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#RoomTour: China’s fashion KOLs are becoming home influencers

By Christa Yang

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In China, fashion influencers are joining the #roomtour trend, expanding their areas of focus to include lifestyle, home tours and furniture purchases.

Originating as a vlog genre, the room tour takes followers inside the studios, apartments and homes of influencers who then show off their digs. Bronze mirrors, USM cabinets and Pierre Jeanneret chairs are particularly popular items.

As a Chinese government backlash against celebrity culture gathers momentum, are virtual idols a better marketing tool for luxury fashion brands?

By Jiayi Mao

Fashion bloggers such as Freshboy, Savvy, Lulu’s Travel Diary and more have begun embracing the room tour on Xiaohongshu, which now has more than 10,000 notes featuring the room tour hashtag. Its popularity is attributed to its authenticity: compared with #ootd (the outfit of the day hashtag trend), #roomtour allows fans to get a feel of the lifestyle and aesthetic world of bloggers. The room tour signifies a broadening definition of what fashion influencers can do, as well as the types of brand partnerships they can secure.

Fashion bloggers enter the home world

The ootd hashtag has become a popular way for fashion influencers to sell products. Similarly, furniture brands can sponsor products in room tours, opening up a new business opportunity.

Italian furniture brand B&B Italia collaborated last year with fashion blogger Savi (@savislook), who used the brand's Camaleonda sofa as a centerpiece in her home and created different content for her room tour featuring the sofa plus other B&B products, says Vicky Lam, B&B Italia's Asia Pacific marketing and PR manager. "We are fortunate to have a connection with Savi, who is known as a fashion blogger, but our brand sees her as a way of life, a curator. She is strong not only in fashion, but also in overall aesthetics." Camaleonda sofa sales increased as a result of the collaboration, according to the brand.

Fashion bloggers are seen not as design or home experts, but they often resonate with fans because of their aesthetics.

In September of this year, blogger Lulu's Travel Diary was invited by the Elemis brand to rearrange a hotel room with the theme "Ultra Smart Room" through remodelling the interior and inviting the public to stay in for the experience.

The home of fashion blogger Savi.

By Ryan Bassil

By Laure Guilbault

By Maghan McDowell

Fashion blogger Ling Licheng also initiated a similar project two years ago: the "ideal home" guerrilla shop, which presents collectible furniture and decorative art in the gallery of a reservation-only apartment.

In addition to Savi and Ling Licheng, the homes of fashion bloggers Ling Xiao, Bamboo and Freshboy, are also frequently featured in various design magazines, inspiring fans to purchase the same furniture.

Karla Otto senior account manager Mathias Qu works with Flos, B&B Italia, Poltrona Frau and other homeware brands in China on their social media content. He sees the work with fashion brands as an opportunity for the furniture category to catch up with fashion and luxury. When suggesting partners for furniture brands, Qu will look for talent in the fashion and contemporary art worlds.

The number of notes on #roomtour on Xiaohongshu exceeds 10,000+.

Of course, the use of fashion bloggers may not work for all homeware designers. The Finnish brand Iittala has said that it will not rely on fashion or home bloggers to pursue traffic and would rather let their customers’ own unique outlooks on life and values be the focus, says Vivian Fan, head of Iittala's China marketing department.

Furniture also has a longer life cycle and lower update frequency compared to the fashion industry, meaning its approach to content has to be different. B&B’s Lam says brands such as Moncler are used as inspiration.

Overall, furniture brands tend to be more cautious in their marketing approaches, but they will reap the benefits if they embrace the realness of the room tour.

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Is Room Based On A True Story?

Before she took on the role of Captain Marvel , Brie Larson portrayed a young mother being held captive in a 11-foot by 11-foot shed. This role, in Lenny Abrahamson's 2015 drama "Room," even earned Larson her first Oscar nomination — and win — for Best Actress. Anyone who has seen the heartbreaking film, can see why Larson took home the Oscar, as her powerful performance is what drives the intense plot.

Based on the novel of the same name by Emma Donoghue (who also penned the screenplay), Joy (Larson) has been held captive by a man she calls Old Nick (Sean Bridgers) for seven years in a small shed in his yard. After two years, she gives birth to a son, Jack (Jacob Tremblay), who believes that their small room is all the entirety of the world. After his fifth birthday, Joy decides to tell him the truth, in the hopes that the two of them might be able to escape.

The premise alone is heart-wrenching and frightening — and not at all unfamiliar. There are seemingly endless real-life accounts of women who have been held captive — sometimes by strangers and sometimes by family members — and often sexually abused and forced into bearing their captors' children. So, did Donoghue draw inspiration from one of these true stories as the basis for "Room?"

Room was "triggered" by a real life story

When the novel, "Room," was published, Emma Donoghue gave an interview to  The Guardian , in which she revealed that her story was inspired by the dark true story of Elisabeth Fritzl, a woman who was held captive by her father, Josef Fritzl, for 24 years. As Donoghue takes pains to clarify in the interview, her novel was "triggered," by this story.

Donoghue explained, "To say Room is based on the Fritzl case is too strong. I'd say it was triggered by it. The newspaper reports of Felix Fritzl [Elisabeth's son], aged five, emerging into a world he didn't know about, put the idea into my head. That notion of the wide-eyed child emerging into the world like a Martian coming to Earth: it seized me."

The Fritzl case, which occurred in Amstetten, Austria, received widespread media attention, just as we see happen with the discovery of Joy and Jack in "Room." The Guardian reports that Elisabeth began being sexually abused by her father as early as age 11 and was locked in the cellar at age 18 where she remained for 24 years. During those 24 years, she was repeatedly raped by Josef and gave birth to seven children. He was arrested in April 2008 — the same year that this shocking crime came to public attention — and eventually sentenced to life imprisonment (via CBS News ).

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Hey thanks for all the good info if we wanted to stay in the toy story themed rooms how do i view those rooms ? ”

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Disney Wish Stateroom 13000 Tour – Princess Aurora Royal Suite

The Disney Wish features a pair of 2-story concierge Royal Suites on deck 13 forward. Each of the 1,759 sq. ft suites can accommodate up to 6 guests, and feature a private verandah with whirlpool hot tub. In this article, we are going to take a closer look at the Princess Aurora Royal Suite.

The 2-story Royal Suites aboard the Disney Wish 13000 and 13500 offer guests 2 main bedrooms each with a king sized bed and walk in closets. A large living area which can expand the sleeping capacity to 6 with the use of the convertible queen sofa. There are 3 full bathrooms, an open dining room with a pantry and wetter stocked with water and sodas.

Upon entering the room, you are welcomed into a foyer with a spiral staircase leading to the second story and a pantry area with wet bar. As you move into the suite, you have a common area. The space is open with one side a dining table and the other side a sitting area. The sitting area doubles as a sleeping area with the couch converting to a queen bed. The entire suite features floor to ceiling windows for a view out over the bow.

Off the dining area, is the first floor bedroom with a king sized bed, and bathroom.

The spiral staircase leads to the second bedroom with king sized bed, an bathroom. The second story bedroom also offers guests a view out over the bow.

