Essential Questions How do writers create narratives to entertain audiences? How is mystery writing different from other narrative writing? |
Unit Questions: How do writers effectively use the writing process? How do the beginning, middle, and end of a story affect the overall structure? |
Content Questions: What are the story elements of mystery writing? What are the steps in the writing process? |
Technology Questions: How has word processing changed creative writing? How do Internet resources help foster creative thinking? |
Sherlock Holmes 5 Rules of Detection
1. Nothing is irrelevant
2. Notice what you see
3. Beware the deceptiveness of the ordinary
4. The bizarre is not necessary
5. Presume nothing
http://library.thinkquest.org/5109/What_a_Mystery.html - What is a Mystery?
http://www.braingle.com/Mystery.html - Mystery Brain Teasers
http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mystery/index.htm - Writing with Writers
Reading a Mystery
Mystery Reader's Vocabulary http://www.mysterynet.com/learn/lessonplans/vocab.worksheet.shtml
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson865/words.pdf - Mystery Words
http://library.thinkquest.org/5109/What_a_Mystery.html - Mystery Vocabulary
http://printables.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/00/DOT00_940.pdf - Ingredients for a Mystery
Steven J. Cannel Interview
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMCwok6pCFw
http://printables.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/00/DOT00_929.pdf - Detective Case Report
http://www-tc.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/hound/tg_log.pdf - Detective's Log - Keeping Track of a Case
http://kids.mysterynet.com/history-kids/ - History of Mystery
TED ED - Mystery Writing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjKruwAfZWk
http://www.mysterynet.com/learn/why/ - Bloom's Taxonomy in Mystery Reading
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/mystery_cube/ - Mystery Cube
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson865/organizer.pdf - Mystery Graphic Organizer
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson865/guide.pdf - Mystery Elements Writing Guide
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson865/peer-edit.pdf - Super Sleuth Peer Editing Sheet
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson865/elements.pdfMystery Elements
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson865/rubric.pdf - Mystery Writing Rubric
What makes a good mystery?
What is your favorite mystery book? TV Show? Movie?
What do you find suspenseful?
How did the author make you curious?
What do you think makes a good mystery?
http://www.mysterynet.com/twist/ - Mystery Story with a Twist
http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mystery/index.htm - Mystery Writing - Scholastic
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002344/?tqskip1=1 - Mystery Activities
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson40/RWT024-1.pdf - Detective's Handbook
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/expository-escapade-detective-handbook-40.html - Detective Powerpoint
WORDS YOU SHOULD KNOWHere is the vocabulary list of mystery. Study these so when you go to play games, you'll know what each word means. This will help your knowledge of mystery expand. We hope you have a lot of fun, while learning some!
alibi | detective | plot | sleuth |
breakthrough | evidence | purloin | suspect |
clue | hunch | red herring | victim |
crime | motive | setting | witness |
deduce | mystery |
alibi - an excuse that an accused person uses to show that he/she was somewhere else than at the scene of the crime
breakthrough - an advance or discovery that helps solve a crime
clue - a fact or object that helps to solve mysteries
crime - an act committed in violation of the law
deduce- to infer by logical reasoning
detective - a person who investigates crimes and gathers information
evidence - something, such as a witness statement or
object that is used as proof in a crime
hunch - a guess or feeling not based on known facts
motive - an inner drive that causes a person to do something or act in a certain way
mystery - something that is secret and unknown
plot - the arrangement of incidents in a story
purloin - to steal or filch
red herring - something that is used to divert attention from the basic issue
setting - the time, place, environment and surrounding circumstances of a story
sleuth - another name for a detective
suspect - a person who is suspected of a crime
victim - someone who is harmed or suffers some loss
witness - someone who saw or can give a firsthand account of something
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002344/?tqskip1=1 - Solving Mysteries Group Work Sheet
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002344/?tqskip1=1 - Mystery Site
http://www.threeinvestigatorsbooks.com/Ruined_Roses.pdf - 3 Investigators - Case of the Ruined Roses
