"Cross Out Words in a Word Bank to Decode the Secret Message" is a brainteaser activity that asks students to follow the directions one at a time to uncover the words in a secret message.

The top of the page displays rows of words in a word bank. Each row is labeled so students can find the correct rows as they go through the clues one at a time.

Clues are listed below that instruct students to cross off different kinds of words. For example, one clue might instruct students to cross off all the misspelled words in the second row. Another might ask students to cross off all the words that end in the letter X or the longest word in the first row.

Once students have completed all the clues, they write the words that are left in order. There are blanks at the bottom of the worksheet where they can fill in the words and discover the secret message.

Puzzles and brainteasers can be a fun way for students to practice following directions. Clues can be provided one at a time that students have to follow, making sure they complete one clue before moving on to the next.

These kinds of activities can include ways for students to practice other skills too. For example, puzzles can include words that are misspelled to help students work on their spelling skills. Students could arrange the lines of a story so that they go in sequential order or answer clues to color a picture or create a pattern. Older students can answer clues about a science unit or a book they read to find an answer.