4th Grade Math Project! Fourth Grade Math and Fourth Grade Reading! Cross-curricular project-based learning! Printable & Digital version included! Google Slides versions included! Perfect for Fall math!
 
This math-story problem project is an awesome way to keep your students engaged in math problem-solving especially during the Fall season!! Students will be intrinsically motivated to solve the mystery and along the way they will be engaged in solving math problems! This project is differentiated with two different levels includes to support students at different levels of problem-solving. This mystery focuses on addition, subtraction, multiplication and division (as well as measurement conversion) at the fourth-grade level.
 
It also includes a printable version and a digital version (Google Slides links included). It is also self-checking, so students will have feedback right away at the end of the project to see if they are correct because if they are incorrect their answer won’t be one of the suspect choices.
 
This project includes 14 pages per level of engaging math story problems! Embedded in the story problems are reading passages at an approximate 610-800 Lexile level so they are great for fourth graders to read independently! If the reading level is too challenging for students, you can always do this project in small groups or as a read-aloud at school or at home.
 
Look for the level key on the bottom right side of each page to ensure that students are working on the correct level. This project focuses on multiplication and division of whole numbers, including multiplicative compare and measurement conversion word problems. Both levels of this project are aligned to standards 3.OA.C.7, 4.OA.A.2, 4.NBT.B.4, 4.NBT.B.5, 4.NBT.B.6, 4.MD.A.2 and 3.MD.A.1. The project is also aligned to ELA standards CCSS.ELA-LITERATURE-4.3 and ELA-LITERATURE.4.10. The levels include the following types of problems:
Level 1: single-step multiplication and division problems with two-digit by two-digit factors, and three-digit and four-digit factors by one-digit factors. Division with four-digit dividends and one-digit divisors. Mostly result-unknown story problem structure. Multiplicative compare and measurement conversion included.
Level 2: •multi-step multiplication and division problems with more complex story problem structure. Includes problems with two, three and four-digit factors. Division with four-digit dividends and one-digit divisors. More challenging multiplicative compare and measurement conversions.
 
How does it work?
Students are presented with a mystery situation, and the possible suspects for who committed the “crime.”
Students read the alibi statements for each character and solve the related math problem(s) on each page.
Students use the additional details, clues, detective conversations and information to determine who is guilty of the crime.
Students determine who they think is guilty. Then they solve the final problem to see if they are correct. In order for this to work, they must solve every problem correctly. If they find that the final problem is unsolvable, or their answer is not a possible option, then they need to go back and check their work!
 
*The Missing Scarecrow Suspect: Everyone in the town of Wheaton depends on the farmers to bring crops to the weekly Farmers Market. Farmer Ferguson has a special scarecrow (that the town named Scary McScardey) that he uses to scare away the birds from his corn, potatoes and squash plants. But one awful day, he woke up and the scarecrow had gone missing! Not only that, but the birds had eaten almost all of his crops! What would the people of Wheaton do without Farmer Ferguson's crops at the weekly Farmers Market? Help the town of Wheaton and the detectives by solving the mystery of who took the scarecrow!
 
"Where were you at the time of the crime?
It couldn’t be you, so tell us why!
We hope you have a good alibi! "
 
The project opens as a ZIP file which includes:
PDF versions of each level of the project
Power Point versions of each level of the project (with easy-to-use "enter text here" boxes for easy online submission). Compatible with Google Drive/Google Classroom. Now including direct links to Google Slides versions of the project!
Directions for Digital Use
Answer keys for every page!
 
I hope you enjoy this engaging Fall math mystery project!
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About the Author
Melanie Doppler--Math Coach Connection taught in a 3rd and 4th grade multi-age classroom in a Title 1 public school in Wisconsin for 3 years, 5th grade math and science for 2 years in a public school in Tennessee, and spent 1 1/2 years as a math coach. She has her BS in Elementary Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is committed to creating fun and creative products that are differentiated and aligned to the math content standards!
 
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