Fun with Mysteries

Do you have junior secret agents in your class this year? These are students who love gadgets, have a sense of adventure, love to read mysteries, and enjoy studying any type of map. Or do you have students on the opposite end of the spectrum?  Do you have students that act like they want to be anywhere but school. If so, maybe it's time for a little adventure!

The first time I introduced "Spy 101" was in October during Red Ribbon Week. My students had to choose a country in South America or Mexico. Each student wrote their own mission plan. For example, one student said the Statue of Liberty was stolen and reported hidden in Chile. Another student said the President that we see on t.v. was an imposter. The real President was getting medical treatment in Brazil. His mission was to see if the person in Brazil was the real person or the imposter President. 

In order to write their mission reports accurately, students had to research their country's: weather, terrain, culture, mode of travel, and other important details. Some of my students even visited travel agencies. They got posters, pamphlets, and extra information about their country which further enriched their reports.

You can integrate this with your current social studies unit. If you are studying Greece, have the mission take place in Greece. If you are studying continents, assign each group to a different continent

A literacy center - "Operation Bookworm" is included which also includes a book list with title, author, and reading levels (2nd - 6th grade).

Integrate science with this unit with this invisible ink lesson.  

(click) FREE

Here's a video about making invisible ink you can show your class:

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Each student will have their own spy folder and assigned a number (like James Bond). Labels are included.

Mystery & Spy 101 (click)

Activities include:

Operation Bookworm
-Signs: color and blackline
-Mystery booklist: 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th
-Reading Tracker: 2 forms - chapters and pages
-Story comparison: venn diagram
-Book Log: Traveling with Book
-Mystery FLIPBOOK
-Setting Details: country/state/city, climate, landforms, flag, culture, interesting facts
-the Clues: write 3 clues
-Character Traits: is / is not tree map and generic tree map
-Mission location: locate on map (United States)
-Mystery location: locate on map (United States)
-Mission location: locate on map (world)
-Mystery location: locate on map (world)
-Research: background information
-Mission Report
-Mystery Report
-Postcard
-Secret Code
-Secret code message #1 and answer key
-Secret code message #2 and answer key
-Secret code message - write your own message - 2 forms
-Top Secret labels
-Agent labels

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