⚡ Put your central idea magic skills to the test! This no-prep 6th to 8th grade reading comprehension escape room is perfect for practicing central idea skills in a meaningful and engaging way.

✨Your students will embark on a journey through wizard school, where they will face four unique challenges that will put their central idea skills to the test. Each challenge requires students to read texts and answer multiple-choice questions that have been carefully crafted to help them identify the central idea in a text.

⚡But that’s not all! To unlock the secret code and complete each challenge, students must use Merlin’s Secret Decoder, a powerful tool that will guide them on their quest. And with each challenge they conquer, students will earn items that will help them defeat the evil sorcerer Alwina and graduate from wizard school with flying colors.

Join us on this enchanting journey and watch as your students become Central Idea Wizards!

⭐ This central idea focused escape room comes in three low prep and no prep digital and print formats.

• Webscape™ Interactive Digital Format – This web-based format provides the most interactive and immersive experience possible. It is self directed, self correcting, and contains audio. You can check out my video overview here. You won’t believe how engaging this format is until you try it!

• Printable Format – Students can use any device to scan QR codes to watch the videos. If no device is available, students can skip the videos and still enjoy the exercise. Students use a printable Merlin’s Secret Decoder and answer sheet to decipher the clues and track their answers.

⭐ Integrated videos, thematic items, and a fun back story come together to engage students while developing and reviewing reading comprehension skills.

*Please note: The printable version includes QR codes for videos hosted on YouTube. If you plan on using the printable format, please ensure you and your students have access to YouTube. The videos are embedded in the Webscape version, so it does not require access to YouTube.

Key Features:

✏️ Digital & Printable Versions – Webscape digital and print versions make this resource perfect for any classroom. The digital version can be used dynamically in the classroom as a presentation while students complete each reading comprehension question in groups or individually.

✏️ Immersive Experience: Dynamic challenges and engaging videos provide positive reinforcement and keep students engaged and focused.

✏️Skill Focused: Each reading passage and question set was chosen and written to focus on key skills to review important reading comprehension skills.

✏️Scaffolded Challenges: Challenges increase in difficulty as students progress through the escape room.

✏️No Prep/ Low Prep: The Digital version requires NO PREP. The printable version is low prep: Just print the pages, place them in folders, and go. The printable version has the option to incorporate technology and videos through QR codes.

What’s Included:

Merlin’s Magical Wizarding School Escape Room – Middle School Reading Comprehension Activity

• Invitation letter to Merlin’s Magical Wizarding School
• Library to Store Special Items
• Challenge #1: Answer questions about the Central Idea to discover the Spell Book.
• Challenge #2: Answer questions about the Central Idea to uncover the magic wand
• Challenge #3: Answer questions about the Central Idea to concoct a potion.
• Challenge #4: Answer questions about the Central Idea to defeat the evil sorcerer, Alwina.
• Certificate of Graduation
• Ooops Cards
• Merlin’s Main Idea Magic Recording Brochure
• Answer Key

Digital Version Links

• Webscape Link for Interactive Browser Based Experience

Copyright & Terms of Use

For copyright information and a summary of how this resource can and cannot be used, please review the Terms of Use Page.