Critical Thinking Mystery: Secret Recipe Clue by Clue

This printable mystery activity with a winter/holiday season theme, designed for ELA or TESOL class, encourages critical thinking, reading skills, and discussion by having students solve a mystery: Who killed the daughter of the owner of a famous hot chocolate company? Was it her father who hates her party lifestyle? The CEO of a rival company? Or maybe the guard who squealed on her?

Working in small groups, students are given a series of clues one at a time. They must read carefully, think about the significance of the clue and how it fits with what they already know. Then they discuss their opinions, using tons of useful language in the process. Another clue is revealed, and the whole process starts again. Once students have all the clues, they have everything they need to solve the crime.

This activity is perfect for a warm-up, critical thinking practice, or filler activity. Teachers use them to teach inference skills, close reading, or to introduce a unit on crime!

The Secret Recipe Clue by Clue is designed for 7th-10th grade, but even university students or young adults might find the game engaging. It’s designed to take 45 minutes, but the length varies depending on how fast your students process clues.

Inside find:

• Teacher Notes on how to use the clues, including suggested warm-ups.
• The situation, to be printed and given to students
• 15 Clues to be printed to be given to students in groups one by one.
• Hints in the form of guiding questions to help students figure out what happened.
• The Solution: Students are not left hanging. There is a clear solution that follows from the clues.
• Extension Questions: (optional) to extend the activity about companies who advertise secret recipes.

I promise this activity will be a new favorite of your students!