Your school library has just received a delivery of brand new books full of the latest adventures, mysteries, and fascinating facts. Everyone is excited and can’t wait to read them. However, there’s a problem: the books arrived in a box that is secured with a combination lock. The document containing the combination code was accidentally torn when the box was unpacked. It is unreadable. Now, nobody knows the correct sequence to unlock the box and retrieve the new books.

Explore your surroundings and learn some interesting facts about books.
Work together to solve the puzzles and uncover the combination to unlock the box of books. Each clue will test your skills and knowledge about books. Complete any activities presented along the way.

This activity is designed as a fun, interactive way to learn about various topics related to books. Participants will read information provided on cards and use the provided codes to decipher mystery words relevant to the topic. The recorded answers will be used to find mystery letters, reveal a mystery word and eventually decode the ‘unlock code’.

All answers must be correct to reach the correct unlock code.

Included

* Instructions and Background Story: to increase engagement and provide an explanation as to why there is a need to decipher the 4-digit code.

* Practice Sheet to practice deciphering the codes and record initial answers using three different coding methods:

• braille
• pig-pen cipher
• hieroglyphics

* Crack-the-Code Deciphering Sheet to record final decoded answers.

* 4 x Q&A Cards: containing information about different topics related to books:

• Braille Books
• Dewey Decimal System
• Fact or Fiction
• Early Stories in Hieroglyphics

* Answer Envelope: printable envelope containing the unlock code for checking results.

* Solutions Sheet

This activity is ready to print and use exactly as it is. Just position the cards around the area and provide the participants with the instructions, practice sheet and decoding sheet.

To add to the atmosphere, you might choose to set an actual combination lock to the correct code. Or to expand the acti  vity, provide mini challenges or activities at each card.

Perfect activity to add for occasions such as:

• World Book Day
• International Literacy Day
• National Book Lovers Day
• Read Across America Day
• Children’s Book Week
• National Library Week
• National Reading Month
• World Read Aloud Day
• National Literacy Week
• Book Lovers Day
• D.E.A.R. Day (Drop Everything and Read)
• Young Readers Day
• International Children’s Book Day
• Book Lovers Day