Christmas Around the World

Inside the case file

Travel the world without leaving the classroom. This printable Christmas Around the World Reading Mystery turns a nonfiction passage comparing holiday traditions in Mexico, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Sweden, and Brazil into a reading-detective investigation for Grades 3–6 classroom teachers, homeschoolers, and tutors. It drops straight into a December literacy or culture lesson and gives students a real reason to read closely.

With every correct answer another suspect is cleared, so close reading — not guessing — is what solves the case. Print and go.

Quick Details

Grade Levels: Grades 3–6
Format: Printable PDF
Resource Type: Reading Mystery worksheets
Reading Skills: Nonfiction comprehension, text evidence, compare and contrast, main idea, and inference
Tech Needed: None — no apps, locks, passwords, or student logins required

The Case

A festive mystery has the holidays on hold, and a line-up of suspects is waiting. The only way to crack the case is to read closely about how Christmas is celebrated in Mexico, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Sweden, and Brazil — every comprehension answer is a clue that rules another suspect out, until just one remains.

How the Reading Mystery Works

Reading Detectives read about Christmas around the world, gather evidence from the passage, and eliminate a suspect with each answer until only the culprit stands.

What's Included

• A "You are a detective" case-file page that sets the scene and the mission
• An engaging 2-page passage comparing Christmas traditions in Mexico, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Sweden, and Brazil
• 15 multiple-choice comprehension questions (all answers found in the text)
• Open-ended response questions
• A suspect line-up page for eliminating suspects one clue at a time
• A word find and extension activities for early finishers
• Print-and-go PDF format

Skills Covered

• Reading and understanding nonfiction informational text
• Finding and using text evidence
• Comparing and contrasting across a text
• Identifying main idea and supporting details
• Vocabulary in context
• Logic, reasoning, and critical thinking

Best Used For

• December and Christmas literacy lessons
• Cultures and world geography studies
• Nonfiction reading comprehension practice
• Reading centers, early finishers, sub plans, and small groups
• Homeschool reading