Bring Your Algebra Unit to Life: A Haunted House Escape Adventure for Grades 7–9

Looking for a way to turn equation practice into actual problem solving? This classroom-ready escape adventure wraps standards-aligned algebra in a spooky, story-driven experience. Students move through a haunted mansion, cracking puzzles to “escape” while every challenge maps to learning goals. Instant feedback is provided as well as the solutions. This is a more challenging Escape Adventure compared to the Medieval Escape Adventure

Authentic problem solving: Students must model with variables, write linear equations from context, and justify each step—exactly what standards call for.
High engagement, low prep: Just give the link to your students for the digital version and the cards for the print version.

Immediate feedback: In the digital version the students get instant feedback for a right or wrong answer.

Cross-curricular flavor: Light narrative writing, logic, and number theory (remainders) build persistence and reasoning.

What makes this Escape Adventure Special

Cohesive story world: Ghost parties, Dracula’s Hall of Mirrors, a Mummy Archivist, Gilda the Witch and her crows—the puzzles feel like scenes.
Multiple representations: Fractions → proportions, word → equation, table → pattern, and remainders (mod thinking) are all present.
Visual assets done for you: Start screen, room backgrounds, success/failure screens, and character art help you set the scene fast.
Collaboration: Students can work in groups or pairs and discuss the problems.

Skills covered (by puzzle)

Ghosts & Chairs – Fractions, proportional reasoning, two-variable modeling.
Eddie & Frankie (Weights) – Sum/difference substitution; solving a linear system; interpreting “positive difference.”
Spiders & Powers – Fraction-of-a-whole modeling; LCM; linear equation with fractions; check for 100% total.
Skeleton Warriors – Remainders (mod 2/3/5/7), pattern/CRT reasoning under a bound.
Pumpkins on Scales – System of equations from paired sums and multipliers; solving for a requested variable.
Hall of Mirrors – Multi-constraint modeling (people, reflections, cloaks); elimination & validation.
Gilda’s Number – Two-digit algebra with place value ; building/solving a system from digit rules.
Wraphael & Bandage Ben (Ages) – Time-shifted variables, system solving, sense-making with context.

Cross-cutting skills across the set

Mathematical modeling : represent situations with variables & equations
Systems of linear equations: substitution, elimination, and reasoning with sum/difference
Operations with fractions & decimals
Number theory (remainders, LCM, parity)
Reasonableness & constraints (integers, positivity, units)
Precision & structure (attend to units, label variables, check answers)
Problem-solving practices: plan → model → solve → check; explain/justify steps

Video preview

How to use the Escape Adventure

Review of concepts
Challenge
Group work
Warm-ups
Math discussions
Assessment
Test prep
Early finishers
Enrichment
Assessment ideas
Evidence of thinking: Require each team to submit (a) variable definitions, (b) equations, (c) a check statement.
Exit ticket: “Choose one room. Explain how the context became equations and why your method works.”
Rubric (quick):
- Modeling (0–2) – Variables & equations match context
- Strategy (0–2) – Appropriate method (substitution/elimination/CRT logic)
- Accuracy (0–2) – Correct solution and verification
- Collaboration (0–2) – Role use, equitable talk
Classroom management tips
Post a “Help costs 1 minute” sign to encourage perseverance.
Use visible progress: each solved room earns a key icon on the board.
Keep teams moving with a two-hint max before a quick conference.
Extension pathways
Student creators: Have groups design an extra room that fits the story and targets a skill you want to reinforce.
Data talk: Track which rooms were hardest; discuss strategies that worked.