Case File Passage Case #042-MOUSE
Case File: Barnaby
The Case of the Missing Classroom Mouse
Detective Name:
Date:
The Incident Report
Barnaby is the Grade 5 class mouse mouse. He has soft brown fur and loves running on his wheel. But on Friday afternoon, during the last week of school, Barnaby went missing! His cage door unlocked was left wide open. The Grade 5 students are very sad and worried about their friend.
We need your help to solve this mystery! Read the clues clues found in the classroom. Match the clues with the suspect files below to find who took Barnaby and why!
The Three Suspects
1. Mr. Finch (The School Janitor)
Suspect #1
Job: Cleans classrooms 🧹
Shoes: Shiny black boots 🥾
Time: In classroom at 3:00 PM
Snack: Crunchy carrots 🥕
⚠️ Allergy Note: Mr. Finch has a severe allergy to sunflower seeds!
2. Maya (The Class President)
Suspect #2
Job: Waters classroom plants 🌱
Bag: Bright yellow backpack 🎒
Time: In classroom at 3:15 PM
Snack: Cheese crackers 🧀
✨ Craft Habit: Maya loves crafts and leaves yellow glitter wherever she goes!
3. Leo (Science Club Leader)
Suspect #3
Job: Feeds club plants 🌿
Hat: Red cap backwards 🧢
Time: In classroom at 3:30 PM
Snack: Sunflower seeds 🌻
🔧 Tool Habit: Leo always carries a tiny silver wrench for building cages!
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Mystery Clues Board Evidence Room
Mystery Clues Board
Solve the 5 Clues to Find the Culprit
Detective Name:
Date:
Evidence Item #1
The Leftover Snack
A small pile of sunflower seeds 🌻 was found on the classroom floor right next to the empty cage.
💡 Match Tip: Check the suspects! Who loves this snack? Who has a severe allergy to it?
Evidence Item #2
The Shiny Tool
The detective found a tiny silver wrench 🔧 lying on top of the classroom bookshelf.
💡 Match Tip: Check the habits! Who always carries a tiny silver wrench in their pocket?
Evidence Item #3
The Whiteboard Note
A dry-erase note left on the whiteboard says: "Barnaby was safe in his cage at 3:20 PM."
💡 Match Tip: Compare the times! Who visited the classroom AFTER 3:20 PM?
Evidence Item #4
The Red Cap Sight
The school secretary saw someone wearing a red cap 🧢 running down the hallway with a happy smile.
💡 Match Tip: Check the accessories! Who wears a red cap backwards at school?
Evidence Item #5
The Dust Footprint
The detective found a dusty sneaker print 👟 with star shapes on the bottom near the classroom door. It was not a heavy work boot or a flat canvas shoe.
💡 Match Tip: Look at the shoe details in the profiles. Who was wearing sneakers to school?
Detective Mission: Use these clues to fill out your Suspect Note-Taking Sheet . Check off which clues point to or away from each suspect.
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Suspect Note Sheet Worksheet
Suspect Note Sheet
Organize Your Evidence and Eliminate Suspects
Detective Name:
Date:
How to solve: Look at each clue on the Clues Board. Compare it to the suspect files. Under each clue column, write a ✔ (YES) if the clue fits that suspect, or an ✘ (NO) if the clue does not fit them or rules them out!
| Suspect Name | Clue #1
🌻 Seeds | Clue #2
🔧 Wrench | Clue #3
🕒 Time | Clue #4
🧢 Red Cap | Clue #5
👟 Sneaker |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mr. Finch
School Janitor |
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| Maya
Class President |
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| Leo
Science Leader |
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Suspect Elimination Check
Mr. Finch: Did he do it? Why or why not?
Innocent Guilty
Maya: Did she do it? Why or why not?
Innocent Guilty
Leo: Did he do it? Why or why not?
Innocent Guilty
My Primary Suspect
Based on my detective notes, the main suspect who has ALL 5 clues pointing to them is:
💡 Next Step: Open your Detective Report worksheet. Write a final paragraph explaining your evidence to the Grade 5 class!
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Detective Report Worksheet Case File Report
Detective Report
Write Your Final Mystery Solution Paragraph
Detective Name:
Date:
Word Bank
🐹 Barnaby
🔍 evidence
🕵️ suspect
🌻 seeds
🔧 wrench
👟 sneaker
🧢 red cap
🚪 cage
Sentence Starters
I believe the person who took Barnaby is Leo because...
First, the clue about the sunflower seeds shows...
Second, the detective found a tiny wrench which...
Also, the school secretary saw someone wearing a red cap ...