The bathroom attached to the second story bedroom features a shower and bathtub overlooking the port side of the ship with floor to ceiling windows… However, with a click of a switch a privacy mode can be activated thank to the electronic privacy glass panels.

Personally, I think the private verandah is the best aspect of the Royal Suites on the Disney Wish. Guests can access the private outdoor space from the common area or the bedroom on the first floor. There are loungers, a table, and a whirlpool hottub.

Oh wait, there is one other aspect that makes this verandah unique… There is direct access to the concierge sundeck area.

And the balcony has its own entrance to the concierge outdoor bar! pic.twitter.com/bDSip8CuqB — CHRIS in the Concierge Lounge (@CHRIS_MAGIC_DCL) September 26, 2022

I placed the video tour of the stateroom at the end because the footage is a bit shaky since I did not have my DJI OM 5 gimbal with me at the time of the suite tour. I apologize in advance if you get motion sickness from watching.

Have you stayed in either Royal Suite aboard the Disney Wish, what did you think about it? Do you have a stateroom review to share? You can submit your own stateroom review. Start by searching for your stateroom on  this page , then look for the link titled  Submit your own stateroom review .

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3 Replies to “Disney Wish Stateroom 13000 Tour – Princess Aurora Royal Suite”

This is so gorgeous! Definitely feels more like a luxury hotel than a stateroom. The dark wood and forest theme of the Briar Rose suite is pretty, but this is on a whole other level. Is there a door on the balcony that provides the access to the concierge sundeck? Just trying to imagine it in my head!???? -Lindsey

Yes, you can enter the concierge sundeck. There is an embedded tweet with a video going from the verandah to the sundeck.

So fun! Thank you!!

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Is Room Based on a True Story? Real Events, Facts & People

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Room is a drama film that follows the story of Ma and her son, Jack, who are held captive in a single room for seven years. As they escape from the cramped space, the mother-son duo comes across multiple struggles while surviving in the outside world. Their harrowing tale makes one wonder if there are any real events or facts that resemble this tragedy. So, is Room based on a true story ?

Is Room based on a true story?

No, Room is not directly based on a true story. It is based on Emma Donoghue ’s eponymous fictional novel which draws inspiration from real-life cases like the Fritzl case in Austria and the Jaycee Dugard case in the United States. These cases involve actual people who were held captive against their will for years, and their experiences laid the thematic foundation for Room. Even though the events and characters in the movie are a part of the author’s imagination, what grounds the story in reality are the psychological and emotional aspects.

Room’s real events and facts explained

Room is a work of fiction, but Emma, the author was certainly influenced by real-life incidents. For example, in the Fritzl case, Josef Fritzl imprisoned his daughter in the basement for 24 years. She gave birth to seven children in the meantime, a result of her father’s sexual assault. One of those children passed away in the basement itself, without ever seeing the sunlight.

Other incidents that influenced Emma involved kidnapping and prolonged periods of captivity and abuse, which set the backdrop for Room. The movie captures the essence of resilience, survival, and our ability to adapt and endure through all the traumas of life.

Interestingly, Emma wrote the screenplay for the film before publishing her novel. After the wide success of her novel, she frequently received offers from people who wanted to make a movie out of her work. However, only Director Lenny Abramson’s appeal seemed genuine, as he sent a 10-page fan letter, discussing the film. Emma felt this gesture was genuine and only he understood the essence of her novel, so she green-lit the project.

The real people behind Room’s characters

Room essentially uses the lives of real people to construct a foundation for a fictional narrative. It delves deep into the aftermath of such harrowing tragedies and aims for us to be empathetic towards individuals who go through similar experiences, by following the journey of the two central fictional characters.

Is Ma a real person?

No, Ma is a fictional character portrayed by Brie Larson . However, it does embody the mental pain and traumatic challenges faced by survivors who were held in captivity and abused. Ma’s journey is an ode and a reflection of the people who endured such experiences, yet harnessed the strength of their human spirit.

Is Jack a real person?

Jacob Tremblay plays the fictional character Jack, who offers a unique perspective on the challenges faced by people who have survived extended periods of captivity. He struggles to survive in the outside world and symbolizes innocence. Moreover, Jack portrays the complexities of forming new relations beyond the confined spaces that he has known for the past several years of his life.

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White House Rooms You Won't See on the Tour

By Mitchell Owens

When it came time for Michael S. Smith to redecorate the White House for the Obama family , he turned to the building's rich past. “To understand the context, I read every letter and note from Abigail Adams, Jacqueline Kennedy, Sister Parish , Stéphane Boudin, Kaki Hockersmith—anyone who had ever contributed to the history of this building,” Smith says. That immersion process extended to phone calls with Nancy Reagan and a lunch with Lee Radziwill , Mrs. Kennedy’s sister. Here, we take a look at some of the residence's more private spaces throughout the years—rooms you won't see on the official tour.

Circa 1890: The Treaty Room, then known as the Cabinet Room.

1940: President Herbert Hoover and his wife turned what had been the Cabinet Room into the Monroe Room, furnished in a manner meant to evoke the days of President James Monroe. The photograph shows the room as it was during Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s administration.

1960: The Monroe Room, the year before John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jacqueline, moved into the White House.

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1962: The newly christened Treaty Room, as decorated in High Victorian style by Stéphane Boudin for the Kennedys. The room’s centerpiece, now as then, is an 1869 Pottier & Stymus table that Ulysses Grant used as his cabinet table; several treaties have been signed at the table, including the peace treaty that ended the Spanish-American War and the 1963 test ban treaty.

2003: The Treaty Room, redecorated as George W. Bush’s private office by Fort Worth, Texas, interior designer Kenneth Blasingame.

1928: The White House’s rooftop solarium, located over the South Portico, has roots in a sleeping porch created by William Howard Taft. It was remodeled in the 1920s for Calvin Coolidge, whose wife furnished the space with modest wicker seating and called it the Sky Parlor.

1948: The Solarium during Harry Truman’s first term, by which time the wood floor was covered with checkerboard-pattern linoleum.

1974: Richard M. Nixon in the flower-pattern Solarium with his daughter Tricia and dog Vicky.

1981: Nancy and Ronald Reagan in the Solarium, which had been decorated by Ted Graber with a geranium-pattern fabric and Audubon bird prints.

1962: President and Mrs. Kennedy had separate bedrooms, and Sister Parish was brought in to decorate both spaces. Jackie Kennedy’s room featured a silk-screened daisy-pattern fabric by Tillett that was used for the curtains and the headboard.

1974: The Fords shared the master bedroom and brought in furniture from their previous house; the padded headboard, though, was Mamie Eisenhower’s.

1980s: When Nancy and Ronald Reagan moved into the White House, they hired California interior designer Ted Graber to make over the private quarters. A custom-made Gracie wallpaper patterned with flying birds was installed in the bedroom.

Typically, the Yellow Oval Room has been used as a private sitting room or, since the 1960s, as a formal living room where the president and first lady can entertain distinguished guests in more intimate surroundings. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Dwight Eisenhower, though, used it as a study, and other presidents used it as a library. Dolley Madison was the first White House hostess to decorate the room in yellow, lining the walls in golden damask.

