The Gazebo Gazette
PASS CHRISTIAN (GG) — In her first year at Pass Christian High School, biology teacher Anna French is already making a dynamic impression in the classroom. Recently, French transformed her biology lab into an interactive, high-stakes escape room. She described it as a challenge to her students to put their scientific knowledge to the test to stop a global epidemic.
The immersive lesson impressed French’s inclusion teacher Sara Taylor, who praised the innovative approach to learning. “They worked their way through the escape room to save the world!” Taylor remarked.
Working in collaborative teams of three to four, students had to crack four distinct biological “clues” before claiming victory:
- The Suspect’s Email: Students decoded vocabulary definitions within a suspect’s email to spell out the animal spreading the virus.
- Viral Structure Code: Teams analyzed correct structural diagrams of a virus to unlock a secret numerical code.
- The Concept Puzzle: Students pieced together a matching puzzle connecting key terms, definitions, examples, and diagrams.
- Unmasking the Liar: Teams sorted statements as true or false to assemble a hidden sentence identifying the liar in the scenario (From French).
Beyond the excitement, the lesson served a clear academic purpose. The challenge reinforced essential biology standards ahead of an upcoming test—including viral structure, mechanisms of viral reproduction, prevention strategies, and the fundamental question of whether viruses are living or non-living organisms.
Freshman McKenzie Bowser-Trotter, a member of the winning 2nd Block team, shared how much the activity impacted her learning experience.
“Me and my team won the escape room for our period! We did pretty well—overall we worked together and tried our best to remember everything about viruses,” Bowser-Trotter said. “It reinforced a lot because it challenged us and allowed us to think in a different way than what we were used to. It was a fun lesson; it really helped some of us think out of the box and also learn before our test!”
At the end of each block, the top-performing team earned tangible rewards for their quick thinking: “treats consisting of chips and Blow Pops, classroom bragging rights, and a certificate signed by the team members to hang proudly outside the classroom door,” said French.
Escape Room Champions
- 2nd Block: McKenzie Bowser-Trotter, Robbie Smith, and Sophia Gonzalez
- 3rd Block: Trinity Sanders, Patrick Lizana, and Brantley M. Wolf
- 4th Block: Abby Beech and Sarah Morant
By blending teamwork, critical thinking, and rigorous curriculum content, French is showing Pass High students that science is not just something to study about in a textbook—it’s an adventure to solve that could save the world!
(Photos: Front –Winners from 2nd block, McKenzie Bowser-Trotter, Robbie Smith, and Sophia Gonzalez. Inside – Freshmen, Emma Necaise, Ethan Dedeaux, Silas Farrell. Contributed by Samantha Pierce, PR Liaison for Pass Christian High School)