In conclusion, the sneaker print proves...
My Final Report Paragraph
Write neat sentences using your word bank!
1
2
3
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5
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7
8
Detective Self-Check:
Named the suspect Used 2 clues as evidence Used capital letters & periods
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Final Verdict Sheet Verdict Room
Final Verdict
Cast Your Vote and Reveal the Solution
Detective Name:
Date:
Official Detective Ballot
It is time to make your final choice. Check the circle of the suspect you believe taken Barnaby.
Mr. Finch
School Janitor
Maya
Class President
Leo
Science Leader
✂️ Fold or Cover Here for Reveal
Who Did It? The Real Story
The Culprit is: Leo!
Science Club Leader
But wait! Leo is not a bad guy! He loves Barnaby the mouse very much. Leo had been working for weeks in the school Science Club to build a massive, handmade Luxury Mouse Mansion 🏰 . It has five slides, a double-sized wheel, and a climbing ropes course!
Because it was the last week of school, Leo wanted to surprise the Grade 5 class on Monday morning with the amazing new mansion. He took Barnaby home on Friday afternoon to test out the slides and make sure Barnaby liked his brand-new summer house!
✔ Wrench: He used it to tighten the wheel on the new mansion.
✔ Sunflower Seeds: He gave Barnaby a yummy snack for the trip.
✔ Red Cap: He was spotted smiling because he was so excited!
✔ Time: He arrived at 3:30 PM, right after the last class note.
🎉 Case Solved! Barnaby is safe and happy in his awesome new home! 🎉
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Map Case Passage File #884-TREASURE
Case File: Lost Map
The Mystery of the Missing Pirate Map
Sleuth Name:
Date:
The Incident Report
The school library had a beautiful vintage treasure map map. It showed where a chest of chocolate gold coins was hidden for the end-of-year game! But on Friday morning, the locked display cabinet cabinet was found completely empty. The map was gone!
Class detectives, we must solve this before recess! Solve the 5 treasure clues clues to find who took the map and bring our end-of-the-year game back!
The Three Map Suspects
1. Coach Vance (The Gym Teacher)
Suspect #1
Job: Prepares gym cones 🚥
Outfit: Neon orange vest 🦺
Time: In library at 10:00 AM
Snack: Salty popcorn 🍿
✏️ Marker Habit: He writes on playboards and always drops green markers!
2. Ms. Gable (The Art Teacher)
Suspect #2
Job: Returns painting books 📚
Outfit: Splattered denim apron 🎽
Time: In library at 10:15 AM
Snack: Sweet apple slices 🍎
🎨 Paint Habit: Ms. Gable always leaves blue paint splatters wherever she walks!
3. Captain Bill (The Bus Driver)
Suspect #3
Job: Dusts library cases 🧹
Hat: Blue Captain's hat ⚓
Time: In library at 10:30 AM
Snack: Salty pretzels 🥨
🧭 Sailor Habit: Captain Bill always carries a shiny brass pocket compass!
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Map Clues Board Evidence Room
Map Clues Board
Solve the 5 Map Clues to Find the Culprit
Detective Name:
Date:
Evidence Item #1
The Leftover Snack
A small pile of crunchy salty pretzels 🥨 was found on the library counter near the empty map case.
💡 Match Tip: Look at the snacks! Who loves eating pretzels during work?
Evidence Item #2
The Lost Tool
The detective found a shiny brass pocket compass 🧭 lying right next to the empty map cabinet.
💡 Match Tip: Check the habits! Who always carries a pocket compass with them?
Evidence Item #3
The Librarian's Log
The librarian wrote a log entry: "The treasure map was still inside the glass cabinet at 10:20 AM."
💡 Match Tip: Compare times! Which suspect entered the library AFTER 10:20 AM?
Evidence Item #4
The Blue Hat Sight
A library helper saw someone wearing a blue Captain's hat ⚓ walking toward the playground carrying a rolled-up paper.
💡 Match Tip: Check the hats! Who wears a blue Captain's hat to work?
Evidence Item #5
The Spotless Dust
The dusty floor around the cabinet was checked. There were absolutely no blue paint splatters and no neon orange fibers found on the ground.
💡 Match Tip: Who has blue paint splatters on everything? Who wears a neon orange vest? These suspects are innocent!
Detective Mission: Use these clues to fill out your Suspect Note-Taking Sheet . Check off which clues point to or away from each suspect.
