Mystery Day by Lori Graham & Karen Stahovich

As a culminating activity to our mystery unit in reading, fourth graders participated in a Mystery Day. Students came to school that day dressed as detectives and rotated through a series of six different stations.

The activities at these stations were linked to many of the mystery stories that we read in class with such super sleuths as Meg Macintosh, Paddington, Cam Jansen, and Encyclopedia Brown.

Mrs Graham & Mrs Stahovich in their detective garb.

The special twenty minute long activities included: Station 1 - An obstacle course - Escape Route At this station students had a chance to move around and show how quickly they could "make their escape". First, the students were walked through the course. They then had time to practice. The students were then timed to see how quickly they could go through as a group. Parent volunteers manned this station. Station 2 - "Follow the Clues" - Students were given a chance to test their own detective skills by solving puzzles and following clues throughout the school. Envelopes were taped outside doorways. As the students successfully completed a clue it lead them to the next doorway with another clue. Clipboards and pencils were provided for the students to use. Parent volunteers accompanied them in the hallways. One clue example: "This teacher is a real reckrca!" Station 3 - Super Solvers CD - The students used the Super Solvers CD in the computer media center. They read the paragraphs and answered questions within the program. The ultimate goal was to capture the robot and save the school. Parent volunteers helped get each group get started and assisted those who were less experienced with the computers or needed help reading. Station 4 - Silhouettes and Cam Jansen memory activities - Students were assisted in making a silhouette of their own profile. These silhouettes were posted and students were challenged to identify one another. They then tried their hand at the Cam Jansen memory activity. Station 5 - Food and Logic Puzzle - Using British expressions they learned reading Paddington Turns Detective, students were asked to identify different food items by their other names. Example: biscuits are cookies. Having eaten the snacks students applied their thinking skills to the "Who Dunnit" logic puzzle. Parent volunteers were supplied with an answer sheet. Station 6 - Fingerprint Identification and Matching - First the three main types of finger prints were reviewed using the Fingerprinting Task" paper. Students then decided which fingerprint was most common in their group. Finally, students fingerprinted themselves and tried to match up the two fingerprints they each contributed. Magnifying glasses were provided.