P.J. Gelinas Junior High School seventh-grade students in Lisa Capiello’s art classes recently used their detective, critical thinking and art appreciation skills to complete a fun-filled “breakout” exercise designed specifically in line with their course curriculum.

Breakout exercises are immersive game platforms where participants work collaboratively to solve a series of critical thinking puzzles in order to open a locked box that is often secured by multiple locks. During the Gelinas event, students analyzed classic works of art – including pop art and impressionism – to locate and decode clues and open the five locks securing the box.

The art exercise, which was set up in the library, was designed by Ms. Capiello with help from Assistant Principal Corinne Keane and library media specialist Nicole Connelly.