founding fathers escape room

The Founding Fathers Escape Room will take students on a secret mission around the classroom! This escape room has students decode facts about four of the most well known Founding Fathers of the nation. The Founding Fathers included in this resource are: John Adams, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin. Students

may have heard those names before, but do they understand the impact they made on the nation today?

This Escape Room has students walking around the classroom reading clues about our Founding Fathers and breaking codes. Students are given a secret code name and sent on a secret mission to get John Adams into the White House! The codes include ciphers, Morse

code, cryptograms and a final 4 digit lock combination based on the decoders/clues.Each clue and code is different. The codes require students to think differently

to decipher or decode them. Some codes are easier than others. Some codes require critical thinking to determine what a letter/symbol stands for. Each code will reveal interesting

facts about our Founding Fathers. The use of secret code will keep your students engaged while competing to find the final code. Students can report the final code to you. If you

wanted to, you could purchase a 4 digit lock that you program, but it is not necessary at all! No props needed!! This is a NO PREP, PRINT & GO Activity!

Students are sent on a “secret mission” and given a back story to ignite their active learning skills. They are given a code name which makes them feel as if they are part of the secret mission. Students practice hands-on, practical problem solving skills all while learning about the Founding Fathers. Your students will be inspired to think outside the box!

Playing spy themed music is highly recommended!The best age range for this resource is 8+. Please look at the preview to determine if this

resource works for your age group. Younger students may need some help with some of the more difficult codes. A “How to Decode” puzzles is also included.

You can use the pre-labeled clues or you can challenge older kids to choose/find the decoder that works for each of the clues. A set of labeled and non-labeled decoders are

included for differentiation.Once your students try one of my escape rooms, they will beg for more!

In addition to learning or reinforcing the subject matter, my escape rooms encourage teamwork and critical thinking. As a “timed” challenge, students will be engaged from

beginning to end!New Feature: This escape room now includes 12 fun, colorful signs to take class pictures with at the end of the mission. Signs include “Puzzle Master”, “She did all the work”,

“Genius”, “We did it”, “I Escaped” and more! Hang the pictures in your room, send them in a parent newsletter or share them on social media ☺An answer key and teacher directions are provided.

Time needed: 30-60 minutes

Founding Fathers Escape Room


Teacher Directions1. Print a 3 page packet for each student (pages 5-10).

2. Print the four “decoders” and hang them around the room. Leave enough room for students to gather around the decoder. Print in color and laminate if possible. You may choose to print the labeled decoders (pages 21-24) for your younger students or the non-labeled (pages 11-14) decoders to challenge older students. If you choose to work in groups, print out a set of decoders for each group. The labeled (numbered) decoders specifically tell students which decoder to use for each of the four clues.

3. Read the Top Secret Mission to your students which is on the first page of their packet. Tell students they have ____ minutes to solve the case, decode the clues and figure out the final 4 digit code. (Use your judgment on time, 30-60 minutes is best.)

4. Help students create their code names. Directions are in their packets.

5. You can choose to let them work alone or together as a partner/group activity. I love to have the students work together with a partner to promote collaboration.

6. The only advice I give my students is… “Complete the decoders in any order. If too many students are gathered around Decoder #2, go to the next decoder or clue. If you get stuck, move on and come back to it. Give yourself time to process the puzzle. You may not understand it at first and that is OK, these puzzles are meant to challenge you!”

7. That’s it! Sit back and relax while students learn about the Founding Fathers in a fun, active, engaging activity! Students can complete the decoders/clues in ANYorder.

8. You may choose to reward the top teams to bring you the final code if you would like. A competition always makes for more engagement. Students will not be able to figure out the final code without first decoding all the clues!

9. If students do not finish, no worries…they still learned about the Founding Fathers!

10. Hold up the “I survived” signs and take a class photo for fun to display in the room, in a parent newsletter, social media (with permission, of course) etc. ☺


Student DirectionsIt does not matter what order you decode the Founding Fathers

clues.

Visit each decoder and decipher a clue about the FoundingFathers.

You may NOT turn in the 4 digit code unless all clues have been decoded.

You may NOT turn in the 4 digit code until you have filled in the “Four things I learned…” on the last page.

Use each clue to summarize what you learned but your answers MUST be in your own words!