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Suspect Note Sheet Worksheet
Suspect Note Sheet
Organize Your Map Evidence and Eliminate Suspects
Detective Name:
Date:
How to solve: Look at each clue on the Clues Board. Compare it to the suspect files. Under each clue column, write a ✔ (YES) if the clue fits that suspect, or an ✘ (NO) if the clue does not fit them or rules them out!
| Suspect Name | Clue #1
🥨 Pretzels | Clue #2
🧭 Compass | Clue #3
🕒 Time | Clue #4
⚓ Cap Hat | Clue #5
🧹 Spotless |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Coach Vance
Gym Teacher |
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| Ms. Gable
Art Teacher |
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| Captain Bill
Bus Driver |
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Suspect Elimination Check
Coach Vance: Did he do it? Why or why not?
Innocent Guilty
Ms. Gable: Did she do it? Why or why not?
Innocent Guilty
Captain Bill: Did he do it? Why or why not?
Innocent Guilty
My Primary Suspect
Based on my detective notes, the main suspect who has ALL 5 clues pointing to them is:
💡 Next Step: Open your Detective Report worksheet. Write a final paragraph explaining your evidence to the school!
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Detective Report Worksheet Case File Report
Detective Report
Write Your Final Map Mystery Solution Paragraph
Detective Name:
Date:
Word Bank
🗺️ map
🔍 evidence
⚓ Captain
🥨 pretzels
🧭 compass
🧹 dust
🏫 library
🚪 cabinet
Sentence Starters
I believe the person who took the map is Captain Bill because...
First, the clue about the salty pretzels shows...
Second, the detective found a brass compass which...
Also, the library helper saw a blue Captain's hat ...
In conclusion, the spotless dust proves that...
My Final Report Paragraph
Write neat sentences using your word bank!
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Detective Self-Check:
Named the suspect Used 2 clues as evidence Used capital letters & periods
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Final Verdict Sheet Verdict Room
Final Verdict
Cast Your Vote and Reveal the Solution
Detective Name:
Date:
Official Detective Ballot
It is time to make your final choice. Check the circle of the suspect you believe taken the treasure map.
Coach Vance
Gym Teacher
Ms. Gable
Art Teacher
Captain Bill
Bus Driver
⚓ Fold or Cover Here for Reveal
Who Did It? The Real Story
The Culprit is: Captain Bill!
Bus Driver & Volunteer Sailor
But guess what? Captain Bill didn't steal it! He noticed that the librarian had accidentally locked the real treasure map backwards inside the glass case, which hid the secret clues on the back!
He took it to his bus-driver workshop at 10:30 AM to mount it on a beautiful wooden scroll frame with spinning brass hinges. This way, the students could easily flip it over on the playground and see both sides! He was just about to bring it out to surprise the Grade 5 class!
✔ Pretzels: He enjoyed a salty snack while working on the scrolls.
✔ Compass: He used it to align the map with the true North!
✔ Captain Hat: He wore his lucky hat while walking to the field.
✔ Time: He arrived at 10:30 AM, right after the last safe log.
⚓ Case Solved! Captain Bill's fancy map frame made the hunt a huge success! ⚓
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Case File Passage File #902-MOBILE
Case File: Lost Phone
The Mystery of the Missing Gold Cell Phone
Detective Name:
Date:
The Incident Report
Mrs. Daniels (the Grade 5 teacher) has a shiny gold cell phone phone. It is very important! But on Friday morning, right before the school's exciting Masked Singer assembly , her phone disappeared from her desk desk. It was completely gone!
Tech detectives, we must solve this before the weekend! Read the 5 phone clues clues found in her classroom. Match them with the suspect profiles below to find where the phone is!
The Three Suspects
1. Mr. Henderson (Music Teacher)
Suspect #1
Job: Borrows stage mic 🎤
Outfit: Green silk bow tie 👔
Time: In classroom at 9:00 AM
Snack: Blue lollipops 🍭
🍬 Candy Habit: Mr. Henderson always leaves sticky blue wrappers behind!
2. Ava (The Tech Helper Student)
Suspect #2
Job: Drops off school tablet 📱
Outfit: Purple headband 🎀
Time: In classroom at 9:15 AM
Snack: Salted peanuts 🥜
🔑 Key Habit: Ava carries a loud ring of colorful keychains on her hip!
3. Chef Martinez (Cafeteria Manager)
Suspect #3
Job: Drops off lunch menu 📝
Outfit: Tall white chef hat 🧑🍳
Time: In classroom at 9:30 AM
Snack: Fresh strawberries 🍓
🌾 Flour Habit: Chef Martinez leaves white flour on everything she touches!
