Lesson Plan 2 - Serialized Secrets
Objective: Students will learn to critically analyze clues and motives using a mystery novel. Students will also learn to decipher the elements of detective fiction through plotting the clues of the mystery or crime. The Pennsylvania State Academic Standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening addressed in this lesson are: 1.1.11.D, .G, & .H; 1.2.11.A; 1.3.11.B, .C, & .F; 1.5.11.A, .B, .F, & .G; 1.6.11.A, .B, .C, .D, & .E.
Materials: Children's mystery or detective novels, preferably the Kid Caramel series, large chart paper, 5 x 8 index cards, colored markers, and tape or push pins if using a cork board for display.
Audience: This lesson can be used in any high school ELA classroom. This lesson can be completed in one or two 45-55 minute class periods.
Procedure: Students must have read and interacted with the assigned novel. Day 1 - Before the completion of the story (in reading most of these stories, stop before the next to last chapter), the teacher will ask students to go back to the beginning of the story and tell the class what the first clue is. Next, the teacher will ask students why it should be considered a clue and what is the motive behind the clue. As students are sharing answers or grappling with the given information, the teacher or another student will write the clue on an index card and then tape it to the chart paper. Proceed this way until all clues have been written down. Have another student draw a diagram of the event that needs to be explained. Finally, have a student take a clue and map it on another chart paper as part of a sequence of numbered clues. The chart paper should look like a story map at this point. Ask students to list the suspects alongside the drawn diagram. Assignment: Ask students to solve the mystery for homework. They must justify their answers with concrete examples and explanations from the story.
Day 2 - Ask students to turn in their written work. Revisit and review the clues displayed on the diagram. Then, read as a group the final two chapters of the book. Students will look forward to hearing who committed the crime. After completion of the story, ask two or three students to call out the culprits as named by their classmates from the turned-in work. An entertaining discussion should ensue.
Alternative approach: Have student groups map clues as indicated above, except this time omitting one or two of the clues and one suspect. Present the class the information. Assign students the question: Whodunit? This can be accomplished when students are reading particular novels in their specified groups. If the whole class is reading the novel together, this approach will not be successful.
Assessment: Students should be able to decode complex motives, make basic premises about probable criminality, recognize suspects, spot red herrings, and discover the role of language. Therefore, after this lesson students will be able to deal with the higher-level reading of the genre as the groups progress in using this unit.
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