Figurative Language
ELA Mystery Worksheets · Grades 3–6 · The Case of the Figurative Thief
Instant PDF download after checkout. Prefer TPT? It's there too.
Inside the case file
Someone has been stealing the figurative language right out of the school's stories. This printable Figurative Language ELA Mystery turns simile-and-metaphor practice into a Scoot-style detective investigation for Grades 3–6 classroom teachers, homeschoolers, and tutors. It drops straight into an ELA, poetry, or back-to-school lesson and keeps students thinking for a reason.
Students travel from card to card, identify each type of figurative language, use their answers to eliminate suspects from the line-up, and race to catch the Figurative Thief — all while sharpening a key reading skill. No apps, no prep, no fuss.
Quick Details
Grade Levels: Grades 3–6
Format: Printable PDF Scoot task cards (black-and-white)
Resource Type: ELA Mystery Scoot game / task cards
ELA Skills: Figurative language — similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, idioms
Tech Needed: None — no apps, locks, passwords, or student logins required
The Case
The Figurative Thief has been slipping through the school, stealing the similes and metaphors out of every story. Investigators have rounded up a line-up of suspects, but it's up to your students to uncover the truth. The only way to crack the case is to read closely: every figurative-language answer is a clue that rules another suspect out, until just one remains.
How the ELA Mystery Works
Your students become Reading Detectives. Scoot-style, they move from card to card, name the figurative language in each example, and record their answers to gather evidence. Each correct answer eliminates a suspect from the line-up, and the list shrinks until only the Figurative Thief remains.
What's Included
- A mystery introduction that sets the scene and the mission
- Figurative language Scoot task cards (similes, metaphors, personification, hyperbole, idioms)
- A student recording sheet for eliminating suspects and recording answers
- A full answer key
- Black-and-white print-and-go PDF format
Skills Covered
- Identifying figurative language
- Similes, metaphors, and personification
- Hyperbole and idioms
- Reading comprehension and critical thinking
Best Used For
- Figurative language practice and review
- Back-to-school ELA activities
- Literacy centers, early finishers, sub plans, and small groups
- Homeschool ELA
