7th grade Humanities students put their problem-solving skills to the test as they tackled a digital escape room all about Medieval African Kingdoms! Working in small groups, the students were challenged to unlock a series of puzzles using a detailed resource map of West African empires and a special Code Hacker Google Form.

Armed with their maps, the 7th graders navigated clues related to the powerful kingdoms of Ghana, Mali, and Songhai. Each correct answer brought them one step closer to “breaking the code” and completing their mission. Along the way, they practiced close reading, geographic reasoning, and teamwork while diving deeper into the rich history of West Africa.

The energy in the room was fantastic, with lots of “aha!” moments, murmurs of strategy, and celebrations when groups unlocked their next clue. By the end of the activity, our 7th graders weren’t just code breakers, they were historians uncovering the legacy of some of the most influential civilizations in the medieval world.