with an internet-connected device and browser. There are no clues to hide, and any printable pages are optional. The puzzles are completely self-checking and the form will only allow students to progress if correct answers are entered. Students will have to read carefully to figure out ciphers and codes!

An engaging storyline keeps the action moving:

'Twas time to ready the sleigh

and all through the North Pole

Not a reindeer could be found

For that was their goal.

Can your students find the reindeer in time to deliver the presents?

Math skills required to solve the puzzles:

• Add fractions with unlike denominators and reduce/simplify the answers. *No mixed-numbers or improper fractions are used -three problems, plus a logic puzzle. 5.NF.A.1
• Add, subtract, and multiply decimals to the hundredths place, two problems 5.NBT.B.7
• Dividing four-digit numbers by two-digits, 5 problems including two word problems and a cipher. 5.NBT.B.6

What's included in the PDF?

• Quickstart guide with link to escape room
• Optional link for Google Drive™ users to create a copy of the form to save to their own drives in order to view student results.
• Answer key & teacher tips
• Optional (but highly recommended) puzzle helper/recording page
• Optional cipher disk
• Success signs to snap photos with after completing the activity (optional)

FAQ

• Do students need to have Gmail™ accounts? NO! Anyone with internet access and a tablet, computer, or even phone can complete the breakout.
• How long will this take? That is the hardest question as the answer varies depending on each classroom, student, or group. Most students will be able to complete this activity in under 45 minutes. You can allow 60 minutes to be safe. The form will only save data if students are signed into Google accounts, so if you are worried about your students not finishing on time, simply have them write their answers on scratch paper. They can then come back and quickly re-enter their answers and pick up where they left off. Some students with a firm grasp on the concepts covered in this escape room will be able to complete the puzzles very quickly (20-30 minutes), others will take longer.
• Can this be used for remote learning? Yes! This product is designed to be able to be completed completely online and can be done in-person, for distance learning, or hybrid models. Students will need a device and internet connection.
• Will students have to search the web to figure out the puzzles? NO! All of the information needed will be provided in the Google Form™. The math in this activity is all standards-based.

We all know how hard it is to keep kids focused before winter break and the holidays. This online escape room will have kids practicing important standards without even realizing it!

Check out all of our winter/Christmas digital escape rooms for fifth grade:

• Revenge of the Gingerbread Man is our most challenging winter-themed 5th grade math escape room. This escape room generally takes 45-60 minutes to complete.
• Free the Yeti can be used any time of year, but the chili Himalayan theme make this multiplying fractions escape room perfect for winter!
• The Rogue Reindeer (this escape room) is a bit easier than Revenge of the Gingerbread man and takes approximately 30-60 minutes.