Back to School Math Mystery 6th Grade: The Case of the Awful August is a no-prep back to school math review for 6th Grade students. Get your students engaged right out of the gate with a high-stakes back-to-school investigation! The Case of the Awful August is an exciting 6th Grade August math mystery in which students solve clues to eliminate incorrect potions and discover the exact recipe to defeat the joy-stealing Grumble Gremlin. Because we know August is a unique time of year, this packet intentionally bridges heavy-hitting end-of-elementary review skills to ensure foundational mastery before diving into complex 6th Grade concepts. It is the perfect engaging math center, low-stress beginning-of-the-year assessment, or whole-class review.
The joy-stealing Grumble Gremlin is turning the city of Mathhattan dull and dreary with his Boring Bubbles! Students become lead detectives on a mission to track down the correct antidote – the “True Cure.” They solve clues to eliminate incorrect potions and discover the exact recipe to defeat the Grumble Gremlin, restore joy to the city, and make August AMAZING.
Set the scene with the optional video hook for the Case of the Awful August on your whiteboard or screen, then wrap up the case with the ending video. Students solve the math worksheets to unlock clues and eliminate possibilities after each clue to crack the case.
There are five clues to crack to solve the mystery:
Students must use critical thinking skills to work out what each clue is telling them to eliminate from the list of possibilities.
Easy prep: Print the student pages, staple or place them in a folder, and your students are ready to start. Or assign the digital version for a paperless option.
This edition is written for 6th Grade students and works in August and the first weeks of school, as a low-stress beginning-of-the-year review. Use it for:
Pacing and Timing: Time to complete will vary anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours or more. It mainly depends on how familiar your students are with the math mystery format, and how difficult they find the math skills covered in the clues. Please check the skills above to help determine suitability for your class.
I recommend pacing this activity by giving students one clue at a time. Once the whole class has completed a clue, move on to the next clue, either within the same lesson or in the next math session. New math content presented? Make a lesson out of it by modeling the math before diving into the clue. I like to say, “We must learn something new before attempting the next clue.”
Students read the mystery story (or watch the animated video hook) to set the scene. They must complete five math worksheets to unlock clues. Each clue helps them eliminate antidotes from their list until only the correct recipe remains! The final answer will help them defeat the Grumble Gremlin, restore joy to the city, and make August AMAZING. To celebrate, watch how the story ends with the included ending video!
Bonus: I snuck a little SEL into this pack! The winning antidote promotes a wonderful message about building a positive, grumble-free classroom community – perfect for a back-to-school discussion!
Effortless Assessment: The “Crack the Code” format allows you to verify student progress at a glance. If the code is correct, the math is correct!
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The Case of the Awful August is available in 6 grade editions. The story is the same; the math is different, so you can match each group to its level:
The 2nd-6th Grade editions can “clue swap” between editions to differentiate within one class. Grade 1 Math Mysteries are formatted for early learners and cannot be clue-swapped with the other grade versions. Read more: How to differentiate using Math Mysteries.
Looking for more? The Case of the Awful August is part of the 6th Grade Math Mystery Bundle, if you’d like a full set of resources in one place.
Not sure what a math mystery is? Read What is a Math Mystery? on my blog, or watch a short video about Math Mysteries.
Add extra motivation with the free Detective Rank Chart and Mystery Record. New to math mysteries? Try the free Case of the Super Bad Superhero first.
Time to complete varies between 30 minutes and 2 hours or more, depending on how familiar your students are with the math mystery format and how difficult they find the math skills. I recommend giving students one clue at a time.
Yes. A complete answer key is included, along with printable awards.
Yes. The Case of the Awful August comes in 6 grade editions with the same story and different math, so you can match the edition to your students.
Technical issues? See my Troubleshooting Tips and FAQ page, or email me at jjresourcecreations@gmail.com.
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Thank you!
Jacqui J.
Mrs. J’s Resource Creations
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