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In search of a fun way to get my students engaged at the end of the year and enhance their problem solving and critical thinking skills, I created A Fairy Tale Mystery for my 6th grade English classes.
I introduce this activity to my students by stating:
You are invited to help solve the wedding mystery of Cinderella and Prince Charming.
This mystery takes place in PrinceCharming’s castle in the morning of his wedding. He and Cinderella have disappeared. Foul play is suspected. You and your classmates are needed to help solve the crime. All of you will work to solve the mystery while protecting what you discover from your classmates.
There will be a prize for the group who solves the mystery first.
If you want to incorporate more problem solving and critical thinking techniques into your classes, follow the steps below.
Step 1: Go to Teachers Pay Teachers and download the suspect files.
Step 2: Place each picture and character information in folders so it is “confidential.” My students LOVE this.
Step 3: Find a location to store the folders. I usually hang them in the hall so my students can easily access them.
Step 4: Have your students work in groups to fill out the “criminal logs.” I was lucky enough to have iPads in my classroom, so my students did this electronically. It can easily be done on paper.
Step 5: When all students are done, go through the “criminal logs” with your students and talk about their results.
Step 6: Reveal the solution.
If you have your students complete the “criminal logs” digitally, you will have an easy file to use as data.
If you try this activity, please comment and let me know how it goes. 🙂 I hope your students love it as much as mine did.
