150 New Esti-Mysteries

EM 346

This school year, I’m creating 150 brand new Esti-Mysteries.  I’ll be posting a new one nearly every day for the rest of the school year – just like last year.  This is my way of sharing math joy with you all year long!  Prepare for math joy and rich math talk in your classroom as your students work with many concepts, estimation, and a sense of mystery!

 

For more information, see the FAQs at the bottom of this post.

 

Esti-Mystery  – and Estimation Clipboard – Posting Schedule

Mondays

  • Estimation Clipboard (All Grade Levels)  will be posted here.

Tuesdays

  • Esti-Mystery (Kindergarten)
  • Esti-Mystery – Level 100 – (Grades 1-2)
  • Esti-Mystery – Level 300 – (Grades 3-8)

Wednesdays

  • Esti-Mystery Level 200 – (Grades 1-3)

Thursdays

  • Esti-Mystery – Level 400 – (Grades 4-12)

 

 

NEW THIS WEEK!

Monday, May 23

New Estimation Clipboards can be found here(All Grade Levels)

 

Tuesday, May 24

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 57  –  “Blue and White Discs”

EM 57

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 174  –  “Disc-a-Mystery”

EM 174

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 373  –  “One Number is One-Fourth of Another”

EM 373

 

 

Wednesday, May 25

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 268  –  “The Vase of Discs”

EM 268

 

 

Thursday, May 26

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 437 UPDATED  –  “Five and a Half Times Greater”

EM 437 updated

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

How to Download the Esti-Mysteries

Q:  How do I get the Esti-Mysteries?

A:  Simply click on the BLUE download link that is the name of the Esti-Mystery.

 

The Google Slides Question

Q:  These are PowerPoint files, but I use Google Slides.  Can I use them?

A:  Yes!  I use them in both PowerPoint and Google Slides.  After you download the PowerPoint file, make a new folder in google drive and save it into that folder.  Then click on the file (I usually right-click it) and the choose “open with” and then Google Slides.  Then just click Present.

 

To Receive Notifications

Q:  How can I find out when new Esti-Mysteries are posted?

A:  Simply sign-up for the mailing list on the blog, and I’ll let you know when new ones are posted.

 

The Clues / The Reveal

Q:  How to I get the clues to appear one by one?

Q:  How do I get the reveal to appear?

A:  Make sure the slide show is playing.  In PowerPoint, click on View Show.  In Google Slides, click on Present.  When it’s playing the clues will appear one at a time, and when you reach the reveal it will appear when you click.

 

The Embedded Charts

Q:  I see that some of these have charts.  Which one do I use?

A:  Each Esti-Mystery comes with 3 versions (3 options) so you can choose the one you want to use.  The first one has no chart.  The second one has a chart that is show so that you can write on it.  The third one has an animated chart that will shade in numbers that have been eliminated by the clues.  Use the one that works best for you.

More Esti-Mysteries…

 

November 1-5, 2021

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 29  –  “Pile of Beads”

EM29

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 146  –  “Cup of Beads”

EM146

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 240  –  “Vase of Beads”

EM240

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 345  –  “Multiple Beads”

EM345

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 409  –  “The Bead Sequence”

EM409

 

 

November 8-12, 2021

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 30  –  “Fruit”

EM 30

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 147  –  “Fruit Cup”

EM 147

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 241  –  “Fruit Glass”

EM 241

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 346  –  “So Many Bananas”  

EM 346

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 410  –  “When the Number 29 Meets Some Fruit”

EM 410

 

 

November 15-19, 2021

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 31  –  “You Can’t See All the Cherries”

Slide2

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 148  –  “Cherry Patterns”

EM 148

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 347  –  “Cherries and Products”

EM 347

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 242  –  “Reach Up High to the Cherries”

EM 242

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 411  –  “Cherry Squared”

EM 411

 

November 22-26, 2021

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 32  –  “Fancy Beads”

EM 32

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 149  –  “The Bead Discussion”

EM 149

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 348  –  “What do you call the dots on the die?”

EM 348

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 243  –  “So Many Bead Patterns”

EM 243

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 412  –  “When Pairs Fade Away”

EM 412

 

November 29 – December 3, 2021

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 33  –  “Plaid Beads” 

EM 33

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 150  –  “The Hidden Die Your Chart Will Turn Plaid” 

EM 150

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 349  –  “That’s the Difference”  

EM 349

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 244  –  “Did You Just Round the Round Beads?”

