Lockdown Protocol at the Panama Canal - Engineering & Simple Machines Adventure Pack

Lockdown Protocol at the Panama Canal

Engineering & Simple Machines Adventure Pack

At one of the most important engineering sites on Earth, something has gone wrong.

Massive lock gates are jamming. Water levels are falling out of sync. Ships are stuck mid-transit as mechanical systems strain under pressure. Deep inside the Panama Canal’s complex machinery, force is no longer flowing the way it should. Ari Raider has detected a critical mechanical failure and needs explorers to restore the system before global shipping grinds to a halt.

In Lockdown Protocol at the Panama Canal, students are dropped into a high-stakes engineering emergency where towering gates, moving ships, and powerful machines must be stabilized. By learning how simple machines multiply force and work together, explorers must diagnose failures, restore mechanical balance, and guide ships safely through the canal before the entire system locks down.

This adventure blends engineering science with story, problem-solving, and optional hands-on discovery.

About This Adventure Pack

Lockdown Protocol at the Panama Canal is designed for elementary explorers and connects directly to an interactive online adventure.

Students can complete the Lockdown Protocol at the Panama Canal adventure online for free, including access to free printable trading cards that match this experience. The online adventure delivers the full learning and story-driven mission without requiring a physical kit.

👉 Explore the free Lockdown Protocol at the Panama Canal adventure here:
Coming Soon

For families or classrooms that want to extend the experience, this Adventure Pack adds a hands-on excavation and collectible cards that bring the canal rescue mission into the physical world.

The learning experience is the same whether students use the physical pack or not. The pack simply adds a tactile, collectible layer to the adventure.

What This Adventure Covers

Each Lockdown Protocol at the Panama Canal Adventure Pack explores core engineering and simple machine concepts, including:

• Simple Machines – How basic tools change force to make work easier
• Levers – Using pivot points to lift heavy loads
• Wheels and Axles – Reducing friction to move massive objects
• Inclined Planes – Lifting objects gradually over distance
• Wedges – Splitting and securing materials using focused force
• Screws – Converting rotation into holding and lifting power
• Pulleys – Redirecting force to lift heavy systems smoothly
• Gears – Transferring motion between connected machine parts
• Complex Machines – How simple machines combine to power systems like the Panama Canal

Each topic appears naturally within the adventure and is required to move the story forward, reinforcing learning through problem-solving rather than memorization.

What’s Inside the Pack

• Adventure-Filled Field Pack (6×9 Adventure Pouch)
A premium adventure pouch that holds all mission components including cards, tools, collectibles, and clues for a complete grab-and-go field trip experience.

• Adventure Mission Card
A large mission card that sets up the story and investigation, provides instructions, and includes a QR code to launch the interactive online adventure.

• Interactive Online Adventure
A challenge-based, escape-room-style experience where explorers use what they learn from their Knowledge Cards to navigate obstacles, solve problems, and reach the final discovery.

• Knowledge Card Pack
A collectible pack of Knowledge Cards that teach key concepts related to the adventure. These cards build understanding, support problem-solving, and provide the knowledge needed to successfully complete the mission.

• Mystery Dig Kit
A hands-on excavation experience containing a hidden collectible specimen to uncover, clean, and identify.

• Dig Stick Tool
A sturdy tool for carefully excavating the hidden specimen.

• Cleaning Wipe
Used to clean and reveal the specimen after excavation.

• Mystery Collectible Specimen (Gemlet)
A real mystery specimen discovered during the dig. The mission is to discover, identify, and collect them all.

• Gemlet Storage Container
A durable keepsake container that includes a scratch-off label revealing what is inside, helping explorers track discoveries and keep their collection growing.

• Excavating Adventures Sticker
A collectible sticker to mark the adventure and celebrate your discovery.

Why Kids Love It

Stabilizing massive lock gates, guiding ships through rising water, solving mechanical failures, and uncovering a real specimen makes learning feel like a real-world engineering rescue mission.

Why Teachers and Parents Love It

Lockdown Protocol at the Panama Canal supports engineering and physical science learning through hands-on thinking, real-world systems, and flexible use in classrooms or at home. The adventure works for whole-class instruction, small groups, or independent learning — with or without the physical pack.

Free Adventure Option

Lockdown Protocol at the Panama Canal is also available online for free, including free printable trading cards that align directly with this adventure. No purchase is required to participate.

This reflects our mission at Excavating Adventures: to make engaging, story-driven adventures accessible to everyone.

👉 Explore the free Lockdown Protocol at the Panama Canal adventure here:
Coming Soon