Circa 1900: The Yellow Oval Room, crowded and Victorian, as it was before Edith and Theodore Roosevelt had the White House classicized in 1902 by the architecture firm McKim, Mead & White. The Roosevelts used the Yellow Oval Room as a sitting room.

1966: Jacqueline Kennedy transformed the Yellow Oval Room into an airy French-style salon with a design that combined ideas from both Sister Parish and Stéphane Boudin as well as Louis XVI furniture of the sort that Thomas Jefferson favored. This photograph shows the room during the Johnson administration, with much of the Kennedy decor left intact.

Circa 2008: The Yellow Oval Room during the George W. Bush administration.

Once used as President and Mrs. McKinley’s bedroom, the space was turned into a private dining room by Jacqueline Kennedy.

Circa 1900: The room used as the McKinleys’ bedroom.

1963: The Family Dining Room, with its Sister Parish decor, during the Kennedy administration. The walls are hung with a 1960 reproduction of an 1830s Zuber wallpaper depicting scenes from the American Revolution. The chairs are Federal style.

1971: Pat Nixon and White House curator Clement Conger left the room’s Kennedy decor largely alone, though they replaced the chandelier and also installed a 19th-century-style floor covering that the museum-minded curator felt was more appropriately historic in feeling. Betty Ford would have the battle-scene paper removed because she thought the theme was too violent to look at during meals.

Circa 1999: The Family Dining Room, as decorated for Bill and Hillary Clinton by Arkansas designer Kaki Hockersmith. She covered the walls with pale green silk and brought in lively floral upholstery.

2007: The Family Dining Room as redesigned by Kenneth Blasingame, Laura and George W. Bush’s longtime decorator. Georgia O’Keeffe’s Jimson Weed/White Flower No. 1 hangs over the pier table.

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Geek Road Trip: I stayed in California's most haunted hotel room and communed with ghosts

Credit: Topical Press Agency/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

If you're ever in the position to spend the night in a notoriously haunted place, even if you're a little more Mulder than Scully, you should still make sure to bring a friend.

I wish someone had told me that before I spent the night in Room B340, the most haunted room on The Queen Mary , a very haunted cruise ship that's now a floating hotel in Los Angeles. But even totally alone (with no one to talk me down or, say, be available to push in front of a ghost as I ran to safety) I made it through to morning. Scratch that: I wasn't alone — there was just no other living person in the room with me.

Notice that I didn't say I slept in B340.

After it was retired as an ocean liner, Disney purchased The Queen Mary, and B340 became a prototype Haunted Mansion-at-sea. The room was wired for spooky happenings, like creaking floorboards and faucets turning on by themselves, and eventually closed when the experiment was unprofitable. But smoke and mirrors aside, the room's history is rife with suspicious or unexplained deaths, and there are rumors of many other sinister disasters on the ship: a girl drowning in one of the (now closed) pools; a man being crushed to death in the boiler rooms; a criminal held by authorities dying alone under eerie, grotesque circumstances. (I'll spare you the details, but think "entrails.")

At least one tragedy is confirmed: During The Queen Mary 's stint transporting soldiers in WWII, there was a catastrophic collision with the HMS Curacoa , tearing the smaller boat in half. Over 300 people drowned.

Credit: Julie Tremaine

The ship leans into its haunted history, offering ghost tours and recreating Victorian seances aboard , which means it draws in a lot of para-curious people. During my stay, I was traveling with Strange Escapes , a supernatural tourism company run by Amy Bruni, a paranormal investigator who got her start on Ghost Hunters and now stars on Kindred Spirits . Bruni had gathered a group of 200 to explore the haunted ship, with the assistance of other famous paranormal investigators, including two other Ghost Hunters: Grant Wilson and Adam Berry, who's now Bruni's co-star on Kindred Spirits .

In B340, in the bedroom and the small, attached sitting room, I found a group of novice investigators huddled in the dark with Greg and Dana Newkirk and John E.L. Tenney, paranormal experts leading the investigation. The Newkirks had brought along some truly grisly items from their Traveling Museum of the Paranormal & Occult , including a spirit board made from floor planks salvaged from the site of an axe murder.

"You can see blood on it," Greg told me, a touch too gleefully. "You want me to leave it here for you?"

I did not want.

Credit: Wood/Daily Express/Getty Images

I had once spent an evening investigating The Princess Room at New Hampshire's Mount Washington Hotel on another Strange Escape. That hotel also has well-documented hauntings — in The Princess Room most of all, in which former owner Carolyn Stickney (who married a French prince and became an actual princess) allegedly lingers in spirit form. This night in B340 was nothing like that lighthearted one. Before we investigated that space, we had been advised to ask The Princess about parties, especially ones on New Year's Eve, because those were her favorite. She's a happy haunt, content to spend eternity in a place she loved.

The Queen Mary is the polar opposite. Because people seek out B340 specifically searching for ghosts and intent on provoking them — you can watch an onboard "devil summoning" on YouTube — the room draws in all the negative energy and supernatural forces on the ship like a paranormal black hole.

During the investigations that night, the experts used three different methods to channel the spirits: Greg Newkirk and John Tenney held EVP (electronic voice phenomena) sessions, using recorders to ask questions in an effort to capture responses the human ear can't perceive. Dana Newkirk pulled tarot on two different decks. Both Newkirks used the Estes Method, in which one person asks questions and the other, while in a sort-of sensory deprivation environment, repeats what he or she hears through the spirit box.

I heard many responses that night, while I sat in the dark through two different investigation sessions, and none of them were good. There were many frustrated spirits in that room, and a huge amount of confused, angry energy. At one point, after Greg pressed the issue of why a spirit wasn't telling us its name, it hissed "HASSLE" before going silent for the night.

When Bruni first offered me the chance to sleep in the room, I had asked how haunted it really was. "Princess haunted? Or murderous ghost with a scythe haunted?"

"So haunted it was closed for 30 years."

Of course, I chose to stay. Wouldn't you?

Everyone else left the room around 2AM — with every bit of their haunted ephemera in tow, including that spirit board — and I surveyed my surroundings. (By "survey," I mean "check every closet, drawer, and corner of the room, while avoiding looking directly in any of the mirrors.") Then, leaving one lamp on, I got in bed and tried to sleep. You might be surprised to learn that, despite having flown in that morning, driving 100 miles, and spending three hours sitting in the dark striving for a paranormal experience, I wasn't a bit tired. Wide awake, even. I have never been less tired in my life than I was that night, lying in the bed of probably the most haunted hotel room in all of California.

Then, around 3AM, the voices started.

The ship makes no attempt to hide B340's history. Now that's it's reopened to the public, the room rents out at a premium, and there are accounts of ghost sightings inscribed on the walls. People come looking for the unmarked room every night. (Visitors persistently pilfer the room number as a souvenir). But I didn't know any of that at the time. So when I heard whispers outside my door, I nearly jumped out of my skin. And when I got up to answer the door, I didn't even have time to tell them to go away, because whoever was out there ran screaming down the hall before I fully turned the knob.

Did I mention The Queen Mary is a pretty creepy place?