EM 244

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 413  –  “One-Seventh”

EM 413

 

December 6-10, 2021

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 34  –  “Dice More or Less”

EM 34

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 151  –  “The White Die Counts and Its Holding a Clue” 

EM 151

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 350  –  “Dice Don’t Show Multiples of 9”

EM 350

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 245  –  “The Green Die with 2 Clues”

EM 245

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 414  –  “The Dice Composition”

EM 414

 

December 13-17, 2021

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 35  –  “Bouncy Balls”

EM 35

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 152  –  “Above the Rim”

EM 152

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 351  –  “Bouncing Through Multiples”

EM 351

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 246  –  “Not Tens”

EM 246

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 415  –  “One Less Than a Multiple of 100”

EM 415

 

 

January 3-7, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 36  –  “Shy Ducks”

EM 36

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 153  –  “Duck Duo”

EM 153

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 352  –  “Swimmers” 

EM 352

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 247  –  “Duck Pond”

EM 247

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 416  –  “Triple Ducks”

EM 416

 

 

January 10-14, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 37  –  “Bowling Pins”

EM 37

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 154  –  “Strike”

EM 154

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 353  –  “Sixty Seems Important”

EM 353

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 248  –  “The 7-10 Split”

EM 248

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 417  –  “Pinning Down the Clues”

EM 417

 

 

January 17-21, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 38  –  “Erase-Stars”

EM 38

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 155  –  “Erase the Place”

EM 155

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mysery 354  –  “Erasers are Erasing”

EM 354

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 249  –  “Erase the Five”

EM 249

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 418  –  “What are the Multiples of 23?”

EM 418

 

January 24-28, 2022

Kindergarten:  EM 39  –  “Why Do Those Wrap Around Spools?”

EM 39

 

Grades 1-2:  EM156  –  “Hold the Spool”

EM 156

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 355  –  “Spirals Ready for Spools”

EM 355

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 250  –  “When the Sun Came to Visit an Esti-Mystery”

EM 250

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 419  –  “Spool Holder Factor-Y”

EM 419

 

 

January 31 – February 4, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 40  –  “Practice Golf Balls”

EM 40

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 157  –  “Golfing”

EM 157

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 356  –  “The Colors in the Vase” 

EM 356

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 251  –  “Many, Many Clues”

EM 251

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 420  –  “Two Container Esti-Mystery”

EM 420

 

 

February 7-11, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 41  –  “The Red Bingo Ball”

EM 41

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 158  –  “The Blue Bingo Clue” 

EM 158

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 357  –  “Doubles and Halves”   

EM 357

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 252  –  “N49 the next number is N49” 

EM 252

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 421  –  “The Bingo Rounds” 

EM 421

 

 

February 14-18, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 42  –  “Shiny Rocks More or Less”

EM 42

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 159  –  “The Digit Clue”     

EM 159

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 358  –  “However…”   

EM 358

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 253  –  “Counting Back” 

EM 253

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 422  –  “So, 9 Is Out?”   

EM 422

 

 

February 21-25, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 43  –  “Gears”

EM 43

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 160  –  “Gearing Up”

EM 160

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 359  –  “The Number Pattern Machine and Its Gears”   

Esti Mystery 359 The Number Pattern Machine and Its Gears

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 254  –  “The Difference Between the Gears”   

EM 254

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 423  –  “Gear Suspense” 

EM 423

 

February 28 – March 4, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 44  –  “Capsules”

EM 44

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 161  –  “Lids on the Capsules”  

EM 161

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 360  –  “Times Capsules”

EM 360

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 255  –  “Capsule Patterns”

EM 255

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 424  –  “Capsules and Clues”

EM 424   

 

March 7-11, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 45  –  “Whistles”  

EM 45

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 162  –  “Blow the Whistle”

EM 162

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 361  –  “Whistling”

EM 361

 

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 256  –  “Whistle Differences”

EM 256

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 425  –  “Multiple Whistles”

EM 425

 

March 14-18, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 46  –  “Translucent”

EM 46

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 163  –  “Sum of the Bouncy Balls”

EM 163

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 362  –  “What Happens When You Reverse Digits and Add Numbers Together?”

