Welcome to Mystery Box A Social Studies Adventure For Fourth Grade Classrooms

Make Learning about Wisconsin Communities Fun!

Getting Started Begin by having the students do some research. You can go online...

or use the more old fashioned approach.

Then What? Brainstorm! List all kinds of things that the students think of about your area. These will become clues for your Mystery Box.

And Then...

It’s Time to Choose! Students pick which clue(s) they want to work on. Some may choose more than one, and that’s just fine.

Some Things to Keep in Mind 1.You will have 25 clues about your city. 2.The first clues should be very general. ~ For example, your first clue might be your region of the state. 3. Remember, your clues will be in the form of puzzles, math problems, or hands on activities. Here are some examples:

A Couple of General Clues

As Clue Numbers Go Up, Clues Become More Specific

There are All Kinds of Clues This one invites the student to solve a long math problem.

Some Students make Models

Others Construct Puzzles

Sometimes Real Items are Used

Whatever kind of clue is made, the students are involved and focused.

Final Clues are Specific This one gives the zip code.

What Happens when the Clues are Done? A folder is made for the teacher of the class who is receiving the box. It has ALL THE ANSWERS.

Sometimes it’s fun to share your box with the rest of the school or even your parents.

Then it’s time to pack your box.

Where Does the Box Go? Your box gets mailed to the school whose name has been provided to you. You will receive a box from that school. Then your students get to solve the clues in that box to discover where it came from. Get ready for lots of excitement when the box arrives!

Do We Get our Box Back? You can request the return of your box. You’ll also get some neat feedback from the school who received it.

Questions? You can contact Cathy Stowers at or by calling her at TIMELINE Work on your box as long as you want, but have it ready to exchange by April 1 st.

Have Fun!