• Use the individual tasks as part of your math centers. Place one task at each center and have students rotate through them.

• Make a booklet for each student that includes all the tasks from this math project. Allow your students to choose the order that they complete the tasks, and use it as early finisher activities or morning work.

• Keep students engaged by allowing them to work through this package with a partner.

Your students will be completing six different challenges (or obstacles) in order to make it home.

Obstacle #1: Escape from jail.

Before you even have time to run, the Sheriff has you handcuffed and is marching you off to the town jail. “But wait,” you cry, “this is a mistake! I’m not the one you’re looking for!” But it’s no use. The Sheriff throws you in a jail cell, locks it up, and leaves. You see a paper on his desk that has some kind of code on it. Could this be the code to unlock your jail cell?

YOUR TASK: Use the code to figure out the secret message. Then complete the task.

Obstacle #2: Decode the map.

Phew! You’re out of jail! You reach inside your pocket and feel something. It’s paper, but it’s ripped into a bunch of small pieces. You decide to put it together. This could be the key to getting out of this town before you get caught by the Sheriff again!

YOUR TASK: Put together the puzzle. Use the key to decode the message.

Obstacle #3: Get to the train station.

 The train station at sundown! This must be where you need to go to get back home. You see a wagon that is heading out of town. You jump on without the driver noticing. Maybe he’s going past the train station!

YOUR TASK: Complete the maze to find the secret message. Write the answer to the secret message.

Obstacle #4: Unlock the train station door.

You see the train station and jump off the wagon. Now it’s time to look for the time machine so that you can get home. It must be here. You walk up to the door, but it’s locked! Beside the door, there is a small sign with a code on it. This must mean something. You decide to figure out what it says.

YOUR TASK: Decipher the message. Then complete the task to unlock the train station door.

Obstacle #5: Find the time machine.

 You open the door to the train station and are greeted by a stranger. ”Hello,” he says, “I’m supposed to give you this.” You’re confused. You don’t even know this man. You look at what he has handed you. He says, “Order these from least to greatest and you’ll find what you’re looking for.” He must be talking about the time machine!

YOUR TASK: Solve each equation. Order them from smallest to largest sum. Then flip them over to reveal the location of the time machine.

Obstacle #6: Operate the time machine. 

You begin looking all over the train station for a closet. Finally, you see a door over in the corner. Could that be the closet? You race over, tear open the door, and there it stands – the time machine! You set the year and the machine begins to talk to you! It says, “Input the true/false code.” You’ll have to use this code to get the machine to work.

YOUR TASK: Decide whether each statement is true or false. Write “T” or “F” to form the code.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "We used this in small groups with my students and they LOVED it!! It was the most engaged I had seen my students all year!" Holly C.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My students LOVED using this resource. They were engaged, and my principal loved watching me administrate it for my formal observation. My students keep asking me when we're going to do another one. I will be looking for one to use!! Thank you!!" Kayla B.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My students are 4th graders and absolutely loved it on the first day of school! Of course, it was a little easy, but I wanted that for the first day. It was still challenging enough that it took several groups over an hour to finish. (Two groups finished in about 30-40 min.) Awesome resource that is already set for next year!" Amy H.