Description

Kick off the year with this Back to School Math 3rd Grade activity! ‘The Case of the Cursed Classrooms’ is a high-engagement beginning of year math activity that makes reviewing 2nd-grade concepts fun and stress-free.

It’s the perfect no-prep math activity! This resource is loaded with options, including an optional video hook and a NEW ending video (with voiceovers!) to wrap up the case!

Easy Prep for Print or Digital

This resource is designed to be low-prep for you and high-engagement for your students.

• Printable PDF Version: Just print the worksheets, staple, and go.
• Google Slides Digital Version: 100% paperless! Simply assign in Google Classroom. (Students must be in ‘edit mode’ to type).

Back to School Math 3rd Grade Activity

To lift the curse on the school, students must unlock five clues by correctly solving a complete math review:

• Clue 1: Adding numbers within 100 (No Regrouping)
• Clue 2: Subtracting numbers within 100 (No Regrouping)
• Clue 3: Comparing Numbers within 100 (<, >, =)
• Clue 4: Addition and Subtraction within 100 (With Regrouping)
• Clue 5: Ordering Numbers up to 150

Flexible for Any 3rd Grade Classroom

Use this versatile beginning of year math review for:

• A fun “First Week of School” icebreaker
• Math centers or stations
• Homework or enrichment
• Your “early finisher” tub
• A lifesaver for your sub-tub!

Pacing & Timing

This is a comprehensive review that can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 2+ hours, depending on your students’ skill level. We recommend pacing it by one clue at a time.

Common Questions for this 3rd Grade Math Review

Q: Is this difficult for the start of the year?
A: Not at all! This mystery is designed specifically for the Back to School season, so the math focuses on reviewing key 2nd Grade skills (like addition within 100). It is the perfect confidence booster to start the year.

Q: Is this better than a normal worksheet?
A: Absolutely. Standard back to school math worksheets can be boring. This activity adds a narrative, a suspect list, and video hooks to keep students motivated to solve every problem.

Q: How does differentiation work with these?
A: That’s our secret weapon! Many of our stories are available for other grades, so you can “clue swap” with the 2-6 grade packs. We even have a blog post explaining how: learn how to differentiate here.

Your 3rd Grade Back to School Hub

Don’t stop at just one mystery! We have another Back to School mystery with different skills:

• The Case of The School Invaders (Another BTS Favorite!)
• CSI Digital Math Mystery Format of this Cursed Classrooms Investigation (Interactive Escape Room Game)
• See Other 3rd Grade Math Mysteries
• See other 3rd Grade Reading Mysteries
• See other 3rd Grade History Mysteries

---

A complete answer key and printable awards are included!