32. 2nd Grade: Mystery Writing

Hi all! My name is Priscila!

Today we will be using mystery bags to make us better writers. I love anything that involves mysteries! I hope that I can share my interests with you throughout this blog while we master our writing skills. 

The goal of this activity is to help students create an informative/ explanatory text with a topic sentence, developing points, and concluding statements. Moreover, this is a great activity to introduce students to much more extensive writing pieces like essays. Not to forget, mystery bags are a fun way to keep students engaged!

This will meet the Arizona Common Core standard (2.W.2), by teaching students to write informative/explanatory texts in which they introduce a topic, use facts and definitions to develop points, and provide a concluding statement or section.

What you will need:

● Provided template 

● Piece of cardboard 

● Clear tape 

● Glue 

● Scissors 

● String/yarn ● Pencil

· Lunch bags (2)

·   Blank Piece of paper

·   Tape 

·   Markers/ pencils

·   Scissors

·   Household items that can fit in lunch bags (I have hand sanitizer and a tooth brush for mine!)

Directions:

1. We will start by setting up the mystery bags. Ask an adult to find two household items that can fit inside the lunch bag. 

2. Have them place the items in each bag. Make sure not to peek (it’s a mystery remember!). 

3. Label the lunch bags.

4. Once the setup is complete, open one of the mystery bags and take the item out.

5. Grab your piece of paper and write down the name of the object and a topic sentence. Here is an example:

6. Now, figure out the uses or benefits of this item and write two supporting sentences.

7. Lastly, finish off your paragraph with a concluding sentence. This sentence should summarize what you previously wrote.

8. Repeat this process with the remaining bag until you have two paragraphs.

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By the end of this blog, students should feel more confident writing texts that follow paragraph structure and syntax!

I had so much fun creating this activity and I hope your student did too! Make sure to follow our Pinterest page, “America Reads at ASU-Parent and Family Learning Activities.” Also, be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel at “ASU America Reads” for more fun and engaging content!