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5th Grade November Math Adventure- Case of the Influential Native Americans
The Learning League has been assigned a project to study an influential Native American, but as soon as they open their history books, the information on one of the pages starts to fade away. It turns out that the Bungler has gotten in the way of someone’s impact on history!! Your classroom explorers will solve clues and answer math questions to find out which Native American has been erased from history, while learning some social studies! Also available for 3rd and 4th grade.
100% of the earnings from this resource will go directly to the Partnership with Native Americans, an organization that supports the immediate needs of impoverished Native American communities.
WHO is this mystery for?
Students on the 5th grade level who are practicing these math skills:
Decimals- Power of 10 Patterns
Comparing Decimals (thousandths)
Decimals up to Thousandths in Numerals
Divide 4 Digit by 1 Digit Word Problems
Multiply 4 Digit by 2 Digit
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, 42 math problems, 5 Social Studies Exploration posters, a Writing Challenge, and an integral poster about:
Crazy Horse, Jim Thorpe, Nanye-hi, Sacajawea, & Sequoyah
Students will walk away from this lesson knowing these social studies concepts:
- The history behind why Native Americans have been referred to as Indians
- Why communities are choosing to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of Columbus Day
- How Native people have shaped U.S. history since the beginning to and continue to influence our country today
- and more!!
WHEN is it designed to be completed?
These skills are best practiced sometime around American Indian Heritage Day, which is celebrated annually on November 29th.
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!