Project

Forensic Escape Rooms

Intro

Inspired by the unsolved 1990 theft at Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, students become forensic investigators who analyze clues using real scientific techniques, from pigment chromatography to body-proportion analysis, and simulate escape routes using sensor-equipped robots. Students then flip roles, designing their own mini “Escape Room” mysteries for classmates, complete with original storylines, science-based puzzles, and a final code to unlock. The project blends critical thinking, storytelling, and engineering into a self-directed inquiry experience.

Science Domains: Engineering, Technology & Applications of Science, Physical Science

NGSS Standards: MS-ETS 1-3, MS-PS1

Project Poster

Download the project poster as a PDF. The project poster includes a description of the challenge, learning goals, and a list of materials and references.

Download The Poster (PDF)

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to:

  • Use forensic techniques such as chromatography to identify and compare substances based on their properties.
  • Collect and analyze measurement data to test hypotheses and draw evidence-based conclusions.
  • Design, test, and refine science-based logic puzzles using the engineering design process.
  • Communicate scientific concepts creatively through original storylines and interactive challenges.