Reading Comprehension Mystery: Once Upon a Crime, Stolen Time Fairy Tale Teaching Resource

SKU: STOLENTIME
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Reading Mystery, Once Upon a Crime: STOLEN TIME!

(Teaching Resource - Worksheets pdf + Video Hook)


Easy prep! Just Print & Solve! Or go paperless with the new Google Docs option provided within your download.


Distance Learning Update: I've added a Word Document in the folder containing a Google Doc link to share this resource with your students via Google Classroom or Drive. Parts of the pages are editable, so your students can complete them without printing them. Please note that you must make a copy of the Google Slides to your drive before editing.


Grade Suitability: 2nd, 3rd, 4th

(This varies depending on students' reading abilities. Some guidance may be required for younger students.)

This Reading Mystery, 'Once Upon a Crime—Stolen Time,' is a fun way to incorporate a range of ELA skills in one session. It is ideal for classroom or homeschool reading sessions.


  • Students must highlight the evidence in the reading to prove their answers.
  • The discovery format requires a fill in the missing letter process to unlock clues. (Differentiation Option included, B-Edition Structure, which requires full answers, but teacher to check. Word Banks provided to make the word puzzles easier.)
  • Reading is required to be able to solve the missing letters in words, sentences, and statements or to answer the questions/solve the vocabulary puzzles.
  • Each clue requires students to critically think and use deductive reasoning to decide which suspects they can eliminate from their suspect list. The last suspect remaining is the culprit!


Everything that you need for this activity is in the download, including the reading passages.

Implementation suggestion: Depending on your students' reading abilities, the ease of this activity may vary. To keep everyone at the same pace, you could read the passages together as a class and then follow up with the activities to fill in the missing letters that will help unlock a clue. For independent work, set a timer for reading only, and then allow them time to answer the questions and re-read the text if they need. If your students find this too easy, I'd recommend the 'Private Eye CSI - Literacy Mysteries' range instead, which requires inferring and more skill to solve the mystery.
If your students are trying to attempt the activity section without reading the passages, instruct them to highlight the evidence in the reading text to show you where they found the answers.


OptionalVideo Hook now available, it can be viewed below. This is designed to engage students and make them start asking questions about what is going on. When the video finishes, is when the students need to start reading the mystery in the PDF file.

The same 'self-checking feature' included in this design as in my math mystery range.


What are Once Upon a Crime Reading Mysteries?
Learn more about what to expect in this blog post.


There are FIVE clues to crack!
SKILLS TARGETED
- Reading
- Comprehension
- Spelling
- Cause and Effect
- Finding Evidence in the Text
- Character Traits
- Vocabulary
- Critical Thinking
- Writing (optional on the mystery declaration sheet)


OPTIONAL: After finishing the five clue sheets, an optional mystery declaration sheet can be used to state the villain. On this declaration page, students report WHO they think did the crime, plus outline the clues discovered along with their elimination reasoning for each.
Fun printable awards in an article format included too! (Shhh.... keep these a secret as they reveal the culprit in the newspaper article your little star detective is also featured in.)
You will also receive instructions, answer sheets and an elimination guide.
​

Differentiation Options included with this Resource

  • A 'B-Edition' Alternative Structure is included for differentiation purposes. This alternative copy of Stolen Time removes the missing letter filling structure and requires full answers. If you choose to use the B-Edition copy, you will need to prep the clue cards into envelopes or boxes (or keep hidden) and students will need to check-in with you to gain access to each clue.
  • Word Banks are included within a single file found in the alternate options. These are useful if you need to make this activity easier for some of your students.
  • Check out the 'Read me' file included in the folder download first.


Thank you and enjoy!