Build teamwork, problem solving skills, and critical thinking in your classroom through this engaging fall & pumpkin themed breakout activity! This activity incorporates math, language arts, reading and science skills to uncover the "Mystery of the Smashed Pumpkins!"

In this engaging activity, students are given a newspaper article explaining what is going on at their school! They then work through 6 different activities to find clues. Each clue is a different letter. Once students find all of the letter clues, they need to scramble the letters to find the final message. The final message will lead them to the "pumpkin smashing culprits".

This activity allows you to come up with your own final message or use the one included. It can be differentiated to included a variety of student grouping options. This product includes 6 different activities. Each with: a manilla folder cover, student directions, and student recording sheet. An anchor chart heading is also included to help create an anchor chart that students will use to organize their letter clues.

Materials Needed:
1. Breakout Boxes ( A shoe box with locks works just fine!)
2. Blacklight Marker and Flashlight ( Optional)
3. Fake or Real Pumpkin
4. QR Reader

Activities Included:
1. ABC Order
2. Basic Order of Operations Number Line Activity
3. Blacklight Puzzle - problem solving
4. Text Message - Error Analysis, find the error in the text
5. Pumpkin Vocabulary - Parts of Speech Sort
6. Pumpkin Life Cycle - Sequencing

Head over to Blog Post to read about the activity in my classroom! Just copy the link below!