The same thing happened two more times that night. It's easy to ascribe a supernatural origin to any single noise emanating through those paper-thin walls, because you're expecting (hoping? dreading?) to experience something you can't explain. But I was too busy jumping out of my skin at the completely mundane to experience the paranormal — which made the night no less terrifying.

The next day, I looked through SLS footage taken during the investigation of B340 the night before. An SLS camera — it stands for "structured light sensor" — perceives and spatially locates energy that isn't visible to the human eye. I had been sitting in the corner of B340 all through the investigations, on the side of the bed next to the wall. There was no one next to me all night — no one human, anyway — and I never budged from that spot. Imagine my surprise when I saw a creepy, spectral stick figure looming next to me on that camera. And imagine my further surprise when I went back to transcribe my audio notes, and I heard the same EVP responses on my own file. The difference? That angry "HASSLE" was louder and clearer on mine, because it was coming from directly next to me.

Several people on that trip, including Bruni herself, reported strange happenings in their rooms overnight. The following evening, when I investigated the boiler rooms four stories below sea level, I'm certain I saw something move when no one was there.

I have yet to book my next visit.

• Geek Road Trip

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Demystifying Escape Room Creation: The Poe Case Study

• September 14, 2021

If you’ve been staying up with the blog this month, you know we’re demystifying escape rooms. It’s easy to see the codes, locks, smoke and mirrors of escape rooms and think they’re not for you. But last week we talked about how to make creative escape rooms without the fuss on Google slides, and this week I’m going to walk you through the process I used to brainstorm content, create clues, and choose locks for an escape room on Edgar Allan Poe. You’ll see how to add some complexity without doing anything crazy.

Planning the Content

As with any escape room, the first step is to figure out what material you want students to take in as they play. In this case, I wanted to introduce students to that intriguing pioneer of the modern horror tale, Edgar Allan Poe. I wanted to create an introductory lesson that could function as a stand-alone activity on Poe, if there’s no more time for him, or an introduction to a larger unit on Poe and his work.

For this escape room, I wanted students to learn about Poe’s background, so I found a reliable source for an online bio, and a video tour of his home in Baltimore through the Edgar Allan Poe museum. Then I wanted them to become familiar with three of his most famous works, “The Raven,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher.” I found text and audio versions of the first two online, and a full-length version of the third which I snagged excerpts from and combined with some illustrations in Canva to stick on a Google slide deck.

With these choices made, I was ready to create my room and plan my clues.

Building the Room

Let’s start with the room. I found this creepy-looking room in Canva and gradually dropped my visuals on top as I decided how to weave my content into clues in the room. I created a frame story in which students accidentally go through a door in the Poe museum into the house of Usher, and must solve the clues to unlock the locks to escape, so I called the escape room, “Escape the House of Usher.”

Now let’s talk about the clues and the locks, which go together.

The Clues & Locks: #1, Poe’s General Bio

I wanted to share all the materials with students in interesting ways, and then use my locks to check that they had made it through all the material. I wanted to add at least a few puzzles along the way, just to make it feel more mysterious and exciting, like something students had to really “unlock.”

So let’s start with Poe’s bio. I created a meme of Poe which I dropped onto a Google slide, then linked his image to his bio. If students click on the meme in the room, then click on him, then they will go to read his bio.

But just in case they didn’t realize they had to click on his name, I put a hint on the ripped paper they could click to from the wall, with a sentence directing them to click on Poe, “Click on the Poe boy in the meme,” but with the words in the sentence scrambled. They could discover the bio with or without this clue.

Then I created a short crossword puzzle with questions on his bio, and highlighted a few of the letters to be unscrambled into a code word, “terror.” (I used Canva to design this).

The first lock reads: “The Yellow Code: _ _ _ _ _ _.” The answer is “Terror.” This is probably the most complicated answer in the whole room, meaning students will probably have clicked around and looked at most things in the room before they get through lock number one.

The Clues and Locks: #2, The Tour

I used the play button on the laptop on the floor to link to the video tour of Poe’s house. Since I wanted students to watch the whole tour (it’s less than 10 minutes), I wanted to include a lock about it to make sure they did. So for the second lock, I asked when Poe moved away from Baltimore to Richmond, phrasing it with the hint “According to the tour guide…” to help students know where to look for the answer. I added another small hint in the form of the yellow post-it on the sign post. The “6:00” is a time stamp. Students will find the answer in the tour at the six minute mark. This is not the easiest of hints, but sometimes that’s part of the fun.

The Clues and Locks: #3, The Tell-Tale Heart

Since I wanted students to read all of “The Tell-Tale Heart,” I wanted to find a way to hide the full text in the room. So I created a piece of Poe-inspired digital blackout poetry to hang on the wall, which includes many sizes of heart illustrations. If students click on any of those hearts, they will go to a page with the short story where they can either watch a video reading or read the story as text, or both.

For my lock, I just wanted a way to show they had read the full story, so I pulled a quotation from the end. The third lock reads, “Louder, and louder! Louder and louder! What is that noise?” And the answer is “His Hideous Heart.”

Clues and Locks: #4, The Raven

I hid the poem, “The Raven,” in a few places in the room. Students can listen to Hank Green read it on Youtube by clicking on the actual raven in the room, or read the full text by clicking on the phone. With lock number four, I added a little twist. In order for students to realize the lock is about “The Raven,” they need to take a look at the coffee menu on the wall. I had a lot of fun describing these specialty coffees.

Lock number four reads, “Sure, it’s the cheapest coffee, but is it worth it? “And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor/ _____ _____ _____ _______.” In order to fill in the last four words of this line from “The Raven,” students must realize that “The Raven” coffee is the cheapest, then find the line in the text of the poem.

Clues and Locks #5: The House of Usher

Because the sinking red sun in the window of the room is a reference to “The House of Usher,” students must click on this window to visit a Google slides excerpt from the story. After reading the excerpt, they will know that at the end of the story (SPOILER ALERT), with the blood red moon hanging in the sky, the whole house sinks into a tarn. Then they’ll be able to answer lock number five, “No wonder you need to escape this room from the House of Usher, the whole thing will soon sink into a…”

Types of Locks

To keep things super simple, you can hand students a paper lock sheet for a digital escape room, OR you can use a Google form and click on the option to validate correct answers so students can’t move on to the celebrating success section until they get each answer exactly right.

Here’s what a paper lock sheet might look like:

And what it might look like as a Google form with answer formatting hints and verification turned on:

Celebrating Success

When students break through all five locks, you can either hand them a certificate (if you’re going with paper locks) or have them move on to a celebratory section (if you’re using Google forms).

A paper certificate might look something like this, perhaps accompanied by some candy.

And as a graphic that simply pops up on the screen once they move through section one in their Google form, it would be very similar.

So there you have it, my friend. One escape room walkthrough, to help you break down the mystery. I can practically hear all the ideas humming around in your head right now. I bet you’re swimming in escape room themes and clue possibilities!

I originally created this escape room in its digital and physical version for The Lighthouse, as we’re focused in on escape rooms this month, but I’ve put it into TPT by request, so you can find it here if you’re interested.

I’ll help you find the creative ELA strategies that will light up your classroom. Get ready for joyful teaching!