Think Tank Copyright 2017

TOP SECRETYou are among a select group chosen to carry out a secret mission. Your mission,

should you choose to accept it, is a top secret White House investigation.

The CaseThe Founding Fathers of America helped the 13 colonies break away

from Great Britain. They founded the United States and designed the country's government. The Founding Fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.

Two of the famous Founding Fathers are John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson have always been at odds with one another. In 1797, John Adams barely won the presidential election running against Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas Jefferson has always held a grudge and has decided to steal Adams’s keys to the White House. John Adams was the first president to live in the White House and Thomas Jefferson was jealous. Jefferson broke into the White House in the middle of the night, stole the keys and locked them in a safe. He hoped that if Adams could not get in the White House then he could not perform his duties as president.

John Adams needs your help! A war is brewing in France and he really needs to get into the White House and take care of his nation. Your job is to figure out the 4 digit lock combination to get the keys back to John Adams. You will use a code name and solve the puzzles by decoding clues. Your code name is your favorite

color PLUS the first letter of your FIRST name found below.

My Code Name is ___________________________________________________

A= Snake F= Fox K= Tornado P= Spartan U= Bear

B= Ninja G= Shark L= Lizard Q= Liberty V= Ghost

C= Coyote H= Skyfall M= Lightning R= Nitro W= Swamp

D= Dragon I= Knight N= Flash S= Lion X= Tiger

E= Valley J= Cobra O= Thunder T= Diamond Y/Z= Gorilla


Clue # 1 • George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland

County, Virginia. • Washington was the leader of the Continental Army for the colonies

during the Revolutionary War. • As a General in the Army, he had to put together a group of colonial

farmers and train them to fight British soldiers.• George led the Continental Army to victory over the well trained

British soldiers. • His well-known victories include crossing the Delaware River on

Christmas and a final victory at Yorktown, Virginia.• In 1789, he became the first president of the United States.

• He believed that a president should not become too powerful or rule too long.

• The nation’s capital of Washington D.C. was named after him, though he never lived there.


Clue # 2• Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743, in Shadwell, Virginia.

• He served as America’s third president from 1801-1809.• Jefferson is well-known for the Louisiana Purchase. He bought a

large plot of land from France for only fifteen million dollars. • There was so much land that it nearly doubled the size of the United

States. • He sent Lewis and Clark to map the area and learn about the

western land. • He was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence.

• The purpose of the document was to state that the thirteen colonies were willing to fight for freedom from British rule.

• Thomas Jefferson believed that people were born with rights…

- .... .- - -.-. .- -.

-. --- - -... .

- .- -.- . -.

.- .-- .- -.--• Those rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are listed

in the Declaration of Independence.


_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

Clue # 3 • Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston,

Massachusetts.• He was an inventor, printer, writer, politician and diplomat. • He is well-known for inventing the lightning rod and bifocals.

• Ben Franklin was the first Postmaster General of the United States.• He helped write the Declaration of Independence and the U.S.

Constitution.• Franklin is one of only six men to sign the Declaration of Independence

and the U.S. Constitution.• Benjamin Franklin published Poor Richard’s Almanack.

• The publication included weather forecasts, poetry and quotes such as “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and

wise.”


_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

Clue # 4

• John Adams was born on October 30, 1735 in Quincy, Massachusetts.• During the Revolutionary War he traveled to Europe to request funding

and create alliances with other countries. • He worked on the Treaty of Paris with Benjamin Franklin and John

Jay. The treaty ended the Revolutionary War.• He and Thomas Jefferson were the only two people to sign the

Declaration of Independence and later become president.• Adams served as Vice President under George Washington.

• In the election of 1796, Adams beat out Thomas Jefferson and became the second president of the United States.

• He was the first president to live in the White House.• Adams began the United States Navy as a precaution for future wars.• Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the 4th of July in 1826.• His final words were, “Thomas Jefferson survives.” He did not know

that Jefferson had…


_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

4 Digit Lock Combination

_________

_________

_________

_________

First number of lock combination:The number of hours that passed between the death of Jefferson and Adams

Second number of lock combination:The number of years Washington served as president.

Third number of lock combination:What number is represented by

“ . . _ _ _” ?

Last number of lock combination:What number is the letter “S” in clue #1?


