Writing a Research Paper Escape Room: Engaging MLA Citation & Test Prep Activity

Have you been searching for easy and fun ways to engage students in your research paper unit?

This escape room activity is perfect for any research paper/MLA format unit! It is lower prep than most escape rooms and uses ALL DOK levels! You can use this escape room in the middle of your unit, as review, or the end for fun. This resource is sure to keep your students engaged and working hard in your research paper unit!

What's Included:

• Escape Room Tips & Tricks
• Clues!
• Google Form Option: Instead of the teacher needing to approve students' code words after each task, students can enter their code into the Research Escape Room Google Form! If students get the code wrong, the form will tell them to try again. If they are correct, the form gives students the next clue to find the next task. Unfamiliar with Google Forms? No worries! Easy to follow directions are included. Paper clue options are also included.
• Clear Escape Room Checklist/Teacher Directions
• Learning Stations Option - not quite sure you're committed to the escape room idea yet? Turn this resource into learning stations with the materials included and try the escape room out next year!
• Task 1: Research Components - Students will read a brief informational article about social media in connection to teenage mental health. Then, they will answer research paper-related questions to form a code word that will lead to a clue to uncover the location of task 2. (Questions about thesis statements, attention grabbers, in-text citation, etc.)
• Task 2: Citing Evidence - Challenge students to match task cards based on various types of MLA in-text citations that they will need to be accurately integrating into your research unit. The task cards form a code word that leads to the next clue. The clue takes students to task 3.
• Task 3: Selecting Strong Evidence - Based on the claims provided, students will have task cards to organize. Each claim has two task cards of quotes from research. Using their knowledge of selecting strong evidence, students will choose the best task card per claim to form a code word that will lead to the next clue. This next clue will take students to task 4.
• Task 4 Part 1: Integrating Quotes - Students will learn (or review) about thinking of integrating quotes like a sandwich. (Top slice of bread - introducing a quote in your own words. Meat - Quote. Bottom slice of bread - explaining the quote in your own words.) Students will take a divided up paragraph (5 slips of paper) and arrange them slips in the order that they believes best embodies the sandwich method and accurate paragraph structure aka using their knowledge of integrating quotes into their writing. Once these papers are in the correct order, students will use the symbols on the papers to translate into letters using a decipher wheel and decoding sheet! This will uncover their code word leading to Part 2 of task 4.
• Task 4 Part 2: Integrating Quotes - Students will apply their knowledge of integrating quotes by actually writing the top and bottom slices of bread (introducing and explaining the quote in their own words) when given a claim and quote from research. When the teacher is satisfied with the writing completed by a group, they will give the group the final code word to win the escape room!
• We Escaped and Poison Apple Printables
  

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

FAQ about Escape Rooms:

• How long does the escape room take?

Every class is different. Some classes tend to have students with higher abilities and others with lower. It also depends on the way you have taught research/writing. Have you recently discussed and/or practiced MLA research skills? Did your students annotate and remember quotes and practice citing? Have you practiced thesis statements and feel that students should be able to recognize it in a prompt? Keep these questions in mind when you are trying to gauge the time.

I have taught mini lessons about writing a research question, creating a thesis statement, "sandwiching" quotes (introduce in your own words, use the quote, and explain the quote, how to write an intro with an effective attention grabber, and how to write a conclusion. We have also practiced citing quotes in MLA for several months. However, each clue in this escape room is tailored towards students' general knowledge over these aspects. They are not specific to my teaching, therefore, the clues should relate to yours! Many of my students have IEP/504 plans, but the vast majority is academically traditional and on target for their grade level. My students completed this escape room in about 45 minutes.

• How long does it take to prepare the materials for this escape room?

It took me about a half hour to print and organize all of these materials/hide the clues. I would recommend that you give yourself at least an hour to prepare. I would set it up the night before rather than the day of if you can help it! :)

• Do I need technology for this escape room?

Nope! I do recommend that you try out the Google Form though, it's amazing!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

★★★ Feedback and Followers ★★★ Please help my little business grow!

Did you know that you can receive $ credit towards future TpT purchases by reviewing this product? If you enjoyed this product, please leave a review at the product page or through "My Purchases" under "My Account" at TpT. Thank you!

Connect with me on Social Media!

TpT Store: Books + Bloom Teaching

Instagram: @booksandbloomteaching

Pinterest: Books + Bloom

Facebook: Books + Bloom