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Tim McGraw will perform at Thompson-Boling Arena in 2024. Here’s when you can get tickets

Get your best cowboy hat ready; Tim McGraw is coming to town. The country superstar will perform at Thompson-Boling Arena next year.

McGraw has announced the Standing Room Only tour, and he’ll be making a stop in Knoxville April 26, 2024. He is also scheduled to perform in Nashville April 25. Country singer-songwriter Carly Pearce will be the special guest during the tour, which has 33 shows scheduled so far.

Tickets will go on sale Aug. 4. All tickets will be sold online via Ticketmaster, according to Thompson-Boling Arena.

The tour announcement comes weeks ahead of the release of McGraw’s 17th studio album, “Standing Room Only,” out Aug. 25.

"As an artist, I always want to dig deeper and get better every time I make a new record – it's a big part of what drives me, and I really believe this is one of the best projects we've made,” McGraw said in a June press release .

“I've been working on this album since 2020, and this collection of songs are some of the most emotional, thought-provoking, and life-affirming music I've ever recorded,” he continued.

The album’s lead single, “Standing Room Only,” is out now, as well as songs titled “Remember Me Well” and “Hey Whiskey.”

According to SongKick, McGraw has performed at Thompson-Boling in 2017, 2010, 2008 and 2000. 

Devarrick Turner is a trending news reporter. Email  [email protected] . Twitter  @dturner1208 .  

Support strong local journalism by subscribing at  knoxnews.com/subscribe .

The Rolling Stones show no signs of slowing down as they begin their latest tour with Texas show

HOUSTON — Time marches on and all good things must come to an end. But don’t tell that to The Rolling Stones .

What many believe to be the greatest rock ’n’ roll band in the world showed no signs of slowing down anytime soon as they kicked off their latest tour Sunday night at Houston’s NRG Stadium.

The Stones have been touring for more than 60 years. Frontman Mick Jagger and lead guitarist Keith Richards are both 80, with guitarist Ronnie Wood not far behind at 76. Their tour is being sponsored in part by AARP.

But during a vibrant two-hour show, the Stones played with the energy of band that was on tour for the first time.

“It’s great to be back in the Lone Star State,” Jagger told the packed stadium, filled with longtime fans, many wearing faded concert shirts from previous tours.

Jagger often strutted up and down the stage with seemingly boundless energy while Richards and Wood played many familiar guitar riffs beloved by fans. Jagger often led the audience in sing-alongs.

“The energy level is up and it’s always up with them. The age doesn’t show,” Dale Skjerseth, the Stones’ production director, said Friday before the concert.

The Stones have hit the road to support the release of their latest album, “Hackney Diamonds,” the band’s first record of original music since 2005.

Houston was the first stop on the band’s 16-city tour across the U.S. and Canada. Other cities on the tour include New Orleans, Philadelphia and Vancouver, British Columbia. The tour ends on July 17 in Santa Clara, California.

During Sunday’s 18-song concert set list, the Stones played several tracks off the new record, including lead single “Angry.” They also played classics including “Sympathy for the Devil,” “Gimme Shelter,” Honky Tonk Women” and “Start Me Up.”

After playing “Beast of Burden,” Jagger said that concertgoers in Houston had voted to include it on the set list.

“You can’t go wrong with that,” one man in the audience could be heard screaming.

The Stones also played some unexpected choices, including “Rocks Off,” from their 1972 double album “Exile on Main St.” and “Out of Time,” a 1966 song that Jagger said during the concert had not ever been played by the band in the U.S.

With the 2021 death of drummer Charlie Watts , the Stones are now comprised of the core trio of Jagger, Richards and Wood. On Sunday, they were backed by various musicians including two keyboardists, a new drummer, backup singers and a brass section.

While the stage was surrounded by a large collection of video screens projecting images throughout the show, the main focus of the concert was the band and their songs

Before Sunday’s concert, Jagger spent time on Friday touring NASA’s Johnson Space Center in suburban Houston, posting photos on his Instagram account of him with astronauts inside Mission Control.

“I had an amazing trip to the space center,” Jagger said.

When asked if the band might be thinking about retiring, Skjerseth said he doubts that will happen.

“This is not the end. They’re very enthused,” he said.

This story has been updated to correct a song title to “Gimme Shelter,” not “Gimmer Shelter.”

Follow Juan A. Lozano on X , formerly Twitter.

Tim McGraw keeps it breezy, with a touch of soul-searching, at Milwaukee concert

Tim McGraw may be the country music A-list’s most devoted gym rat.

Strolling out on stage in Milwaukee Friday night sporting quite possibly the tightest shirt and jeans ever worn (seriously, his belt buckle must have been holding on for dear life), the 56-year-old McGraw put his impressive fitness regimen to full effect with a high-energy, hour-and-37-minute set.

But by the time he performed his 20th and final number of the night at Fiserv Forum, another distinctive, and even more engaging, attribute emerged: among country music superstars, McGraw may be the chief philosopher.

Not that McGraw’s “Standing Room Only” tour stop ever felt that heavy. He was light on his feet Friday — literally and figuratively — bouncing off the stage, tongue dropping out like Michael Jordan, as he cruised the runway for "Felt Good On My Lips." Screaming at one point “I love my job” with the giddiness of a lottery ticket winner that just quit his 9 to 5, McGraw’s elation heightened the joy of songs like "Something Like That," which sweetly reminisced about a first love, and "Where The Green Grass Grows," where he vividly imagines an idyllic future.

The night was light, but McGraw's stage presence kept it from feeling forgettable. The same goes for the stage production — one of the slickest setups coming out of Music Row — with lasers, crisp animations and effects, and dramatic video walls. McGraw's eight-piece band also made a memorable impression, from Dean Brown's grinning fiddle on "Just to See You Smile," to Billy Nobel's beautiful piano runs for a cover of Elton John's "Tiny Dancer."

But what stood out most at the "Standing Room Only" tour stop were three songs that gently preached, without pretentious self-righteousness, the value of being good to others, of making this world a better place — simple messages, but messages that have become more important as our country seemingly continues to be more divided.

Set closer "Live Like You Were Dying" felt more potent than it did when McGraw made it a hit 20 years ago, as he sang about loving deeper, speaking sweeter, offering forgiveness, and becoming a better husband and friend, in front of footage of heavenly clouds awash in sunset orange.

The tour title track (and title track of his 16th studio album released last year) saw McGraw, over Nobel's gorgeous piano work, poignantly singing about letting go of old regrets, of not letting macho arrogance get in the way of a good laugh or shedding tears. "Stop judging life by my possessions," McGraw sang softly Friday. "Start thinking 'bout how many headlights will be at my procession."

Then there was the song that may go down as the signature in McGraw's highly decorated catalogue, the Lori McKenna-penned "Humble and Kind," with McGraw's be grateful and good message spreading through the arena as fans loudly sang the outro.

"Don't take for granted the love this life gives you/When you get where you're going, don't forget turn back around/And help the next one in line."

And as the music paused, and a beaming McGraw took in the applause with appreciative nods and a tap of his chest, he was as humble as a country superstar impressively rocking an ultra-tight shirt could possibly be.

