Year 2 Lesson - Brain Game 3

Crack the Case with the Process of Elimination

Turn your students into master detectives with Brain Game 3, a fast, fun gifted-and-talented brain game that fits into just 2-3 class sessions. Students explore probability and learn how the Process of Elimination (POE), a strategy used every day by doctors, detectives, engineers, and forensic scientists, can help them tackle multiple-choice tests, tricky riddles, and real-world problems with confidence. After a quick video introduction and a class discussion on careers that rely on POE, students dive into leveled logic puzzles (like solving a whodunnit mystery or cracking a number-combination lock) that sharpen critical thinking and strategic reasoning, then get creative by designing and swapping their own POE puzzles with classmates.

This grab-and-go lesson is ideal for teachers who want a high-impact critical-thinking activity without a big time commitment. It comes complete with tiered puzzles for grades 2-6, fully worked answer keys with step-by-step reasoning, an optional advanced riddle challenge for older students, and a learning journal to help students reflect on and apply their new problem-solving skill. Give your students a strategy they'll use for the rest of their academic lives, one elimination at a time!