Annotated Bibliography
Resources for Teachers
Websites
http://www.cobblestonepub.com/resources/ ody0401t.html?x=17.4119062423710945767001134589708
If you have access to the January 2004 Odyssey magazine, published by Carus Publishing that deals with crime scene science, this teacher's guide will be a helpful tool.
http://www.geocities.com/logic_puzzler
This site breaks detective work into the processes of logical reasoning used in solving a mystery. It provides dozens of puzzles to solve by level of difficulty (one to five stars). There is a shareware download of Mystery Master that allows you to create and solve logic puzzles.
http://kids.mysterynet.com/
This site has several mysteries for students to solve with solutions and reasoning.
http://library.thinkquest.org/J002344/
This website provides facts from the early years of mystery to the year 2000. It shows how the mystery was formed, what should go into a mystery, and who wrote the first. It includes games.
http://www.readwritethink.org/ lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=796
Authored by the International Reading Association, this lesson plan allows your students to examine story elements and vocabulary associated with mystery stories. A myriad of other activities and links to other mystery sites are included.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/csi2.htm
This site gives a detailed description of how crime scene technicians work a crime scene complete with diagrams and photographs. It compares the CSI television show to real life investigations.
Other Resources
Asselin, Marlene. "Reader Response in Literature and Reading Instruction." Teacher Librarian 04/2000. Gale Group. http://find.galegroup.com>.
This article discusses Rosenblatt's theory of how readers make meaning from reading, the development of the concept of reader response, and looks at some practices that developed from the theory.
Beers, K., & Samuels, B. G. (Eds.). (1998). Into Focus: Understanding and Creating Middle School Readers. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.
This is a comprehensive handbook that focuses on all aspects of the middle school reader and is a wonderful resource. Section II: A Focus on Response was especially helpful in researching for this unit.
Carlsen, G. Robert. "Literature IS." English Journal 63(1974): 23-27.
The article discusses five different types of rewards readers find in literature and in the act of reading. These include satisfactions in losing oneself in imaginary adventures and worlds, as well as the enjoyment of the literature itself.
Early, Margaret. "Stages of Growth in Literary Appreciation." The English Journal 03/1960: 161-167. Orbis. JSTOR. Yale University. 29/06/2007 http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013- 8274%28195609%2945%3A6%3C303%ALAGU%E2.0.CO%3B2-0>.
A fascinating examination of three stages of literary appreciation and the role of the teacher at each stage.
Farrell, Tish. Write Your Own Mystery Story. Minneapolis: Compass Point, 2006.
If you want to expand the unit and introduce writing mysteries, this book is a great help. It takes students through the entire writing process, providing scenarios for writing, using classic and contemporary mystery authors, books, and characters.
Kilby, Janice . The Master Detective Handbook: Help Our Detectives Use Gadgets & Super Sleuthing Skills to Solve the Mystery & Catch the Crooks. 1st. Lark Books, 2006.
Middle school detectives, Ellen "Pink" Pinkerton, Sherman Homes, and Mike Hu, along with Ellen's dog Sam Spayed, solve a mystery, while giving clues directly to the reader. Evidence is collected and forensic activities suggested. The crime solving is taken seriously, but the language is humorous. This is a great resource for getting the entire class involved in the science of crime investigation.
Sobol, Donald. Two-Minute Mysteries. New York: Scholastic, Inc, 1967.
This is an excellent resource for students to read or for teachers to read aloud to their students to see if they can solve the seventy-nine very brief mysteries in this book. Solutions are given upside down at the end of each. It is great practice for listening or reading for clues to solve mysteries.
Springer, Nancy. Blood Trail. New York: Holiday House, 2003.
Springer, Nancy, Blood Trail. Paperback Edition. New York: Holiday House, 2007.
Sukach, Jim. Crime Scene Whodunits: Dr. Quicksolve Mini-Mysteries. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2003.
As with the Sobol book, short mysteries are provided for students to solve. Solutions are provided.
Tener, N (1995, Winter). Information is not knowledge. Childhood Education, {72 (2)}, 100. Retrieved 05/08/2007, from Thomson Gale.
Tener defines critical and creative thinking and provides a rationale for teaching it. He also discusses how to develop a climate conducive to critical and creative reflection as well as how teachers can foster this kind of thinking within a variety of subject areas.
Resources for Students
Abrahams, Peter. Down the Rabbit Hole: An Echo Falls Mystery. 1st. New York: Laura Geringer Books, 2005.
Eighth-grader Ingrid Levin-Hill follows the example of her hero, Sherlock Homes, by using her intellect to solve the murder of an eccentric local woman.
Avi, The Man Who Was Poe. Flare ed. New York: Avon, 1989.
In 1848 in Providence, Rhode Island, Edgar Allan Poe reluctantly investigates the problems of eleven-year-old Edmund, whose family has mysteriously disappeared. Edmund's story suggests a new Poe tale with a ghastly final twist.
Byars, Betsy. Death's Door. New York: Viking, 1997.