EM 362

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 257  –  “Hiding on Top of the Die”

EM 257

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 426  –  “An AVERAGE Esti-Mystery”

EM 426

 

March 21-25, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 47  –  “Bright Beads”

EM 47

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 164  –  “One of a Kind”

EM 164

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 363  –  “You Might Hear 3 2 1”

EM 363

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 258  –  “Count by 5 Count by 10”

EM 258

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 427  –  “Some Esti-Mysteries Have a Surprise Bonus Question”

EM 427

 

March 28 – April 1, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 48  –  “Bowl of Pegs”   

EM 48 1

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 165  –  “Clues on Pegs” 

EM 165 1

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 364  –  “The Red Peg Has a Three”

EM 364 1

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mysery 259  –  “Vase of Pegs”

EM 259

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 428  –  “A Square Peg”

EM 428

 

 

April 4-8, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 49  –  “Bright Pompoms” 

EM 49

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 166  –  “Don’t Put Soup in That Bowl” 

EM 166

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 365  –  “Clues on the Die” 

EM 365

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 260  –  “Bright and Fuzzy” 

EM 260

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 429  –  “The Two Numbers With Matching Digits” 

EM 429

 

 

April 11-15, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 50  –  “Tiny Dice”

EM 50

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 167 –  “Tiny Jar of Tiny Dice”

EM 167

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 366  –  “I’ve Never Seen Dice That Small!”

EM 366

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 261  –  “Wow! Those Dice are Tiny!” 

EM 261

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 430  –  “The Shrink Ray and The Dice” 

EM 430

 

 

April 18-22, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 51  –  “Bits of the Sky” 

EM 51

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 168  –  “Let’s Count to 120!”   

EM 168

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 367  –  “Sky Beads in Two Containers” 

EM 367

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 262  –  “The Digit Eliminator”

EM 262

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 431  –  “Prime Time for Sky Beads” 

EM 431

 

 

April 25-29, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 52  –  “Peeking Penguins”

EM 52

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 169  –  “Penguins Love Dice”

EM 169

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 368  –  “Three Consecutive Penguins”

EM 368

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 263  –  “The Penguin’s Favorite Number”

EM 263

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 432  –  “The Penguin Likes the 3 and the 5”

EM 432

 

 

May 2-6, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 53  –  “Bolts” 

EM 53

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 170  –  “Colorful Bolts”   

EM 170

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 369  –  “Four Colors of Bolts” 

EM 369

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 264  –  “Bolts of 5 Colors” 

EM 264

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 433  –  “One Less Than a Multiple of Three” 

EM 433

 

May 9-13, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 55  –  “Return of the Lacing Beads”

EM 55

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 172  –  “Bowl of Beads” 

EM 172

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 371  –  “The Product of the Clues” 

EM 371

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 266  –  “Clues and Beads” 

EM 266

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 435  –  “A Number Halfway Between” 

EM 435

 

 

May 16-20, 2022

Kindergarten:  Esti-Mystery 56  –  “Magnifying Glasses” 

EM 56

 

Grades 1-2:  Esti-Mystery 173  –  “Magnifying the Clues” 

EM 173

 

Grades 3-8:  Esti-Mystery 372  –  “Multiple Magnifying Glasses” 

EM 372

 

Grades 1-3:  Esti-Mystery 267  –  “Double Magnification” 

EM 267

 

Grades 4-12:  Esti-Mystery 436  –  “The Magnifying Glass Colors are Part of the Clue” 

EM 436

 

 

I would love to hear your experiences and thoughts!  Just leave a comment below!

 

Enjoy!

 

Steve

 

 

Steve Wyborney Avatar

18 responses to “150 New Esti-Mysteries”

  1. Alexander James Avatar
    Alexander James

    Are these actually the correct amounts of items in these containers? My students are suspicious of the answers provided.

    1. Steve Wyborney Avatar
      Steve Wyborney

      Hi! Yes, it’s always the exact number. My rule is to triple count everything so I’m absolutely sure. Sometimes students are surprised at how high the number is. One tip is to try picture what it might look like from the back and to visualize how many might be there. However, the best tip I can offer is for students to make their own to share with each other. That can be an illuminating experience. Thanks for the comment!

  2. Julie Schiffmacher Avatar
    Julie Schiffmacher

    How do I sign up to receive your resources? What you have created is amazing and the kids love your activities.

    1. Steve Wyborney Avatar
      Steve Wyborney

      Hi, Julie. There is a “sign me up” box on this page: https://stevewyborney.com/subscribe/

      Thanks,
      Steve

  3. Beth Avatar
    Beth

    Hello Steve,
    I have been using your esti-mysteries in my classroom for just over a year now. I have a mixed group of students in my 5th-grade classroom and my students love when they come in and see your slide on my whiteboard. The students get into lively debates and they all like to make their educated guesses as they work their way to their guesses. I appreciate the many items that you have available to us for free! Your hard work and attention to detail make our class time more enjoyable and help us progress through the challenges so much more smoothly. Thank you for creating such wonderful activities!
    Beth

    1. Steve Wyborney Avatar
      Steve Wyborney

      Thank you, Beth! I really appreciate this!