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002344/?tqskip1=1 - The Darkmaster's Challenge
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002344/?tqskip1=1 - Short Stories with a Twist
http://www.mysterynet.com/see/ - Five Scarlet Letters
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002344/?tqskip1=1 - Interactive Mystery
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002344/?tqskip1=1 - Mystery Hunt
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/hound/ei_mystery.html - Sherlock Holmes - The Hound of the Baskervilles
https://www.squiglysplayhouse.com/BrainTeasers/Detective.php - Squigly Mysteries
http://www.paec.org/FBBR/MnM/PAEC_Casebook.pdf - Middle Mystery Casebook
http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/harrisms/mystery.htm - Mystery Site
http://www.nclark.net/Forensics - Forsenics
http://www.fbi.gov/fun-games/kids/kids - FBI Site for Kids
https://www.cia.gov/kids-page/index.html - CIA Site for Kids
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/mystery/game.html - PBS Mysteries
http://www.glassgiant.com/wanted/ - Make Your Own Wanted Poster
http://pal.lternet.edu/docs/outreach/educators/education_pedagogy_research/using_case_studies_in_middle_school_classrooms.pdf - The Fish Kill Mysteries
http://www.nclark.net/ForensicChem - Forensics
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/education/activities/2214_arsonist.html - Hunt for the Serial Arsonist
http://sciencespot.net/Media/cookiemys.pdf - North Pole Bureau of Investigations
http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson796/puzzle.pdf - Mystery Puzzle Project
http://mrsfrank99.com/MYSTERY.htm - Mystery Unit
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CATEGORY |
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Focus on Assigned Topic |
The entire story is related to the assigned topic and allows the reader to understand much more about the topic. |
Most of the story is related to the assigned topic. The story wanders off at one point, but the reader can still learn something about the topic. |
Some of the story is related to the assigned topic, but a reader does not learn much about the topic. |
No attempt has been made to relate the story to the assigned topic. |
Spelling and Punctuation |
There are no spelling or punctuation errors in the final draft. Character and place names that the author invented are spelled consistently throughout. |
There is one spelling or punctuation error in the final draft. |
There are 2-3 spelling and punctuation errors in the final draft. |
The final draft has more than 3 spelling and punctuation errors. |
Creativity |
The story contains many creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has really used his imagination. |
The story contains a few creative details and/or descriptions that contribute to the reader's enjoyment. The author has used his imagination. |
The story contains a few creative details and/or descriptions, but they distract from the story. The author has tried to use his imagination. |
There is little evidence of creativity in the story. The author does not seem to have used much imagination. |
Problem/Conflict |
It is very easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face and why it is a problem. |
It is fairly easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face and why it is a problem. |
It is fairly easy for the reader to understand the problem the main characters face but it is not clear why it is a problem. |
It is not clear what problem the main characters face. |
Requirements |
All of the written requirements (# of pages, # of graphics, type of graphics, etc.) were met. |
Almost all (about 90%) the written requirements were met. |
Most (about 75%) of the written requirements were met, but several were not. |
Many requirements were not met. |
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0zrRIN_T5E - Mysteries to Solve
https://www.5minutemystery.com/ - 5 Minute Mysteries
http://www.edteck.com/rigor/lessons/detective/clues.pdf - Murder Mystery
http://www.edteck.com/rigor/lessons/detective/clues2.pdf - Bank Robbery Mystery
https://www.teachersfirst.com/exclusives/moreless/librarian/mystery_upr.cfm - Mysteries
https://www.squiglysplayhouse.com/BrainTeasers/Detective.php - Mysteries for Kids
The Mystery at the Manor http://mysterymanor.net/walkthroughs.htm#Ahttp://mysterymanor.net/walkthroughs.htm#Ahttp://mysterymanor.net/walkthroughs.htm#A |
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http://www.alanrobbins.com/interactive-mystery.html
vhttps://online.lovetoknow.com/free-murder-mystery-online-games -
PBS Mysteries - History
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Mysteries
https://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson299.shtml
https://www.npsd.k12.nj.us/cms/lib04/NJ01001216/Centricity/Domain/564/Landlady.pdf - The Land Lady - Roald Dahl
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