Back to School Math Mystery 1st Grade: The Case of the School Invaders is a no-prep back to school math review for 1st Grade students. This 1st Grade back to school math review is a high-engagement first week of school math activity that turns a Kindergarten review into an exciting case-solving mission: students must review math skills from the previous grade to help get rid of the stinky, slimy Geometron aliens invading Mathhattan Elementary School! It’s the perfect no-prep math activity. Just print and go, or use the Google Slides digital version. Please note that the Grade 1 math mysteries contain a smaller possibilities list and include profile pictures with the information.
The stinky, slimy Geometron aliens are invading Mathhattan Elementary School and wreaking havoc all over the school! Students must review math skills from the previous grade to unlock the clues, then use their powers of deduction to narrow down the list of locations, find the aliens’ transponder device, and get rid of the invaders.
Set the scene with the optional video hook for the Case of the School Invaders 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. Have the video hook ready for viewing at the start of the lesson on an IWB, iPad, or computer monitor screen.
This edition is written for 1st Grade students and works in the first weeks of the new school year, as a review of the previous grade, or any time of year. 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.”
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The Case of the School Invaders 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 School Invaders is part of the 1st 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.
Yes! This mystery is specifically designed for the beginning of the year. It’s a powerful Kindergarten math review to see what your new students remember.
It’s our high-engagement, multimedia math activity! Students solve 5 clues to crack a case, all while watching fun video hooks. You can learn more about math mysteries here.
Grade 1 math mysteries contain a smaller possibilities list and include profile pictures with the information. The clues cannot be swapped with clues from the other grade packets.
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 School Invaders 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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