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3rd Grade September Math Adventure- Mystery of the Polluted City
The Baffled Bungler’s factory is polluting one of the largest cities in the world...but he can’t remember which one! The Learning League is on the case, and they’re going to need your help to stop that pollution in its tracks!! Help the League to figure out the clues by solving math problems and locating that city. This Math Adventure will keep your classroom explorers engaged and working hard on math skills, while learning some science! Also available for 4th and 5th grade.
100% of the earnings from this resource will go directly to the Environmental Defense Fund, one of the world's largest environmental organizations that puts their multi-disciplinary efforts towards the climate, oceans, ecosystems and health.
WHO is this mystery for?
Students on the 3rd grade level who are practicing these math skills:
Place Value Comparisons
Adding Coins
Time (hour & half hour)
Adding Thousands
Rounding to the Nearest Ten
Teachers looking for a quick-prep, rigorous but differentiated, interdisciplinary activity that showcases topics that are often ignored or unexplored within social studies and science curriculum.
WHAT is included?
This adventure is an hour-long activity that can be completed in 3 Tracks:
Students read the mystery on a printed booklet, and they solve the clues by answering questions on Google Slides, which they can access with a QR code or link on a computer, tablet, or phone.
Students read the mystery on a printed booklet, and they solve the clues by answering questions on printed task cards.
Students read the mystery in one browser window of Google Slides, and they solve the clues by toggling between another browser window of Google Slides to answer questions. This method works great for laptops, but is not recommended for tablets.
No matter which track you take, the core of the activity is the same. Students always have access to the mystery story, 41 math problems, 5 Science Exploration posters, a Writing Challenge, and an integral poster about:
London, Mexico City, Moscow, New York City, & Shanghai
Students will walk away from this lesson knowing these science concepts:
- What pollution is and what causes it
- How pollution affects each one of our lives
- The different ways pollution can be fought by individuals
- and more!!
WHEN is it designed to be completed?
These skills are best practiced at the beginning of the year, and the third Monday in September kicks off Pollution Prevention Week each year!
WHERE can students solve this mystery?
Students can complete this activity in your classroom with pen and paper or technology, and even from home, thanks to the Digital Track!
HOW can this activity be differentiated?
Using either of these methods, you can scaffold these activities to meet each of your students, exactly where they’re at.
CUSTOMIZATION: great for students above and below grade level
Each math problem can be edited to whatever you please! Hypothetically, you could buy this mystery for the framework it provides, and change every single question.
AUDIO SUPPORTS: great for multilingual students
For the tracks including technology, your students have access to a read-aloud of not just the story, but each word written on Google Slides.
WHY should your students adventure with the Learning League?
Low teacher prep/High student engagement
Anti-racist curriculum that uplifts women and Black and Indigenous people of color
Three activity tracks with DISTANCE LEARNING OPTION
Audio scaffolding and editable problems
TRY OUT A MYSTERY FOR FREE!
Download The Oil Spill Mystery for math and The Case of the Absent Abolitionist for reading.
Adventure also available on TeachersPayTeachers!
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