What is it?

Looking for Illustrative Math® unit reviews that are as engaging as they are effective?

This Grade 5, Units 1-7 Math Mystery Bundle is the perfect way to prep students for their Grade 5 IM End-of-Unit Assessments. Aligned to Illustrative Mathematics standards, these activities turn test prep into a code-cracking adventure! Students review key concepts from the various units while solving clues to catch the mystery culprit.

It’s a fun, memorable way to reinforce unit objectives without the stress- getting your class assessment-ready and fully engaged!

✨ 4 Reasons Teachers Love Our Math Mysteries:

Teachers choose this Math Mystery because it’s the best of both worlds: engaging for students and low-prep for teachers. Here’s why it works:

❤️ Genuinely fun for students- So they stay engaged for 2-3 hours, mastering math concepts without realizing they’re studying.

❤️ Easy on prep time- Comes with a complete answer key so you can check work in no time.

❤️ Rigorous review of core skills- Ensuring your students truly understand the material, not just memorize test answers.

❤️ Proven engagement factor- Students stay motivated and excited to solve the mystery, making review time feel like playtime.

What Do Teachers Say About Our Math Mysteries?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My students loved doing this as a review activity. They wanted to keep going during recess time."

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Awesome product to review for the assessment. Kids were engaged and had fun!"

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "My students LOVED doing this during one of their math station rotations. They could not wait until the last day to find out who the culprit was. They were completely engaged in this activity. It was so great! The best part is they were practicing their math skills right before a test. So awesome!"

What's included?

✅ Full unit coverage: All Grade 5 Math Mysteries from Units 1–7.

✅ Easy alignment: Each page matches a Section from the IM® curriculum.

✅ Built-in challenge: Extra word problems modeled on the End-of-Unit Assessments.

✅ Teacher-friendly: Comes with a quick-start instruction sheet.

✅ Fast grading: Includes complete answer keys.

✅ Printer-ready: Black & white versions are included.

✅ Motivating finish: Student certificates for completing the case.

✅ Story-led engagement: Comic strips introduce each mystery’s plot.

Find the titles for each unit below:

Unit 1- Mystery of the Ghostly Gamer

Unit 2- Mystery of the Missing Music

Unit 3- Mystery of the Medieval Knight

Unit 4: Mystery of the Nervous Ninja

Unit 5: Mystery of the Pizza Pilferer

Unit 6: Mystery of the Peanut Butter Painting

Unit 7: Mystery of the Barnyard Beauty Pageant

We recommend giving 90-120 minutes or assigning these activities as week-long homework assignments during the lead-up to the End-of-Unit-Assessment.

**We highly recommend encouraging students to complete the Challenge Question for each pack to best prepare them for the assessment's word problems.**

To save paper and ink, we recommend only printing the necessary pages.

Please note that the contents of this packet are not for distribution without the author's permission. Good luck to your student detectives in breaking the code!

Disclaimer: This resource is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Illustrative Mathematics®. It is an independent tool created to support educators who use the IM® curriculum. Illustrative Mathematics® is a registered trademark of Illustrative Mathematics. All curriculum content referenced remains the property of its respective owners. You can access the curriculum for free at https://www.openupresources.org.