5 takeaways from Tim McGraw's Milwaukee concert, including openers Carly Pearce and Randall King

• Anyone who thought Milwaukee had its fill of big country shows for a while clearly don’t know Milwaukee country music fans. It's been less than a week since Luke Combs performed for more than 80,000 people across two nights at American Family Field for his "Growin' Up and Gettin' Old" tour kickoff, but Fiserv Forum was still filled to capacity for McGraw Friday.
• If you have a Taylor Swift card, you play it. McGraw certainly played his, incorporating his 2013 Swift collaboration "Highway Don't Care" into the setlist, complete with her piped-in vocals and appearance from the music video on the stage's giant screens. After it ended, McGraw smartly encouraged the crowd to cheer for our pop culture overlord.
• "Yellowstone" spinoff "1883," which stars McGraw, also got a special shout-out via a 90-second sizzle reel on the show's screens that preceded encore kickoff "The Cowboy in Me." Pretty much every McGraw appearance in the clip drew a cheer — especially a scene of him kissing his real-life wife, fellow country star and "1883" co-star Faith Hill in a bathtub. (Hill and McGraw's romance was also documented on the screens as he sang "One Bad Habit" Friday.)
• Primary opener Carly Pearce's voice was a hair shaky as she belted out "Diamondback" at the start of her set. But she had a whole lot going for her to make up for the initial shortcoming, from smart and strong been-done-wrong songs like "Next Girl" to a polished band and slick lighting that were arena-headline ready — like Pearce herself, eventually. Compensating for some initial struggles with larger-than-life sass, Pearce's voice found its bearings by third song "Easy Going" when she peppered her delivery of "Prince Charming" with a delicious, drawn-out growl.
• Randall King had an ultra-sparse set-up for his 15-minute night-opening set — no drums, although he made sure there was lap steel. His set started earlier than scheduled, too. Despite these possible setbacks, however, King made a strong impression, especially for twangy and tender original "I Could Be That Rain."

Tim McGraw's Fiserv Forum setlist

• "Truck Yeah"
• "Southern Voice"
• "All I Want is a Life"
• "Tiny Dancer" (Elton John cover)
• "Just To See You Smile"
• "Over and Over"
• "Shotgun Rider"
• "One Bad Habit"
• "Watch The Wind Blow By"
• "Something Like That"
• "Where The Green Grass Grows"
• "Standing Room Only"
• "Red Ragtop"
• "Highway Don't Care"
• "I Like It, I Love It"
• "Felt Good on My Lips"
• "Real Good Man"
• "The Cowboy in Me"
• "Humble and Kind"
• "Live Like You Were Dying"

Contact Piet at (414) 223-5162 or  [email protected] . Follow him on X at  @pietlevy  or Facebook at  facebook.com/PietLevyMJS .

Legend has it, there’s a ghost among us. Learn more about Annalisa Netherly, The Read House’s resident spirit.

The Haunting of Room 311

There are many who believe Room 311 is haunted by the ghost of Annalisa Netherly – a guest who was allegedly beheaded in the bathtub by a jealous lover in 1927. Over the years, a number of guests have reported paranormal activity in the room, including unexplained noises, flickering lights, running water, shadowy figures and more. The haunted room is well-known by many locals who have experienced paranormal activity of their own.

Guests who have stayed in Room 311 swear to have felt Annalisa’s presence, and some say they have even seen her. Room 311 was restored to its original 1920s state during the hotel’s latest renovation. Many of the original elements from Annalisa Netherly’s time remain, including a vintage clawfoot tub and an AM radio. A manual lock on the door requires the use of a physical key, just like hotel guests would have used in 1927. Tours of the room are available upon request at the availability of a tour guide.

It’s all here at The Read House

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The Innovation Behind Delta’s Living Room In The Sky

Released on 04/29/2024

The map is actually one of the most watched things

that we have onboard Delta,

roughly about 20% of customers [Saira laughing]

only watch the moving map.

And in that map, are you one of these individuals?

Yeah, I'm one of those people [laughs].

[upbeat music]

We actually have a full aircraft lab

in our offices in Atlanta.

Okay, I wanna talk about that a little bit more.

What goes on in this magical place?

We need a place to really iterate as a team,

and think through design.

We could literally walk across the street

to a building where we have 200 monitors,

and it's a room that doesn't have windows,

so we can actually simulate daytime light and evening light

to really put ourselves in the shoes

of being an actual customer on board a Delta aircraft.

How do you think about the design of the screen itself?

Yeah, one great example is,

the touch on those monitors, right?

If you think about it,

there's someone who's sitting in front of that monitor.

We really wanna make sure that it's simple and easy,

so that we can minimize the presses.

And if you think about it,

those buttons are translated

into a variety of different languages

that we have the system in. Right.

So play may be a four letter word in English,

but in German it could be a much larger, and it probably is.

So we really have to think through as simple and small

as something like a call to action button

that exists on the screen.

So let's talk about the content experience.

How do you even pick what content goes on flights?

Actually, an interesting fact,

people become a bit more nostalgic

when they're on an airplane.

And we see comedies that were out in the 1980s

and the early 1990s end up killing it,

where we get incredible number of views.

So tell me how you recreate the idea

of a living room in the sky.

It does sound a lot like the living room experience,

the experience people have with streaming services where,

you know, you can like things

so that you can watch them later,

so that you can get- Right.

Recommendations based on your viewing habits.

What was the impetus for the idea?

I think the living room in the sky

has a few important elements.

Number one, I think all of us in our living rooms now

have Wi-Fi that is fast and streaming,

and is very easy to connect to.

The second thing is a personalized experience,

every time I sit in my living room

and I turn on my television, it knows who I am,

and I can start content from where I left off.

And it can recommend content to me

based on what I've previously watched.

So think about it today, when you fly on a Delta jet,

if you were flying to Atlanta from New York,

or if you were flying to Sydney, Australia,

no matter who you were, or where you sat,

we showed you the exact same content.

Now you are able with your Sky Miles account

to sign into that individualized screen,

and Delta start recommending content to you.

Or an even better use case potentially,

is maybe you're connecting in Salt Lake City,

and you didn't get to finish that movie

because you started a little bit later in your flight.

Well, on your connecting flight,

you'll be able to start your movie exactly

where you left off.

And the third piece is really around

reducing stress of customers.

So if you check the luggage,

you'll get a notification on the screen

that says, Don't worry, sit back,

your bag is also with you on this flight.

It's fascinating to me how that even comes together.

Like how do you see the future of personalization?

What does that look like?

I will say that it's changing faster than any time,

I think in aviation history.

I'll give you actually a great example

of one that we're working through now,

which is flight attendant announcements.

Please buckle your seat belts,

put your seat in the upright and locked position.

That phrase, I'm sure we've all heard-

It's- It's in your mind-

Burned into my brain, yeah. yeah, 100%.

But well, think about the customers on board at Delta Jet

who maybe don't speak English as their native language,

or maybe who are hearing-impaired.

So we're working through

every single customer's individual screen.

It will come in the language that they have selected

that they wanna receive content in.

Does this mean the death

of the over speaker announcements?

I don't think so. Okay [chuckles].

I think there's, again, you know,

there's something about the voice of our people,

and feeling comforted when you hear the pilot

or the flight attendant come on the PA announcement,

I think that's really important to us.

