Step inside The Secret Cellar, an immersive escape room that teaches the basics of the Underground Railroad through story and discovery. Locked in Hester Clay’s cabin, students solve clues, read diary entries, and decode messages that reveal how freedom seekers traveled north and how ordinary people risked everything to help them.
 
This engaging lesson blends interactive gameplay, historical literacy, and critical thinking. Students interpret clues, recognize coded language, and apply what they’ve learned about abolitionists, conductors, and safe houses.
 
Duration: 60 minutes
 
Grades: 4-8 
 
What’s Included
Escape Room Game: Three digital rooms featuring new puzzles, clues, and artifacts.
Historical Diary Entries: Authentic, easy-to-read texts that explain signals, dangers, and routes to freedom.
Lesson Outline: Flexible plan for classroom or independent play.
Student Quiz: Seven-question multiple-choice assessment.
Answer Key & Puzzle Guide: Includes all solutions and teacher setup notes.
Updated Version 1.1 Features: New story arc, diary entries, puzzles, and expanded gameplay.
 
Skills Developed
Recall key historical facts
Interpret coded messages and symbols
Apply context clues to solve problems
Connect cause and effect
Understand the purpose of the Underground Railroad
Build reading comprehension through interactive learning
 
Perfect For:
Introducing the Underground Railroad
End-of-unit review
Distance or digital learning
Introducing abolition and resistance in U.S. history