Four things I learned…Write a 1-2 sentence summary from each clue. You must use complete

sentences and your OWN words.Clue 1 ____________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________Clue 2 ____________________________________________

_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________Clue 3:

Clue 4

A = N =

B = O =

C = P = 21

D = 20 Q =

E = 26 R = 9

F = 6 S =

G = 25 T = 22

H = U =

I = V = 14

J = W =

K = X =

L = Y = 5

M = 3 Z =


1 2 3 4 5

1 A B D E

2 F H I/J K

3 L M N P

4 Q R S T

5 W X Y Z


Clue # 1 Answer• George Washington was born on February 22, 1732, in Westmoreland

County, Virginia. • Washington was the leader of the Continental Army for the colonies

during the Revolutionary War. • As a General in the Army, he had to put together a group of colonial

farmers and train them to fight British soldiers.• George led the Continental Army to victory over the well trained

British soldiers. • His well-known victories include crossing the Delaware River on

Christmas and a final victory at Yorktown, Virginia.• In 1789, he became the first president of the United States.

• He believed that a president should not become too powerful or rule too long.

• The nation’s capital of Washington D.C. was named after him, though he never lived there.


Clue # 2 Answer• Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743, in Shadwell, Virginia.

• He served as America’s third president from 1801-1809.• Jefferson is well-known for the Louisiana Purchase. He bought a

large plot of land from France for only fifteen million dollars. • There was so much land that it nearly doubled the size of the United

States. • He sent Lewis and Clark to map the area and learn about the

western land. • He was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence.

• The purpose of the document was to state that the thirteen colonies were willing to fight for freedom from British rule.

• Thomas Jefferson believed that people were born with rights…

• Those rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are listed in the Declaration of Independence.


_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

that can not be takenaway

Clue # 3 Answer • Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1706 in Boston,

Massachusetts.• He was an inventor, printer, writer, politician and diplomat. • He is well-known for inventing the lightning rod and bifocals.

• Ben Franklin was the first Postmaster General of the United States.• He helped write the Declaration of Independence and the U.S.

Constitution.• Franklin is one of only six men to sign the Declaration of Independence

and the U.S. Constitution.• Benjamin Franklin published Poor Richard’s Almanack.

• The publication included weather forecasts, poetry and quotes such as “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and

wise.”

Franklin was never

president of the United

States.


_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

Clue # 4 Answer

• John Adams was born on October 30, 1735 in Quincy, Massachusetts.• During the Revolutionary War he traveled to Europe to request funding

and create alliances with other countries. • He worked on the Treaty of Paris with Benjamin Franklin and John

Jay. The treaty ended the Revolutionary War.• He and Thomas Jefferson were the only two people to sign the

Declaration of Independence and later become president.• Adams served as Vice President under George Washington.

• In the election of 1796, Adams beat out Thomas Jefferson and became the second president of the United States.

• He was the first president to live in the White House.• Adams began the United States Navy as a precaution for future wars.• Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the 4th of July in 1826.• His final words were, “Thomas Jefferson survives.” He did not know

that Jefferson had…


_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

_____________________________

passed awayfive hours

earlier

4 Digit Combination Answer

____5_____

____8_____

____2_____

____1_____

First number of lock combination:The number of hours that passed between the deaths of Jefferson and Adams.(answer found in clue #4)

Second number of lock combination:The number of years Washington served as president.(answer found in clue #1)

Third number of lock combination:What number is represented by

“ . . _ _ _ ” ?

Last number of lock combination:What number is the letter “S” in clue #1?


Four things I learned…Write a 1-2 sentence summary from each clue. You must use complete sentences and your

OWN words.Clue 1 ___________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________Clue 2 ___________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________Clue 3

Clue 4

A = N =

B = O =

C = P = 21

D = 20 Q =

E = 26 R = 9

F = 6 S =

G = 25 T = 22

H = U =

I = V = 14

J = W =

K = X =

L = Y = 5

M = 3 Z =

ThinkTank Copyright 2017ThinkTank Copyright 2017

1 2 3 4 5

1 A B D E

2 F H I/J K

3 L M N P

4 Q R S T

5 W X Y Z


How to read aPigPen Cipher


How to read aPolybius Cipher

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1 A B D E2 F H I/

JK

3 L M N P

4 Q R S T

5 W X Y Z Thi

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How to decode a cryptogram

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the


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GENIUS!


#WEDIDIT!

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Cop

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#WEDIDIT!

#WEDIDIT!

PUZZLE

MASTER


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