The Clocks That Lie: ESL Partner Speaking Mystery (B1–B2)

Almost every clock at the Institute is wrong, each by a different amount. There was a total blackout, and there are three suspects: a giant magnet, a giant toaster and an escaped hamster. What really caused it?

HOW IT WORKS

This is a partner speaking mystery for pairs. Student A has what happened yesterday, each event timed by the clock in that room. Student B has the clock report (how fast or slow each clock is) and how the fuse box works. Neither sheet solves the mystery alone: A's times can't be compared, and B has no events. Students keep their sheets secret, ask and answer questions in their own words, compare what they find out and correct every time, put the events in the real order and find the true cause. The answer is fixed and fully explained in the answer key.

LEVEL AND LANGUAGE

Written for English learners at CEFR B1–B2, grades 5–8. Language focus: telling the time, fast and slow clocks (It's 20 minutes fast, so it was really …) and sequence (before, after, at the same time as).

PREP AND TIMING

Print page 2 for each Student A and page 3 for each Student B. Keep pages 1 and 4 for yourself. No cutting and no extra materials. About 25 minutes.

THE INSTITUTE OF UNLIKELY SCIENCE

One of five mysteries set in the same very strange research institute. No science knowledge is needed: the science is silly, the thinking is real.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (1 PDF, 4 pages, full colour)

• Page 1: Teacher notes (level, timing, language focus, steps, an early-finisher idea and support/challenge tips)
• Page 2: Student A sheet
• Page 3: Student B sheet
• Page 4: Answer key with the reasoning (teacher only)

LICENCE

Purchase grants the purchasing teacher permission to use this resource in their own teaching and to print copies for their own students.

You may not resell, redistribute, share the digital file with other teachers, or upload it to publicly accessible websites. Each teacher who wishes to use the resource must purchase their own copy.