3rd Grade Math Mystery Activity | End-of-Year Review & Fun Test Prep Game
Make math test prep exciting, stress-free, and fun with "The Case of the Terrible Test Twist!" This 3rd-grade math mystery transforms test preparation into a thrilling detective adventure that keeps students motivated and engaged. It’s the perfect solution for an end-of-year review or test prep activity that feels like play instead of work.
- Bonus Clues: Includes eight clues (instead of the usual five) for extended engagement and challenge!
- Comprehensive Practice: Each page features a mix of skills, hitting multiple standards to ensure a well-rounded review.
- Minimal Prep: Save time with ready-to-use printable or digital worksheets. Simply print it, or assign the digital version for seamless online learning.
- Interactive Fun: Students collect clues, solve puzzles, and "crack the case" while reinforcing essential math concepts.
Flexible Formats
- Printable Version (PDF): Just print and your student detectives are ready to jump into the mystery!
- Digital Google Slides: Easily assign the digital version through Google Slides for paperless activities.
Extra Features to Boost Engagement
- Start the activity with an exciting video hook and end with a celebratory clip to reward your students!
- Printable detective awards are included to recognize students' hard work.
⭐Math Skills Covered⭐
This resource ensures a thorough review across multiple domains.
Please note: Sometimes, there is only one question addressing a skill.
This resource is designed for test-prep or review.
Each clue focuses on key math concepts, including:
- Place Value (Thousands, Hundreds, Tens & Ones - Value of the underlined digit, find the missing place value, convert from expanded form, rounding to the nearest 10 and 100)
- Comparing numbers and odd/even numbers is a skill embedded throughout the mystery.
- Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, & Division (Three-digit addition and subtraction with regrouping, balance addition/subtraction equations, multiplication facts, division facts, multiplying single-digit numbers by multiples of ten, missing numbers in multiplication/division equations).
- Word Problems (Mix of four operations, and two-step problems)
- Data & Graphing (Analyze, interpret, and answer questions about a bar graph and pictograph.
- Measurement (customary and metric options are provided - What is the mass of each object using weight scales, measure liquid volumes, write the temperature shown on the thermometer.)
- Area and Perimeter Find the area of figures made of unit squares, multiply side lengths to calculate the area of rectangles, find the area of complex figures, perimeter of figures, perimeter word problem with finding the missing length.
- Patterns Find the missing numbers in patterns (with addition or subtraction).
- Money word problems using whole dollars.
- Time Read and write time shown on the clock to the nearest minute, find the end time.
- Fractions Write the fraction for the shaded model, missing fractions on a number line, equivalent fractions, comparing fractions with like denominators or like numerators.
PLEASE NOTE: I have tried to cover as many skills in this one pack as possible without overwhelming it. While it may not include every possible question type, it thoroughly reviews numerous math domains making it a strong resource to use as part of your test prep activities or as an end of year math review.
Why You’ll Love This Resource
- For Teachers: Say goodbye to overwhelming prep times. This ready-to-go resource saves you time while delivering meaningful and engaging learning experiences.
- For Students: Builds confidence in key math skills while motivating even reluctant learners with the thrill of solving a mystery.
Tips for Best Implementation
Due to the length of this activity, spread it out over a few days to keep students focused and engaged rather than completing it in one session.
Don’t miss the chance to transform test prep into an engaging, detective-style adventure!
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Check out more fun 3rd Grade Math Mystery activities for your classroom below:
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Easy prep! Just Print & Solve! Or go paperless with the new Google Slides option provided within your download.
⭐Optional video hook included for introducing the case!
⭐BONUS: Ending video added to wrap up the case!
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EASY PREP, print and solve!
Distance Learning Update: I've added a Word Document within the folder that contains a Google Doc link to share this resource with your students via Google Classroom or Drive.
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Easy prep! Just Print & Solve! Or go paperless with the new Google Docs option provided within your download.
NEW - Distance Learning Update: I've added a Word Document within the folder that contains a Google Doc link to share this resource with your students via Google Classroom or Drive. Parts of the pages are editable so that your students can complete without having to print the pages. Please note, you will need to make a copy of the Google Slides to your drive before you can edit.
Students must complete math worksheets to unlock clues. Then, use their powers of deduction to narrow down the list of possibilities to solve the mystery case!
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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 within the folder that contains a Google Doc link to share this resource with your students via Google Classroom or Drive. Parts of the pages are editable so that your students can complete them without printing the pages. Please note that you will need to make a copy of the Google Slides to your drive before you can edit.
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EASY PREP, print and solve!
Distance Learning Update: I've added a Word Document within the folder that contains a Google Doc link to share this resource with your students via Google Classroom or Drive.
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Easy prep! Just Print & Solve! Or go paperless with the new Google Slides option provided within your download.
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Easy prep! Just Print & Solve! Or go paperless with the new Google Slides option provided within your download.
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Teachers, this activity is easy to prep! Just Print & Solve! Or go paperless with the new Google Slides option provided within your download.
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Easy prep! Just Print & Solve! Or go paperless with the new Google Docs option provided within your download.
NEW - Distance Learning Update: I've added a Word Document within the folder that contains a Google Doc link to share this resource with your students via Google Classroom or Drive. Parts of the pages are editable so that your students can complete without having to print the pages. Please note, you will need to make a copy of the Google Slides to your drive before you can edit.
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Distance Learning Update: I've added a Word Document within the folder that contains a Google Doc link to share this resource with your students via Google Classroom or Drive.
Students must complete math worksheets to unlock clues. Then, use their powers of deduction to narrow down the list of possibilities to solve the mystery case!