Introduction
You will dive into the world of mystery writing. Student Groups will read and analyze mysteries and then write one of their own!!
Introduction
You are experts on the genre of Mystery at Vivian Field Middle School. Mrs. Bridgman has asked you to help her students understand the elements of the Mystery by writing a suspensful story. You must write them a story that contains all the elements of a mystery; conflict, characters, clues, plot, and setting. You better get started and make sure you do your best!!!!!! A mystery is a genre of fiction in which a detective solves a crime or series of crimes. You will be diving into the genre of mystery by analyzing the elements that make up a story, watching a mystery cartoon and creating your own mystery story.
Task
Mrs. Bridgman
Vivian Field Middle School
13551 Dennis Lane
Dallas, TX 75381
April 27, 2015
Dear Seventh Grade Sleuths:
My sixth grade students need to learn about the genre of mystery, and I know that you all are the perfect detectives to answer this question:
What are the ingredients of a suspenseful mystery?
To help sixth graders answer this question, I need you to write/create a complex mystery that will help to teach them about plot, conflict, characters, inferences, and how to use clues to solve a mystery.
The team with the winning mystery will be chosen to teach one of my classes!
Thank you in advance for your thinking and effort!
Mrs. Bridgman
Process
Process
Task #1
Your teacher has required you to complete the following task to be on your way as Mystery Writers.
Please click on the following, download and print out the elements of a mystery: elements. Your teacher may provide you with a copy.
and
print (3) hand out for each story. You and your group will be completing these handouts as you read the three mystery stories.
Read the element sheet with your group so you have a little background knowledge of some of the key elements of a mystery story.
With your group, please begin reading the following Mystery stories and completing the handout.
Mystery Story #1 Writer's Retreat
Mystery Story #2 The Case of the Ruined Roses
Mystery Story #3 The Case of the Missing Dimes
Turn in your three completed handouts to your teacher when done with all three.
Task #2
Scooby-Doo!
Your teacher has sent you another task, you are to watch one scooby doo episode and find the elements of the mystery.
a) click on Scooby-Doo
b) print out Writing Guide and complete as you are watching the Scooby-Doo episode
c) hand in to your teacher when edited and completed
Task #3
Your teacher has given you one last task: As a group create your own mystery story!
1) Please print out the two required sheets (or ask your teacher):
After reviewing over the vocabulary, please come up with the foundation for your group's mystery story. Gather your thoughts and record them using the Mystery Elements worksheet. Share with another group to review over your Mystery Elements Worksheet. Please make changes from evryone's feedback!!
***
2) Now its time to print out or get from your teacher your Mystery Graphic organizer. Only one per group.
After fully completing this graphic organizer it is time to write your rough draft! This rough draft should be at least 2 full pages long with all of the elements of a mystery.
***
3) Now its time for your group to swap stories with another group and play detective using the handout, Super Sleuth.
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4) Revise your mystery by using the comments of the Super Sleuth hand out.
***
5) Now it is time for you to finally compose your group's Mystery story!!!! Please make sure all spelling and grammar is correct before writing the story in pen or typing. Please print out or get from teacher, Mystery Template
Evaluation
Evaluation
|
3 Mystery Stories |
Students read and completed all three mystery story hand-outs with attention to detail. |
____ out of 10 |
|
Scooby-doo Writing Guide |
Students watched a full episode of Scooby-doo and answered all of the questions to the fullest extent. |
____ out of 10 |
|
Mystery Elements |
Students completed the Elements Guide and truly utilized this tool as a guide to create their Mystery Story. All of the questions have well thought-out answers. |
____ out of 10 |
|
Mystery Graphic Organizer |
Students completes the graphic organizer with attention to the details |
_____out of 5 |
|
Super Sleuth Partner Edit |
Students completes the editing and gives detailed feedback to partner. |
____ out of 10 |
|
My Mystery Story |
Students completes the prewriting work for individual mystery story with attention to the details comprising this genre of writing |
_____ out of 50 |
|
Participation |
Members interact, discuss and assist each other as well as complete joint task in a timely and productive manner |
_____ out of 5 |
|
Total |
|
_____ out of 100 |
Conclusion
Conclusion
Way to go! You now are accomplished Mystery writers!!!
Now it is your turn to tell your teacher about your experience by completing a 3-2-1.
1)Write 3 things your liked about this PBL project.
2) Write 2 things you disliked about this PBL project.
3) Write 1 way that we can improve this PBL project.
Credits
Credits
Credits:
Listed are the following websites and WebQuests that I directly or indirectly used throughout this process to help create this Mystery WebQuest. 1) http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/ 2)http://questgarden.com/25/24/9/060511202355/ 3)http://library.thinkquest.org/5109/you_are_the_detective.html 4)http://www.questgarden.com/103/67/6/100515153328/process.htm 5)http://www-ma.beth.k12.pa.us/jhoke/jhwebquest/jhwebquest.htm 6)http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Best_investigator_MVD.jpg 7) www.youtube.com 8)http://www.flickr.com/photos/leftforever/4945904640/sizes/m/in/photostr…)http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalmediamuseum/2780164461/sizes/m/in/…;
Teacher Page
Seventh Grade Sleuths
How do you use clues and suspense in your writing to create a mystery?
What are the ingredients for a suspenseful mystery? How do you know?
Students will design a complex mystery project that would incorporate the genre of mystery including understanding clues, conflicts, characters, complex inferences and content from our state standards in order to teach a sixth grade class about the genre of mystery and help them with the skill of solving problems. Students will view examples of a mystery and solve it together as a class and delve deeply into the skills that are needed not only to solve a mystery but also to write one. Students will read/view examples of mystery in order to refine their own skills. Students will write/create a 5 minute mystery using all of the skills they have learned and then use that story and the process of solving a mystery to present it to a 6th grade class and teach them the genre of mystery and debrief the skills it takes to solve a mystery.