TERMINUS - Digital Escape Room Series - Making Inferences - Chapters 2-4

Terminus is a four-part digital adventure series geared towards 8th and 9th grade students who read below level. This story is a dystopian found-text adventure. Playing as Rania, students work to solve the mystery of the MILSA outbreak by reading letters, memos, manuals, and emails left behind. Each game has puzzles and riddles that engage students in collaboration and critical thinking. Students practice making inferences, sequencing, and prioritizing information. You also get thematically-related nonfiction readings, creative writing, vocabulary, and research activities at the target grade level. You can use this in ELA, Science, or Reading Intervention.

Rania is a teenager who’s just woken up from cryosleep. She begins to learn more about MILSA, a pandemic her mother was researching. Rania must follow her mother’s clues to find the cure and save herself.

***A note about COVID-19 and TERMINUS: We started working on this game in July of 2019 and had no idea that its publication would coincide with a global pandemic. We guarantee that Rania gets a happy ending, AND that players will learn about the difference between pandemic fiction and the real science behind contagion, containment, and cure.***

These games should be played in order. Play Chapter 1 first or get the whole series.

Each chapter has been designed to take 8th & 9th grade below-level students 45-60 minutes. This resource also includes a complete Teacher’s Guide, extension activities, and an answer key.

Each Resource Includes:

1. A link and password to a web-based interactive adventure game.

2. A full Teacher’s Guide

-An introduction to the digital interface

-A step-by-step guide to solving the puzzles

-A "quick reference" sheet for you to use the "day of"

3. Close Reading Activities

-Chapter 2: Opposing Viewpoints (RI.8.6)

-Chapter 4: Analyzing a Model Text (RI.8.5)

4. Thematic extension activities – written at a 9th grade level

-Chapter 2: "How Long Does Your Data Last?" - Magazine Article & Persuasive Speaking

-Chapter 3: "Fact vs. Fiction: How Pandemics are Portrayed in Literature" - Magazine Article & Vocabulary in context

-Chapter 4: "Portrait of a Researcher: Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett" - (RI.8.3)

-Related sources

5. Optional (and editable!) Written Extension activities

-Analysis prompt & rubric

-Creative writing prompt & rubric

-Game reflection

Check out the resource preview for full Common Core alignment!

About Timing:

Each game alone has been designed to take students 45-60 minutes. If you have them complete any of the accompanying assignments, you could make this last several days. The game is meant to act as a 'bridge' to the on-level assignments.

About Your Resource:

Your resource is a .zip file. Each game includes a .PDF Teacher’s Guide and a .PPT with the editable extension activities. Within the Teacher’s Guide, you’ll find a link to the game website and a password. This will allow you and your students to open the game. This game is best played on computers and iPads – it has not been optimized for phones. As with any escape game, we recommend that you play through it yourself before presenting it to students.

Please let me know if you have any questions! You can always email me at nouvelle.ela@gmail.com. :)

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-Danielle @ Nouvelle ELA

nouvelle.ela@gmail.com

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