I created an activity called "Beginning of the Year Box of Mystery."
Students were placed in groups of 4 and given a puzzle piece. The puzzle piece has 4th grade math problems on it (I teach 5th grade) so that I can see what they remember from math last year. Once the math problems are correct, it spells out the location of the next puzzle in the school.
Do you know how EXCITED my students were to leave the classroom and go get a puzzle piece at the nurse? You'd have thought they were going to pick up a huge prize and not just a puzzle piece!
They end up getting 4 puzzle pieces (located at the nurse, gym, and library. The original one was given to each group by me.) On each puzzle piece, they had to figure out a "combo" problem. The four combo problems were the combination to the lock on "the Box of Mystery."
The first group to open the box got everything that was inside! (I had passes in there that they can use to sit with a friend in class, but anything could have been in the box.)
Their reaction to playing this was PHENOMENAL! I can't wait to create more Box of Mystery activities!!!
Do you want to try it for yourself?! You won't be disappointed! Box of Mystery: Beginning of the Year