It's just, again, us being thoughtful,

but I think you're gonna see an experience

that is really enjoyable,

and one that you're gonna feel like

you're at your living room

when you walk onboard a Delta jet.

[upbeat music continues]

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Billie Eilish announces ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ arena world tour

FILE - Billie Eilish arrives at the 29th Critics Choice Awards on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024, at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif. Eilish will embark on a worldwide arena tour this fall. It kicks off in Quebec City in Canada on Sept. 29 and concluding in Dublin on July 27, 2025.(Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Billie Eilish performs during the the first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club on Saturday, April 13, 2024, in Indio, Calif. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)

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NEW YORK (AP) — Billie Eilish is hitting the road.

The pop performer will embark on a worldwide arena tour this fall, kicking off in Quebec City in Canada on Sept. 29 and concluding in Dublin on July 27, 2025. She’ll hit many major cities in North America in 2024 before heading to Australia and then Europe.

Presale begins Tuesday, and any remaining tickets will become available Friday at billieeilish.com . A percentage of proceeds will benefit the environmental nonprofit REVERB.

Earlier this month, Eilish announced her highly anticipated third studio album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft,” will be released May 17.

The news arrived via Instagram, where Eilish shared the album artwork showing the pop singer floating in a body of water after being ejected from a door. In the caption, she wrote that she will not drop singles in advance of the release.

“I wanna give it to you all at once,” she captioned the image. “I truly could not be more proud of this album.”

Eilish worked with her brother and longtime collaborator Finneas on “Hit Me Hard and Soft.” The pair recently took home their second Oscar for their big “Barbie” ballad “What Was I Made For?” In doing so, Eilish, 22, became the youngest person by far to have won two career Oscars.

Australia's Grace Kim opens 4-stroke lead in LPGA Tour’s JM Eagle LA Championship

Grace Kim opened a four-stroke lead Friday in the LPGA Tour’s JM Eagle LA Championship, shooting a 5-under 66 in tricky afternoon conditions at Wilshire Country Club

LOS ANGELES -- Grace Kim opened a four-stroke lead Friday in the LPGA Tour’s JM Eagle LA Championship, shooting a 5-under 66 in tricky afternoon conditions at Wilshire Country Club.

A stroke ahead after an opening 64, Kim had an eagle, four birdies and a bogey to get to 12-under 130. The 23-year-old Australia n patiently worked her way around the tree-lined layup, trying not to get frustrated with the bumpy greens.

“I think the less thoughts, the better,” Kim said. “Obviously, during the afternoon round today, we’ve got poa annua greens so just have to stay patient with them. You can kind of see how it can get bumpy, so working with the course and not getting too wrapped up around putts not going in.”

Maja Stark was second after a 69, also in the afternoon.

"I feel like maybe not taking everything so personal because they are a little bit wobbly.” Stark said. “Especially late. Like the whole day pretty much the ball has been wobbling because there has been so many people walking on it.”

The Swede finished second last week in Texas in The Chevron Championship, two strokes behind top-ranked Nelly Korda in the first major of the year. Korda withdrew Monday, a day after her record-tying fifth straight victory.

Defending champion Hannah Green of Australia shot a 69 to join Germany's Esther Henseleit (68) at 6 under. Denmark's Kristine Pedersen (67) and American Auston Kim (71) were 5 under, and Rose Zhang (69) topped the group at 4 under.

Grace Kim won the LOTTE Championship last year in a playoff in Hawaii for her first LPGA Tour title. She missed the cut in The Chevron , shooting 76-72.

She started play Friday on the back nine, rebounding from a bogey on the par-3 12th with the eagle on the par-5 13th and a birdie on the par-4 14th. On 13, she hit a 5-wood to 10 feet. She added birdies on Nos. 3, 6 and 7 on the second nine.

“I think I’ve got to breathe a little bit,” she said. “I did get a little bit nervous on my back nine, so making sure I don’t rush too much and just staying in the present."

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

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Ten Escape Room Backstory Ideas

• September 6, 2021

Kiersten Williams

Creator & Author

Writing a creative storyline is one of the key components to creating an engaging escape room. Without a story to follow along with, an educational escape room can become a thinly veiled worksheet.

A good backstory draws you into the escape room. Participants can take on the role of a spy, researcher, or student stuck on a field trip that has gone wrong. This builds excitement as students feel connected to the breakout and can create a sense of urgency to complete the mission.

The puzzles and clues should all relate to the backstory and be connected in a logical order. When I create an escape room, I always begin by choosing my theme/storyline. Then I figure out a logical progression for the puzzles and clues that help me tell the story. 

Here are ten ideas to get you thinking about escape room backstories!

Catch a Criminal 

Put your students in the role of a detective or spy as they work to crack a case and catch a criminal. You can create top secret dossiers, confidential mission documents, and badges to help students step into their role. Elements of suspense and mystery are simple to add in to this type of theme. This theme lends itself to decoding ciphers to find passwords, finding the combinations to locks with matching or multiple choice, and decoding secret messages using educational content standards. Will the students catch the criminal, or will he/she escape to cause more problems another day?

Escape the Haunted House

Haunted house themed escape rooms aren’t just for Halloween time; they are popular year-round! Create a spooky (but not too scary) storyline full of ghosts and ghouls as students navigate puzzles and unlock locks to achieve their freedom! Create puzzles to help navigate the hallways, unlock doors, and choose the correct path to avoid frightening obstacles.

Breakout of the Pyramid

Capitalize on students’ interest in Ancient Egypt by creating an Egyptian-themed escape room! Use hieroglyphics to create ciphers, tie in real historical information with creative puzzles, free the pharaoh, escape the mummy – the possibilities with this theme are endless!

Lunar Escape

Space is another theme that kids love. You can create an escape room to escape the moon and return the astronauts safely to earth. Maybe oxygen is running low, or a solar flare is threatening your team’s safety. Find codes to enable a launch or navigational sequence while you create a sense of urgency for safely returning home!

Stop the Train!

Perhaps the navigation system has been hacked into on a plane, train, or boat, and your class needs to take back control before the vehicle goes careening off course. It’s a race against time! This theme lends itself well to directional locks (using keys such as N, S, E, W), or arrow locks (possibly greater than/less than puzzles).

Escape the Book!

Novels, short stories, and poems are all great escape room themes! The main character can solve puzzles related to the plot & theme of the book. You can make your own theme on a popular children’s story like we’ve done with Revenge of the Gingerbread Man . If you are making breakouts based on books for commercial use, please make sure you are respecting copyright and trademark rules.

Trapped in Time

Pick a time period that your class has been studying, and use historical facts to create your theme. Perhaps you are going to be trapped in the Jurassic or trying to escape the 1700’s. You can have students solve puzzles to repair their time machine, or figure out codes to enter destinations – the possibilities are endless!

Holiday/Seasonal Themes

Let’s be honest, it’s hard to keep students focused before breaks! Escape rooms are great to use at class parties. Students are having a great time without even realizing they are still working towards mastering standards. We’ve created escape rooms for Halloween, Thanksgiving, winter break, Valentine’s Day, Earth Day, the end of the school year, and more! This type of breakout is great to use with small groups during class parties. If you plan to sell your educational escape rooms, then the holiday/seasonal themes will boost sales during different times of the year.

