Created
May 2, 2025 2:43 AM
Remix of
Beautiful Symmetry RemixPaper Circuits RemixSpatial Poetry RemixData Gems Remix
By whom
by PLIX Intern Jessica Zheng (MIT Class of 2027), and PLIX Ambassador Jennifer Vinzons, Kapolei, HI
Description
In this co-designed STEAM escape room, multiple PLIX activities are adapted for the local Kapolei, HI, community, with a focus on native birds
Remix Type
Locally RelevantCollaborative PlayPhysical MaterialsFor TweensFor TeensFor AdultsFor Older Adults
super:Link
In this activity share-out, PLIX Intern Jessica Zheng (MIT class of 2027) thoughtfully details and reflects on a STEAM Escape Room co-designed with PLIX Ambassador Jennifer Vinzons, Kapolei, HI, to adapt a variety of PLIX activities for a family-friendly, and locally relevant puzzle-solving activity.
Remix at a Glance
What remix strategy did you choose? | Locally relevant remix |
Why did you choose this remix strategy? How does it address a challenge or opportunity in your context? | In the context of raising awareness about Hawaiian birds, I chose this strategy to make conservation topics accessible and exciting for a broader audience, especially those who may not be familiar with these species or the threats they face. We made it a collaborative escape room to hopefully allow groups to discuss the importance of conservation efforts throughout their problem-solving and hands-on learning. |
Brief description of your remix: | The activity remix is an avian escape room centered on birds endemic to Hawaii. The story revolved around Auntie Iwalani, a native Hawaiian researcher, who passed away before revealing information about the endemic birds she had been studying. Participants worked in groups to solve bird-themed puzzles, each designed to highlight specific characteristics, habitats, or conservation challenges of these birds. The puzzles also included clues to learn about bird behavior, ecological roles, and the threats they face, such as habitat loss and invasive species. |
Number of patrons this remix is designed for: | Groups of 2-7. Recommended for ages 12+. Younger patrons are recommended to be accompanied by adults. |
Number of facilitators needed: | 1 needed; 2 ideal.Â
Plan: 1-2 months (~3 hours/week)
Set-up: 15 minutes
Session: 45 minutes
Break-down: 15 minutes |
Supply List
This supply list includes links to materials!
Material **will vary depending on puzzles | Quantity (per kit or person) |
Room Dividers (this was for dividing up a large open space, not needed if you have a library programming room) | 6 for space |
1 for setup | |
~10 for setup | |
1 per session | |
6 colors per session | |
Boxes (wooden chest set, lockable toolbox) | 8 per session |
8 per session | |
~10 for setup | |
Handouts (Spatial Poetry, Data Gems, Beautiful Symmetry), these link to the resources in online design tool Canva | Varies |
PLIX Zines for each of the activities | Varies |
Prize stuffed birds (Example) | 1 per winner |
Recommended for puzzles: Blacklight, UV Pen, Gashapon Machine | 1 for setup |
Suggested for helping solvers: Puzzle Examples | Varies |
What it looked like in action
Activity Prompt
What prompt(s) did you use to frame the activity for your patrons? | We framed the activity with a narrative prompt centered around Auntie Iwalani, a beloved native Hawaiian wildlife researcher who had recently passed away. In the storyline, she had been studying endemic Hawaiian birds and left behind a locked box containing her final research notes. However, the information she had gathered was incomplete and scattered throughout her office. Participants were invited to step into her workspace and help recover the missing data by solving a series of puzzles before the formal reading of her will. This prompt helped ground the escape room in a meaningful context and gave patrons a sense of purpose and urgency as they worked together to "complete" her legacy. |
Did you create any example projects for this prompt? Please describe (and share photos of your creations in the example showcase!) | We had a mix of PLIX and non-PLIX activities. We adapted four main PLIX puzzles, each themed around endemic Hawaiian birds. Below is a summary of each and how others could remix them for different communities:
1) Data Gems: Life Cycle Bead Tracker
Participants strung beads from a locked box in the correct color order and quantity to represent the life stages of a Hawaiian bird. When correct, they gave their finished “data gem” tracker to receive a key. We thought it might be too confusing to explain to participants what Data Gems were under a strict time limit, so we created an example of tracking another bird species for their reference.Â
2) Spatial Poetry: Matching Poems to Birds
Participants read short poems describing a bird’s behavior and matched them to the handouts and Hawaii map that featured their flying pattern. Each correct match revealed a letter, which was a code to a box. To work within the constraints of the timed escape room, participants learned about spatial poetry and its use, rather than creating their own.Â
3) Beautiful Symmetry: Feather Wing Puzzle
Participants found hidden paper feathers with letters on them. They placed them into the correct symmetrical arrangement to complete a bird wing illustration. When finished, the letters spelled a password.Â
4) Paper Circuits
After solving all the other puzzles, participants received copper tape, a battery, and the PLIX paper circuits zine. The circuit was half-finished, and participants had to complete the basic circuit to reveal the final code and unlock the final box. |
Reflections on Remix Design and Facilitation
What went well? What was challenging? | It seemed like the Avian escape room engaged participants! They immersed themselves in the storyline and genuinely enjoyed the puzzles. It was also rewarding to see how participants of different ages worked together, even when the activity was originally designed for ages 12+.
A major challenge was adapting PLIX activities—originally meant for open-ended exploration—into a timed, goal-oriented escape room format. We had to balance making puzzles solvable within 45 minutes while still preserving creative learning elements.Â
For example, the Spatial Poetry activity had to be presented as a guided matching exercise instead of a generative task. Additionally, avoiding puzzles that could be easily skipped or guessed (like unscrambling “FEATHER”) required more thought. We also realized during the first few sessions that some of the puzzles were too difficult, so we omitted those for later sessions. |
What did you celebrate? | We celebrated the fact that this was Kapolei Public Library’s first-ever escape room, and it went incredibly well! Every group finished the activity, had fun, and learned something about Hawaiian endemic birds. It was especially nice to see younger kids step up and engage in the learning alongside adults. |
Which of the PLIX facilitation techniques did you use or think about while planning this remix activity, if any? | We leaned heavily on the Locally Relevant Remix and Co-Learning approaches. By centering the activity on endemic Hawaiian birds and a fictional local researcher (Auntie Iwalani), the escape room connected meaningfully to place and community. We also designed the experience so that all participants—kids, teens, and adults—could learn from one another by solving puzzles collaboratively. |
Are there any activity-specific facilitation tips that you used with patrons? | Because of the escape room format, we couldn’t facilitate in the traditional PLIX sense, but we embedded facilitation into the environment itself. We included visual examples (like a completed Data Gem), designed clear hint systems, and created journal entries from Auntie Iwalani to guide participants without direct intervention. During the sessions, we monitored group progress and offered subtle hints if a team got stuck. |
What advice would you give facilitators planning to do this remix at their libraries? | Playtest thoroughly: seeing the escape room in action helped us streamline the setup and anticipate how participants might approach each puzzle. It also helped us realize which puzzles felt too difficult, easy, or disjointed from the overall game.
Keep instructions visual and clear: especially for activities like Data Gems that can be conceptually abstract.
Avoid passwords that are too easy to guess: (like “FEATHER”) and instead build in dependencies that prevent teams from skipping puzzles.
Design for flexibility: not every group will move at the same pace or interpret puzzles the same way, so build in room for adaptation. |
Additional thoughts to share? | We gave users two “hint” cards but were pretty generous with giving hints when needed!Â
Different age groups will vary in their ability to complete the puzzles! Regardless of if they completed the puzzle or not, we made a photo area for pictures afterwards to congratulate and thank them for trying. |