  4. Angela Avatar
    Angela

    On #427, all the numbers seemed to be eliminated but it seems clue 4 would also eliminate 32 and 64 from consideration.

    1. Steve Wyborney Avatar
      Steve Wyborney

      You found a mistake that I made. Thank you so much! I am so grateful. I’ve now updated clue #4 (which is where my mistake was) so that it doesn’t accidentally eliminate the answer. I’ve posted the new version on my blog. Again, thank you so much for letting me know.

  5. Sean Mansheim Avatar
    Sean Mansheim

    Steve! Thanks so much for the work you put into these. My math class uses these as a warmup every day! We found a mistake in Thursday, May 26 Grades 4-12: Esti-Mystery 437 – “Five and a Half Times Greater” — Clue #4 says “One is half of another, eliminate both.” The remaining numbers at this point are 32, 40, 56, 64, and 80. This clue would eliminate 32/64 as well as 40/80, only leaving 56 (and clue #5 eliminates 56).

    Thanks again for all you do! Appreciate you!

    1. Steve Wyborney Avatar
      Steve Wyborney

      You are absolutely correct. Nice catch! Thank you for letting me know. Thanks to your feedback, I realized that clue #4 eliminated more numbers than I intended. I rewrote clue #4 and posted the new, updated version. I’m so very grateful for this feedback. Great work in finding this! I hope you have a wonderful day!

  6. M.Morris Avatar
    M.Morris

    My middle school students love these! We use them weekly! We are curious…how to determine the significance of the die/dice…sometimes we get it and sometimes…we’re blank!

    1. Steve Wyborney Avatar
      Steve Wyborney

      Hi! Sometimes the die (or dice when there are multiple ones in the picture) are part of a clue and other times they are not tied in to any clue at all. It’s fun to see if the die weaves into a clue or not. There are times it doesn’t. I will often put the die in the picture as a size reference even when it’s not tied in to a clue.

  7. Caroline Avatar
    Caroline

    Hello,
    First, thanks a lot for sharing all this…
    A question about the Esti-Mystery-51.307-Blue-Rocks the result is 65, It’s a number one less than a multiple of 3 (66) ???? So it doesn’t work…

    1. Steve Wyborney Avatar
      Steve Wyborney

      Hi, Caroline. Thank you for the comment – and also thank you for sharing the specific file number. That is very helpful. You’ve dialed in on exactly the correct 2 numbers. Since 66 is a multiple of 3, 65 is one less than a multiple of 3, and 65 is the correct answer on that one. One bonus note on that one: I took that picture in the evening after school and the sun was starting to go down in the window behind me. I was worried that the picture wouldn’t come out clearly, but it was just fine. However, if you look closely you’ll see that the sun isn’t hitting the bottom of the board, but that there is still light on the back of the picture. It’s also on the rocks. If I took it about 10 minutes later, it probably would have been too dark to get a clear photo. Thanks again for the comment.

  8. Mrs. Bergeron Avatar
    Mrs. Bergeron

    Hi I don’t totally understand these. We tried a couple in 3rd grade and we didn’t get just one answer. Am I missing something? Thanks

    1. Steve Wyborney Avatar
      Steve Wyborney

      Hi. Thanks for the question. The design of Esti-Mysteries is that after the final clue there are 2 (sometimes 3, but usually just 2) reasonable answers remaining. If it came down to only 1 number after the final clue then there would be no estimation – and also no mystery – at the end. At the beginning of the Esti-Mystery (before any clues are revealed) the students start with their first estimate. Then after each clue is revealed they can eliminate some numbers based on the clue and then estimate again. After the final clue they will be considering 2 numbers and having a rich discussion those two numbers. After their discussion will be the final reveal and it will show which of those 2 numbers is the actual number of objects in the container.

  9. Tracy Niland Avatar
    Tracy Niland

    Steve,
    Thank you so much for creating the esti-mysteries and estimation clipboards. I started using them last year and my students love them. My fourth graders tell me we haven’t had math if we don’t do an esti-activity! Please keep them coming!
    Tracy

    1. Steve Wyborney Avatar
      Steve Wyborney

      Thank you for sharing this, Tracy. I will certainly keep them coming!

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