Using ELA Mysteries in the Classroom

Have you ever struggled to get students pumped up for ELA activities? Have you ever tried using an ELA Mystery in your classroom? I know I have worked and worked on different activities and found my students finish them too fast. Other times, my students simply can’t do the ELA activity because it is just too difficult or complicated. Finding engaging ELA activities that are also rigorous while still completely doable as an independent activity can be difficult. That’s why engaging ELA activities like the ELA Mystery Activities are a must-have for every English teacher! 

What is an ELA Mystery?

An ELA Mystery is an engaging activity that tests students ability in terms of ordering events, comprehension, context clues, and of course the ever important and hard to assess in a fun way, grammar. Once you use an ELA Mystery Activity, you’ll be hooked and so will your students! You can find these activities at English, Oh My! 

How to Use These ELA Mysteries

Usually when we think of an activity being engaging, we think it needs to be engaging on an individual level so students stay silent. However, the Mystery ELA activities are great for several different activities in your classroom. 

Collaborative Efforts 

Engaging ELA activities often start with students getting to work together. I like allowing students to collaborate on the ELA Mystery activities because they can learn from each other and talk through some of the problems. Now, I will say, if this is how you choose to use your ELA Mysteries in your classroom, you’ll want to make sure you set some expectations. 

For example, in the grammar section, it can be easy for one student in the group to just tell their partner their answer. To combat this, I make sure I am always circulating around the room while my students are working on these activities. Plus, I make sure there is a writer and a reporter. So, if you use this as a classroom discussion, the reporter has to be able to explain their way through the answer. This tends to combat some of the issues of one person doing all of the work. 

Review the Basics 

Another way you can use ELA Mysteries is as a class activity. When you do this, you’ll want to make sure you’re doing it to review and not so much to teach. This is a great way to use the ELA Mystery the first time because you’re teaching students how to do the activities. Then, when they get to do it on their own, they’ll be able to do it with few problems. 

A great way to use the ELA Mysteries as an engaging ELA activity for the full class is to exercise the I Do, We Do, You Do method. This helps make sure students are still doing some independent work. 

Assess Student Knowledge 

Now, you can use these engaging ELA activities in groups/partners, as a whole class, or as an individual activity. When you use these activities as an individual activity, you are giving your students an informal assessment. The main reason I love using these as an informal assessment is they are fun! Because these are fun activities, students don’t feel so much stress or pressure to be right. Therefore, you are getting more authentic work and you can see which area students need the most help with. 

What are Waiting For? 

When you check these engaging ELA activities out, you’ll see there are several mysteries to choose from. What does this mean? You’re covered with fun for several times of the year including: 

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• March with March Madness
• February with Valentine’s Day 
• The Fall with Football 
• Spring with the Missing Seed Truck 

Now of course you can use all of these at any time. However, it can be nice to do with the time of year. Make sure you check out all of my ELA Mystery Activities on English, Oh My! You and your students are sure to love them!