A mystery classroom theme is a popular choice for educators looking to create a cohesive and creative learning environment. It can be used as a year-long theme or to enhance a Genre Study focused on reading and writing mysteries. I love teaching a Mystery Unit either in the fall to tie in with Halloween or towards the end of the school year so that it gets kids excited about summer reading. Here you will find Mystery classroom theme ideas and pictures to inspire teachers and homeschool families. You will feel organized and have your learning spaces looking amazing in no time! Best of all it can be done on a budget. Learn more about a mystery classroom theme below and scoop up this mystery classroom theme packet!
Mystery Theme Bulletin Board Ideas
Below are some mystery theme bulletin board ideas for elementary teachers.
Mystery Bulletin Board Backgrounds
If you would prefer to keep it simple and use solid color fabric or butcher paper for your bulletin board backgrounds, we recommend going with the colors brown, black and navy blue. A fun DIY project to consider is to trace footprints onto black construction paper, cut them out, and layer them on a brown bulletin board background.
Mystery Bulletin Board Trim
In addition to traditional border, put these items around the perimeter of your board.
- buy solid color bulletin board trim and use an ink pad to make fingerprints all over it
- use crime scene tape as bulletin board trim.
- magnifying glasses
- notebook paper ripped into strips
- brown crinkled craft paper
- edges of file folders
Get these mystery classroom decor printables!
Mystery Bulletin Board Title Ideas
- Create a welcome board that reads, “The Case of the Amazing Class.”
- Make a focus wall with a magnifying glass reading “Take a Close Look at __.”
- Create a student work display board by hanging a gallon-sized ziptop bag for each student on the wall. You can easily slide 8.5 x 11 inch papers in and out of them to change out the work samples. Title it, “Evidence of Great Work.”
- Make a sign for your classroom library that reads, “Investigate a Good Book.”
- When creating your own titles, use words like evidence, investigate, or case.
Did you know you can get unlimited access to ALL our decor bundles?
5 Ideas for a Mystery Themed Classroom
- Take pictures of your students wearing trench coats & detective hats while holding a magnifying glass. These can be used to label lockers/cubbies or as a classroom display.
- Name your guided math teams or reading groups as: detectives, investigators, sleuths, and agents.
- When students get a compliment in the hallway from another teacher, tell them “Great work detectives!” This signals to them that they earned something special from the praise (e.g. clip up or add a marble to the jar).
- Invite students to keep magnifying glasses in their student book boxes to use them during reading time.
- Display books that relate to the theme by standing them on a counter or shelf.
Themes to Pair Your Mystery Theme With
Get access to all of the Clutter-Free Classroom decor themes and color schemes in the Elementary Classroom Decor Collection, including the ones listed below that pair really nicely with a mystery theme.
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Get Access to All 60+ Classroom Decor Packets |OR| Buy The Mystery Theme Only
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Get Access to All 60+ Classroom Decor Packets |OR| Buy The Mystery Theme Only
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Get Access to All 60+ Classroom Decor Packets |OR| Buy The Mystery Theme Only
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Mystery Classroom Theme Pictures
The mystery classroom theme bundle includes BOTH the original version (shown below) and the newly updated version (shown above). In the newer version, we used all new clipart which includes much more diverse characters. Also, we made the entire bundle 100% editable so not only can you customize it with your students’ names and details specific to your classroom, you can now translate EVERYTHING into other languages too. This has long been a request from teachers of ELLs and immersion classrooms. Both versions are available in the Elementary Classroom Decor Collection.
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Get Access to All 60+ Classroom Decor Packets |OR| Buy The Mystery Theme Only
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In closing, we hope you found these mystery classroom theme ideas helpful! If you did, then you may also be interested in the free mystery planning organizer below as well as these classroom decorating posts:
- How to Decorate the Classroom of Your Dreams
- 60+ Themes for Classrooms at the Elementary Level
- Colorful Classroom Decor Ideas for Elementary Teachers
Did you know you can get unlimited access to ALL our decor bundles?
