Second graders at West End Elementary School in Annmarie Roth’s science classes recently tested their measurement skills by participating in a Breakout EDU activity. The students were faced with a scenario asking them to help a zookeeper find his lost key for the zoo’s entrance while also taking care of the animals inside. The lesson was part of the school’s “Tech Free Day” which encouraged no technology.

Throughout the activity, the students measured paper animals such as cheetahs, elephants, giraffes and zebras in inches to determine how tall a fence should be to keep them safe inside the zoo. They also measured “stuffed animals” in the zoo’s gift shop from shortest to tallest in centimeters. Using the numbers from their measurements, the students were able to successfully open the lockbox and find the key to open the zoo.