Herculeah Jones, a super sleuth with her own series of mysteries, is investigating the attempted murder of her buddy Meat's uncle. They are led to a mystery bookstore named Death's Door.
Colfer, Eoin. Half-moon Investigations. 1st American ed. New York: Miramax Books, 2006.
Twelve-year-old Fletcher Moon, the youngest qualified private detective in the world, receives a diploma and gold-plated detective's shield after completing an Internet course, and sets out to solve petty crimes at school. He is forced to go on the run while investigating the town's biggest crime family because his badge is stolen and he is framed for crimes he did not commit.
Feinstein, John. Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery. New York: Knopf, 2005.
After winning a basketball-reporting contest, eighth grade students covering the Final Four basketball tournament discover that a talented player is being blackmailed into throwing the final game. Part of a sports mystery series.
Hamilton, Virginia. The House of Dies Drear. New York: Macmillan, 1968.
An African American family of five living in an enormous house once used as a hiding place for runaway slaves experience mysterious sounds and happenings and discover secret passageways. All this makes them fear they are in serious danger.
Hoobler, Dorothy, and Thomas Hoobler. The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn. New York: Puffin, 1999.
First in an exciting series about Seikei, a merchant's son who wants desperately to be a samurai, this takes place in eighteenth century Japan. Seikei witnesses the theft of a priceless ruby at the Tokaido Inn. The local magistrate, Judge Ooka, needs Seikei's help to unravel the mystery. The Judge, a real historical character, asks him to follow a suspect and he has various adventures during which he proves his courage, honor, and loyalty to the samurai code of bushido. Just as Sherlock Holmes solves crimes, Seikei learns to observe, be logical, and reason out the motives for the crime.
Horowitz, Anthony. The Falcon's Malteser: A Diamond Brothers Mystery. New York: Puffin, 2005.
Tim Diamond, a poor-minded detective, is entrusted with a package worth five million dollars. When the owner is murdered, Tim and his brother Nick have to outwit every crook in town because each wants the package. Part of a series.
Newman, Robert. The Case of the Baker Street Irregular: A Sherlock Holmes Story. 1st Aladdin Paperbacks ed. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks, 1978.
A young boy is brought to London by his tutor under mysterious circumstances and when the tutor is kidnapped and he himself faces the same fate, he seeks the assistance of Sherlock Holmes.
Nixon, Joan Lowery. The Weekend Was Murder!. New York: Dell, 1992.
Sixteen-year-old Liz has a summer job at an expensive hotel that involves her in a staged murder mystery weekend and then a real murder. Nixon has written many mysteries that students would enjoy.
Qualey, Marsha. Close to a Killer. New York: Delacorte Press, 1999.
Seventeen-year-old Barrie finds herself involved in a string of murders that are somehow connected to her mother's beauty salon.
Springer, Nancy. The Case of the Missing Marquess: An Enola Holmes Mystery. New York: Philomel Books, 2006.
Enola, much younger sister of Sherlock, travels to London in disguise to solve the mystery of her missing mother. First in a series about Enola.
Rose, Malcolm. Framed!. Boston: Kingfisher, 2005.
First in a series featuring a forensic scientist college student, Luke Harding, and a robot assistant. In this book, Luke must solve a series of on-campus murders for which he is being framed.
Sternberg, Libby. Finding the Forger: A Bianca Balducci Mystery. Baltimore: Bancroft Press, 2004.
Amateur high school sleuth Bianca Balducci deals with everyday problems like Christmas shopping and boyfriends while trying to solve the mystery involving forgeries replacing original art at the local museum. Part of a series.
For Older Readers at Lower Reading Levels
Gorman, Carol. Chelsey and the Green-haired Kid. Perfection Learning, 2003.
Convinced that the fatal accident she saw at the high school basketball game was not accidental, thirteen-year-old Chelsey, a paraplegic, and her unusual friend Jack join forces to prove it was a deliberate murder.
Schraff, Anne. The Accusation. Perfection Learning, 2006.
When Oscar's English teacher, Mr. Meeker, is attacked in the school parking lot, everyone believes Oscar is responsible, forcing Oscar to track down the real assaulter and clear his name.
Schraff, Anne. A Shot in the Dark. Perfection Learning, 2006.
Don tries to help the police solve a murder when his brother Julio is shot and killed in their own neighborhood.
Schraff, Anne. The Sinister Mr. Trout. Perfection Learning, 2006.
When Kiana witnesses a shooting in her neighborhood, she believes telling the truth will help a friend who is involved, but may put her in danger.
Schraff, Anne. Web of Lies. Perfection Learning, 2006.
Shane does not like the new man his mother is dating and tries to convince her the man is a criminal, but when his mother does not believe him, Shane sets out to prove to her that the man is dangerous.
Schraff, Anne. When the World Stopped. Perfection Learning, 2006.
Twelve years after his mother's death, Mark is still haunted by his memories of the night she died, causing him to wonder if his father is responsible for the fall that killed her.
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