Stem and Leaf Plots | Math Mystery Worksheets | Grades 4–6 | Median Mode Range

Stem and leaf plots become a case file students actually want to open — each page is one mystery and one plot. Students read the plot, write each answer in the box beside it, match that answer to a suspect's number, and cross suspects off until one is left standing. This no-prep, printable, self-checking Math Mystery keeps 4th, 5th, and 6th graders engaged and works for math centers, morning work, homework, early finishers, substitute/relief days, indoor recess, spiral review, and test prep. The early cases read the plot straight; the later ones add mode and median.

Quick Details

Skill: Reading stem and leaf plots · Grades: 4–6 · Format: 10 mysteries + full answer keys (printable PDF) · Theme: School detective

The 10 Mysteries

The Reading Log — Every student wrote down the minutes they read last night, and then the log book vanished.

The Ticket Stall Job — Every stall at the fair recorded its ticket sales on one plot, and overnight the takings went missing.

The Spelling Scores — The whole class sat the spelling test and every score went onto the plot, but the mark book has been taken.

The Fun Run File — Every runner's time was recorded on this plot, and then the finish sheet was stolen.

The Bird Count Case — The nature club counted the birds at the feeder for weeks, and now the whole count book is gone.

The Bike Ride File — Every rider logged the minutes they rode this week, and now the club diary has disappeared.

The Plant Pot Puzzle — The class measured every seedling and plotted the heights, then somebody swapped all the labels.

The Rock Pool Count — The beach club counted the crabs every day of the survey, and then the survey book vanished.

The Bus Route Riddle — Every bus counted its riders onto one plot, but the depot log is gone.

The Jigsaw Box Case — Every jigsaw box in the cupboard was counted and plotted, and then somebody muddled the whole cupboard up.

Why Teachers Love It

Zero prep — print and teach. The built-in answer keys make every case self-checking, so students get instant feedback and stay motivated. The detective hook pulls in reluctant and struggling learners, and because the cases climb from plain plot-reading to mode and median, one pack differentiates across a whole week.

Skills Covered

Reading stem and leaf plots, using the key, rebuilding the original values from stems and leaves, finding the least and greatest value, range, mode and median — plus logical reasoning and deductive elimination as students rule suspects out clue by clue.

What's Included

Printable one-page mystery worksheets, a stem and leaf plot on every case, suspect line-ups, complete answer keys with the villain marked, and student instructions — all in one PDF.

Best Used For

Stem and leaf plot and data analysis practice in math centers, morning work, homework, early finishers, substitute/relief days, indoor recess, spiral review, and test prep for grades 4–6.

More From This Line

Browse every Math Mystery pack, or keep the data unit running with Box Plots and Histograms.