Brian had always dreamed of traveling the world. One day, he went for a job interview with Greg, a famous and eccentric millionaire, who needed help on his luxurious boat. Greg liked Brian’s resume but wanted to test his intelligence with a riddle: “Turn these three toothpicks into one, and you’re hired. You can make as many moves as you want, but you can’t remove any toothpicks from the table.” Brian cleverly solved the riddle by arranging the toothpicks into a Roman numeral.
Excited for his first round-the-world voyage, Brian joined the crew, which included Captain Nick, Greg, Greg’s girlfriend Lisa, and their friend Robert. That evening, Brian served dinner, which was fresh fish and salad. But something was strange—there were two moons in the sky!
After dinner, Greg suddenly fell asleep, and Lisa accused someone of poisoning him. Brian explained that Captain Nick prepared the dinner, and Robert claimed he skipped the fish because he’s vegan. Captain Nick insisted he wasn’t a criminal since he ate the fish too and felt fine. Brian realized Lisa had slipped a sleeping pill into Greg’s drink to spend time with Robert, who she was flirting with during dinner.
Later, Brian noticed Captain Nick was missing. When he questioned Lisa and Robert, Lisa said she was taking pictures for Instagram, and Robert claimed he was in the restroom. But Brian knew Robert was lying because he had been in the restroom himself. Brian was cautious when Lisa offered drinks, choosing a bottle that hadn’t been opened yet.
Brian found Greg’s safe open and empty. Greg woke up and accused someone of stealing his money. Brian explained that Lisa and Robert had drugged Greg and possibly harmed Captain Nick. But it turned out Captain Nick was the thief, sailing away with the money and framing Lisa and Robert.
With no captain, the group was lost at sea. They had four choices: head east to a pirate ship, west to a desert island, south to the Loch Ness Monster, or north to the Bermuda Triangle. The safest option was the desert island, where they could send an SOS signal. But a storm wrecked the yacht, and they ended up on the island.
All four survived, although only three sets of footprints were visible because someone carried Lisa. Hungry, they searched for food. Lisa found bananas, Greg found oranges, Robert found coconuts, and Brian decided to fish. Fishing was the safest choice since the other options hid dangerous creatures.
That night, they took turns keeping the fire going. Brian offered to swap with Robert if he could solve a riddle: “I’m as light as a feather, yet no man can hold me for long. What am I?” The answer was “breath.” In the morning, Robert was missing, and they found boot prints and a drone, suggesting the island wasn’t deserted.
They discovered a villa guarded by a combination lock. Using clues, they cracked the code: 758. Inside, they found pirates having a pool party. Lisa cried because Robert was with a lady pirate. Robert explained he was engaged to Gemma, the pirate leader.
Brian noticed one of the pirates was an undercover police officer named Mike. Mike secretly gave Brian a note that said “helicopter.” They found a helicopter, but it needed a password. The hint was a riddle: “I am the beginning of sorrow and the end of sickness…” The answer was the letter “S.”
With the password, they started the helicopter and flew to safety, leaving Robert behind with his new pirate friends.
Imagine you’re in Brian’s shoes during the job interview. Try to solve the riddle: “Turn these three toothpicks into one, and you’re hired.” Use toothpicks or sticks to recreate the solution Brian found. Share your solution with the class and discuss how creative thinking can solve problems.
Write a short story about an adventure on the high seas. Include a mysterious incident, a clever solution, and a surprising twist. Share your story with a partner and discuss the different ways your adventures unfolded.
In groups, brainstorm a survival plan if you were stranded on a desert island like Brian and his friends. Consider food, shelter, and rescue strategies. Present your plan to the class and vote on the most effective strategy.
Create a treasure map that includes clues and riddles leading to a hidden treasure. Use the story’s elements, such as the villa or the pirate ship, as locations on your map. Exchange maps with classmates and try to solve each other’s clues.
Organize a relay race where each team must solve a series of riddles to advance to the next station. Use riddles from the story, like “I’m as light as a feather, yet no man can hold me for long.” The first team to solve all riddles and reach the finish line wins!
Adventure – An exciting or unusual experience that often involves exploration or risk-taking. – Example sentence: The students embarked on an adventure to solve the mystery of the missing library books.
Riddle – A puzzling question or problem that requires thought to solve. – Example sentence: During the critical thinking class, the teacher challenged us with a riddle that took the whole period to solve.
Crew – A group of people working together, especially on a task or project. – Example sentence: The crew of students worked together to create a presentation on the importance of critical thinking skills.
Mystery – Something that is difficult or impossible to understand or explain. – Example sentence: The disappearance of the ancient artifact was a mystery that required the students to use their critical thinking skills to solve.
Survival – The act of continuing to live or exist, especially in difficult conditions. – Example sentence: The survival of the endangered species became a topic of debate, encouraging students to think critically about environmental issues.
Choices – Decisions made between two or more possibilities. – Example sentence: In critical thinking exercises, students learn to evaluate their choices carefully before making a decision.
Clues – Pieces of evidence or information used to solve a problem or mystery. – Example sentence: The detective left behind several clues that the students had to piece together to solve the classroom mystery.
Escape – To break free from confinement or control. – Example sentence: The escape room activity required students to use their critical thinking skills to find a way out.
Fishing – The activity of catching fish, often used metaphorically for searching or seeking information. – Example sentence: The teacher compared researching for a project to fishing for information, emphasizing the need for critical thinking.
Footprints – Marks left by feet, often used as evidence or clues. – Example sentence: The footprints in the sand were the first clue in the mystery that the students had to solve using their critical thinking skills.
