Place Value CSI Mystery Worksheets
Grades 2–4 · Place Value Bandit in the Classroom
Instant PDF download after checkout. Prefer TPT? It's there too.
Inside the case file
Place value, ordering and comparing numbers for 2nd grade, 3rd grade and 4th grade: the Place Value Bandit has been through the classroom overnight and moved every digit, and this CSI Mystery Detective case is how students catch the thief. Nothing on the walls adds up, so students order three-digit and four-digit numbers from smallest to biggest, compare pairs to find the greater, and read off letters that spell the culprit's name. It plays like a paper-based math escape room for January, with CSI math worksheets in color and black and white plus answer keys. Checking worked answers for errors and a word puzzle that only resolves when the ordering is right close the mystery.
The Case: The Place Value Bandit in the Classroom
Someone has been through the classroom overnight and moved every digit. Small numbers are now bigger than large ones, decimal points have wandered, and nothing on the walls adds up any more. The Place Value Bandit has been and gone, and the only way to work out who it was is to put the numbers back in the right order and read what they spell.
What's Inside
- Ordering numbers from smallest to biggest, then reading a letter off each line
- Comparing two numbers on a seesaw to decide which is greater
- Place value problems with three-digit and four-digit numbers
- Checking worked answers for errors and tallying which are correct
- A word rearrangement puzzle that only resolves if the ordering is right
- Full color and black-and-white versions of every page
- Answer keys for the whole case
What Is a CSI Mystery Detective Case?
A CSI Mystery Detective case is a printable investigation your class closes with math. Each correct answer eliminates one suspect from the line-up, and the case ends when a single name is left. It behaves like a math escape room minus the locks, the app and the setup - you print it and hand it out. What separates detective activities from a stack of math worksheets is that the arithmetic has consequences, so students check their own before handing it in. It carries a whole math activity, a center rotation, or a sub plan.
When to Use This Resource
- Place value review before or after a unit test
- Back-to-school weeks and end of year review
- Math centers, early finishers and independent work
- Emergency sub plans that run themselves
- Whole-class detective sessions, small groups or partner work
Grade Levels
Built for 2nd grade, 3rd grade and 4th grade. Second graders usually work the four-digit pages in pairs; third and fourth graders can run the case independently. It also gives 5th grade students who need place value review something worth doing.
Why Teachers Love CSI Mystery Detective Cases
- Zero prep - print and hand out
- Self-checking by design, because a wrong answer breaks the deduction
- Place value practice with a reason to be accurate
- Works as a whole lesson, a center, or a filler for an awkward afternoon
Love this resource?
Follow Kiwiland Education for new detective cases, seasonal math activities and updates on discounts and new releases.