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Mystery Clues Board Evidence Room
Phone Clues Board
Solve the 5 Phone Clues to Find the Culprit
Detective Name:
Date:
Evidence Item #1
The Leftover Snack
The detective found a small pile of crunchy salted peanuts 🥜 lying on the desk.
💡 Match Tip: Look at the snacks! Which suspect loves to eat salted peanuts?
Evidence Item #2
The Jingle Sound
The school secretary heard a loud "jingle-jangle" sound of metal keys outside Mrs. Daniels' office door.
💡 Match Tip: Check the habits! Which suspect always carries a loud ring of keychains?
Evidence Item #3
The Watch Log
Mrs. Daniels' smart watch logged: "The cell phone disconnected from watch at 9:20 AM."
💡 Match Tip: Compare times! Which suspect was in the office at 9:15 AM (closest to 9:20)?
Evidence Item #4
The Hair Band
Under Mrs. Daniels' desk, the detective found a small, lost purple headband 🎀 on the carpet.
💡 Match Tip: Check outfits! Which suspect wears a purple headband to school?
Evidence Item #5
The Spotless Desktop
The desk was checked. There were absolutely no sticky blue wrappers and no dusty white flour anywhere on the surface.
💡 Match Tip: Who leaves blue candy wrappers? Who leaves white flour? These suspects are innocent!
Detective Mission: Use these clues to fill out your Suspect Note-Taking Sheet . Check off which clues point to or away from each suspect.
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Suspect Note Sheet Worksheet
Suspect Note Sheet
Organize Your Phone Evidence and Eliminate Suspects
Detective Name:
Date:
How to solve: Look at each clue on the Clues Board. Compare it to the suspect files. Under each clue column, write a ✔ (YES) if the clue fits that suspect, or an ✘ (NO) if the clue does not fit them or rules them out!
| Suspect Name | Clue #1
🥜 Peanuts | Clue #2
🔑 Jingle | Clue #3
🕒 Time | Clue #4
🎀 Headband | Clue #5
🧹 Spotless |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Mr. Henderson
Music Teacher |
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| Ava
Tech Helper |
|
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| Chef Martinez
Cafeteria Manager |
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Suspect Elimination Check
Mr. Henderson: Did he do it? Why or why not?
Innocent Guilty
Ava: Did she do it? Why or why not?
Innocent Guilty
Chef Martinez: Did she do it? Why or why not?
Innocent Guilty
My Primary Suspect
Based on my detective notes, the main suspect who has ALL 5 clues pointing to them is:
💡 Next Step: Open your Detective Report worksheet. Write a final paragraph explaining your evidence to the school!
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Detective Report Worksheet Case File Report
Detective Report
Write Your Final Phone Mystery Solution Paragraph
Detective Name:
Date:
Word Bank
📱 phone
🔍 evidence
👩 Ava
🥜 peanuts
🔑 keychain
🎀 headband
🏫 office
🔋 charger
Sentence Starters
I believe the person who took the phone is Ava because...
First, the clue about the peanuts shows...
Second, the detective found a purple headband which...
Also, the office secretary heard the sound of keychains ...
In conclusion, the spotless desktop proves that...
My Final Report Paragraph
Write neat sentences using your word bank!
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Detective Self-Check:
Named the suspect Used 2 clues as evidence Used capital letters & periods
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack
Final Verdict Sheet Verdict Room
Final Verdict
Cast Your Vote and Reveal the Solution
Detective Name:
Date:
Official Detective Ballot
It is time to make your final choice. Check the circle of the suspect you believe has Mrs. Daniels' phone.
Mr. Henderson
Music Teacher
Ava
Tech Helper
Chef Martinez
Cafeteria Manager
🔌 Fold or Cover Here for Reveal
Who Did It? The Real Story
The Culprit is: Ava!
Student Tech Helper
But wait! Ava didn't steal it! Ava is a helpful student tech helper. She noticed that her teacher Mrs. Daniels' phone battery was at 5% battery and about to die right before her big Masked Singer assembly !
She took the phone at 9:15 AM to plug it into the high-speed "Super Charger" in the Tech Lab. This way, Mrs. Daniels would have a fully charged phone for her busy event! She was just on her way back to the Grade 5 classroom to surprise her!
✔ Peanuts: Ava snacked on peanuts while organizing chargers.
✔ Keychains: Her ring of keys jangled loudly in the hallway.
✔ Headband: Her headband slipped off when reaching under the desk.
✔ Time: She came in at 9:15 AM, just before the connection lost.
🔋 Case Solved! Ava's helpful charging surprise saved the teacher's day! 🔋
Grade 3 Reading Level • Detective Mystery Lesson Pack