Out of Control AI

Your school’s robotics club creates a robot that can do it all. The problem is that the robot tries to take over the school! Create puzzles and clues to help your students stop the robot from taking over everything! Figure out a logical sequence for the puzzles. You may need a code to shut down a robot, then you have to find the computer password to find the program that runs the robot. A puzzle might be encoded in robot symbols, and of course you will need codes to reprogram the robot!

Escape Antarctica

The possibilities are truly endless when coming up with breakout themes! Have fun, and be creative when coming up with a backstory. You can make any theme your own with a unique storyline. 

Share your theme ideas in the comments below!

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Copyright © 2021 Kiersten Yager Williams All Rights Reserved

Billie Eilish announces 'Hit Me Hard and Soft' tour: How to get tickets

The party's not over: Billie Eilish is coming to an arena near you.

The Grammy-winning "What Was I Made For?" singer , 22, on Monday announced her latest world tour for her upcoming third studio album, " Hit Me Hard and Soft ." Eilish will head across North America from September to December before continuing into Australia and then heading to Europe in 2025.

The tour announcement comes less than a month before Eilish is scheduled to drop "Hit Me Hard and Soft," her follow-up to 2021's " Happier Than Ever ." The album will debut on May 17, and the "Bad Guy" singer has said that no singles will be released beforehand, as she wants fans to experience it in its entirety. Her debut album, "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?", was released in 2019.

Eilish previously announced she would use recyclable materials for physical copies of her album, and a portion of the proceeds from her North American ticket sales will go to the environmental non-profit Reverb. Eilish is also encouraging fans to take public transportation and carpool to her shows to reduce greenhouse gas pollution.

Billie Eilish opens up about lifelong battle with depression: 'I've never been a happy person'

Eilish is coming off winning her second Oscar for the "Barbie" song "What Was I Made For?" She and her 26-year-old brother, Finneas, made history as the youngest people to win two Oscars after having already snagged the best original song Academy Award for their James Bond theme "No Time to Die."

Billie Eilish to return with her third album, 'Hit Me Hard and Soft': All the details

In a recent interview with Rolling Stone , Eilish teased what fans can expect from the new album, telling the outlet, "I feel like this album is me. It's not a character. It feels like the 'When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?' version of me. It feels like my youth and who I was as a kid."

How to get Billie Eilish 'Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour' tickets

Tickets for Eilish's "Hit Me Hard and Soft" tour will first be available via a pre-sale for American Express card members on Tuesday, April 30.

Additional pre-sales will continue throughout the week. The general on-sale is scheduled to start on Friday, May 3.

Billie Eilish 'Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour' dates

Eilish announced the following dates as part of her "Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour":

• Sun Sep 29 – Québec, QC – Centre Videotron
• Tue Oct 01 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
• Wed Oct 02 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
• Fri Oct 04 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
• Sat Oct 05 – Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
• Mon Oct 07 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
• Wed Oct 09 – Newark, NJ – Prudential Center
• Fri Oct 11 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
• Sun Oct 13 – Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
• Wed Oct 16 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
• Thu Oct 17 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
• Fri Oct 18 – New York, NY – Madison Square Garden
• Sat Nov 02 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
• Sun Nov 03 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
• Wed Nov 06 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
• Fri Nov 08 – Cincinnati, OH – Heritage Bank Center
• Sun Nov 10 – Saint Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
• Mon Nov 11 – Saint Paul, MN – Xcel Energy Center
• Wed Nov 13 – Chicago, IL – United Center
• Thu Nov 14 – Chicago, IL – United Center
• Sat Nov 16 – Kansas City, MO – T-Mobile Center
• Sun Nov 17 – Omaha, NE – CHI Health Center Omaha
• Tue Nov 19 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
• Wed Nov 20 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
• Tue Dec 03 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena
• Thu Dec 05 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
• Fri Dec 06 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
• Sun Dec 08 – Portland, OR – Moda Center
• Tue Dec 10 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center at San Jose
• Wed Dec 11 – San Jose, CA – SAP Center at San Jose
• Fri Dec 13 – Glendale, AZ – Desert Diamond Arena
• Sun Dec 15 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum
• Mon Dec 16 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum
• Tue Dec 17 – Inglewood, CA – Kia Forum
• Tue Feb 18, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre
• Wed Feb 19, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre
• Fri Feb 21, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre
• Sat Feb 22, 2025 – Brisbane, Australia – Brisbane Entertainment Centre
• Mon Feb 24, 2025 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena
• Tue Feb 25, 2025 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena
• Thu Feb 27, 2025 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena
• Fri Feb 28, 2025 – Sydney, Australia – Qudos Bank Arena
• Tue Mar 4, 2025 –Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena
• Wed Mar 5, 2025 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena
• Fri Mar 7, 2025 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena
• Sat Mar 8, 2025 – Melbourne, Australia – Rod Laver Arena
• Wed Apr 23, 2025 – Stockholm, Sweden – Avicii Arena
• Thu Apr 24, 2025 – Stockholm, Sweden – Avicii Arena
• Sat Apr 26, 2025 – Oslo, Norway – Telenor Arena
• Mon Apr 28, 2025 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena
• Tue Apr 29, 2025 – Copenhagen, Denmark – Royal Arena
• Fri May 2, 2025 – Hannover, Germany – ZAG Arena
• Sun May 4, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome
• Mon May 5, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome
• Wed May 7, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Ziggo Dome
• Fri May 9, 2025 – Berlin, Germany – Uber Arena
• Thu May 29, 2025 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena
• Fri May 30, 2025 – Cologne, Germany – Lanxess Arena
• Sun June 1, 2025 – Prague, Czech Republic – O2 Arena
• Tue June 3, 2025 – Kraków, Poland – Tauron Arena
• Wed June 4, 2025 – Kraków, Poland – Tauron Arena
• Fri June 6, 2025 – Vienna, Austria – Stadthalle
• Sun June 8, 2025 – Bologna, Italy – Unipol Arena
• Tue June 10, 2025 – Paris, France – Accor Arena
• Wed June 11, 2025 – Paris, France – Accor Arena
• Sat June 14, 2025 – Barcelona, Spain – Palau Sant Jordi
• Sun June 15, 2025 –Barcelona, Spain – Palau Sant Jordi
• Mon Jul 7, 2025 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
• Tue Jul 8, 2025 – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
• Thu Jul 10, 2025 – London, UK – The O2
• Fri Jul 11, 2025 –London, UK – The O2
• Sun Jul 13, 2025 – London, UK – The O2
• Mon Jul 14, 2025 – London, UK – The O2
• Wed Jul 16, 2025 – London, UK – The O2
• Thu Jul 17, 2025 – London, UK – The O2
• Sat Jul 19, 2025 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
• Sun Jul 20, 2025 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
• Tue Jul 22, 2025 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
• Wed Jul 23, 2025 – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
• Sat Jul 26, 2025 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
• Sun Jul 27, 2025 – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena

Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri , USA TODAY