High School geometry class creates Escape Room

Students in a “Gifted Geometry class” at Dripping Springs High School applying their knowledge towards real-world applications, recently creating an escape room for other students and staff to experience. 

The scenario setting took place on a submarine that was low on oxygen; participants were challenged with finding a way to turn on the ship's power and enable communication with the surface to get help. 

To add to the ambiance and “feel” of the experience, the room featured a student actor in costume, walls of brass-framed portholes, barometers of various sizes, a world map and a window looking out to an oceanic view. Fishing nets hung from the ceiling alongside life preservers. 

The class is taught by DSHS teacher Kristen Iglesias. She explained the math concepts behind the escape room, which require the same reasoning as geometric proofs. "One thing leads to the next thing," Iglesias said, "and you have to go in a logical order."

Students began working on this project at the end of the fall semester for their final exam. They were divided into groups with different tasks delegated to each. Student groups collaborated amongst themselves and with students in other groups to ensure consistency throughout the room.

Freshman Lucas Perez was the leader of the Puzzles group, which consisted of eight students. Other groups worked on set design, props and surveillance, and storyline. Teamwork was crucial in forming the room’s direction.

“Often we would come up with a good idea, but it wouldn’t fit the process of what we needed the problem solvers to do next,” explained Perez. “If you weren’t on the same page with other teams, the theme and flow of the room would not work.” Perez remarked on his favorite part of working on the project, “I like working with hands-on activities. Then seeing the room in action, and watching people figure out the puzzles … that was really cool.”

 Another Geometry student, Teresa Dirk, discussed the work put into the design and development of the room. "You have to think outside the box to find puzzles that would be challenging for other people." 

Sara Freeman, a math teacher at DSHS who also has experience in creating escape rooms, volunteered to be an “escapee” and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. “It felt like a regular, professional escape room,” she said. “I thought this one was actually better than (a professional) one I did a few years ago.” Her group was comprised of both students and staff; and they got out right before time expired. 

The seeds were planted for this idea when Iglesias did an externship at Lockout Austin over the summer. During that experience, she became fascinated by how escape rooms are made as well as the creativity that goes into them. Iglesias decided to share the insight she gained with her students, stimulating their own sense of invention. The class took a field trip at Lockout Austin to try out escape rooms for themselves and learn about their inner workings. After the room’s prototype was built, a few Lockout Austin staff members even came to test it out, offering feedback on how it could be improved.

“I am hoping that my students take away from this experience a new way of thinking,” said Iglesias. She saw them challenging themselves to make their project the best it could be, and observed that they were self-motivated by their vision. In the process, they learned to give and receive critique from other groups. 

“Overall, I would like for them to take away that each of them has a special talent or skill that made them contribute to something that ultimately came out to be an awesome experience for everyone involved,” Iglesias said.