Teacher note
Enter the teacher password to see the answers and testing tools.
How it runs
- Teams of 2 to 4 share one Chromebook. Teams pick a team name with the word arrows (no student names are typed, so any group can pick up a progress code later, even with new partners). The game reminds the team to pass the mouse after every lock.
- Plan on 45 to 60 minutes (it can be split over two class periods with progress codes). It is sleepover night at Oscar's house, and his toys keep moving when nobody is looking. Teams search Oscar's room, the living room, the garage and the laundry room for a video camera, a tripod and a blanket, hide the camera in the closet, wait downstairs, and come back to a mystery. The backyard opens near the end. The game does not tell teams where to go next: clues in one room often unlock something in another room, so teams have to explore, take notes and connect what they find. The hint button gives direction when they are truly stuck.
- Built for grades 3 to 5: a third grade team can finish with some hints and a little help, and a fifth grade team should be able to do it on their own. "Stuck? Get a Hint" on the side always gives a hint for the next thing to do (3 hints per lock, one every 45 seconds).
- Skills: reading a calendar and counting days, matching shapes, measuring by counting grid squares and checking three rules, finding a repeating pattern and the day of the week, telling time on an analog clock, careful comparing (spot the changes), and using clues together.
- Wrong answers lock that puzzle for a short wait (15 seconds, then 30, 45, 60). In "What changed?", 3 wrong clicks in a row cause a short wait. A wrong bush in the backyard waits 20, 40, then 60 seconds.
- The story is a little spooky, but no one is ever in danger. The ending stays a mystery on purpose: did the toys do it? Great for a quick class discussion or a writing prompt.
- Bonus: 7 golden marbles are hidden around the house. The count prints on the award.
- Progress codes: after every lock the team gets a 10 letter code (like
KDHTM-7XQMP), also shown on the side. Have one student write the newest code on paper. If a browser resets or the team moves to another Chromebook, they type the code on the start screen. It brings back the team name, every lock opened, hints and time. Made up codes do not work, and codes from the other escape rooms do not work here. - The "Left this page" counter on the side goes up every time someone switches to another tab or window. It does not stop the game. A high number can mean someone went looking for answers, so it is worth a quick check in.
- Everything here (Oscar, his family and all of the toys) is made up.
Timer
Minutes until lights out: (teams can keep playing in overtime; the award says "Solved in overtime")
Answers, in order
- Living room cabinet (video camera): Mom's note only says "the day Grandma visited." Grandma's postcard (laundry room wall) says she came the first Saturday after Oscar's big soccer game. The soccer ball sticker on the family calendar (living room) is Tuesday, May 13, so the first Saturday after is May 17. Code 0517.
- Garage locker (tripod): code = the number tags of the tools that are NOT in the garage, left to right. The hammer outline (4) is empty but the hammer is on the workbench, and the screwdriver outline (9) is empty but the screwdriver hangs on the pliers outline. The saw (7), the pliers (5) and the scissors (8) are really gone. Code 758. The trap answers are 798 or 4798.
- Laundry room (blanket): "blend in with my dark closet" = dark color, "cover the whole tripod" = at least 4 by 5 (from the tripod's tag), "the camera still has to see out" = a hole. Only blanket B fits.
- Closet (aim the camera): each toy has its own repeating pattern in the notebook. Oscar's calendar shows today is Sunday the 18th. Sunday: teddy (every 2 days) bed, robot (every 3) shelf, dino (every 4) bed, doll (every 2) rug, knight (every 3) bed. Aim at the bed (3 toys). The camera, tripod and blanket can be found in any order.
- Living room clock (waiting): filming started at 7:20, the tape holds 30 minutes (runs out at 7:50), and Oscar wants to go up 10 minutes before that: press "Go Back Upstairs" at 7:40 (7:41 also counts).
- What changed? (click the closet): 7 changes: the window is open, the toys moved from the shelf to under the window, the pillow is on the floor, a pink shirt is missing from the closet, the desk lamp is on, the desk chair moved, and the rug corner is flipped up. 3 wrong clicks in a row cause a short wait.
- Backyard: no clue list. From inside, Oscar's window is open, has no curtains and has a green star sticker. Only the window above bush 3 matches all of that.