Classroom Mystery Bundle
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Products in this Bundle (5)
Bonus
Description
Engage your students in murder mystery games in the classroom throughout the year with this bundle of my best-selling mysteries!
There are many opportunities throughout the year to use these mysteries:
- Before, during, or after a mystery unit
- As a class reward
- As an icebreaker at the beginning of the year
- To teach red-herring, inference, motivation, characterization, etc.
- On state testing days
- And more!
There are five mysteries included in this bundle:
- Classroom Murder Mystery: someone has pushed a student down the steps and all her classmates (your students) need to figure out who did it and why.
- Classroom Murder Mystery II: someone hit a student in the head with a rock while on a field trip and all his classmates (your students) need to figure out who did it and why.
- Classroom Murder Mystery III: someone poisoned a student at a tree farm and all his classmates (your students) need to figure out who did it and why.
- Middle School Classroom Mystery: someone destroyed a student's art contest entry and her classmates (your students) need to figure out who did it and why.
- Romeo and Juliet Murder Myster: Keep reading for a detailed overview of this product.
Each of the mysteries above includes the following:
-An introduction sheet with the background of the incident. This sheet explains student expectations, suggested questions for student interviews, and all of the background information the students need to understand the scenario. There are thorough instructions for the teacher on how to present everything to the students.
-17 character cards that detail how the person knows the victim, where they were during the incident, and any other pertinent information (including lots of red herrings). This activity works well with class sizes of 12-34. Any class over 17 can double up two students to one character. There are also five characters who can be removed from the set and the story will still make sense.
Idea from a customer on how to use this with smaller classes or teaching virtually: "For those with smaller classes, I did this with a class of 9 students. I tried to assign what I felt were the most important players to the students in my class, and then I used Flipgrid to record interviews with the other personas. I pasted QR codes from Flipgrid around the room so students could hear from the others involved."
-A copy of the school map (or map of Verona) so students can keep track of who was where when the incident occurred.
-A notes sheet to detail the different characters, motives, and alibis. I included an answer key for this portion as well.
-An assessment sheet. Students must detail a few characters who are innocent, a red herring, and of course who the assailant is. For each, they need to explain what clues support their answer.
-Each mystery also includes two versions of the same scenario. This way it can be used with two different classes without worrying that one class will spoil it for the other class. Each version of the mystery has different assailants and changes in the character cards.
This bundle also includes my Romeo and Juliet Murder Mystery game. Details for this game area little different than the mystery games listed above:
I use this lesson as a little recap at the end of Act 2 (specifically, right after Act 2, scene iv) and my students love it. They enjoy taking on the roles of the characters, and they enjoy the competition and challenge of trying to find the murderer. BONUS! It reinforces which characters which house (Montague or Capulet) and previous events in the play.
This product includes:
-An introduction sheet with the background of the incident: a Capulet servant was murdered in the bathhouse the morning after the Capulet feast. The murdered servant is a made up character so it does not disrupt the understanding of the play. All of the other characters were around the area that morning and are suspects for various reasons - either they are Montagues or they had some sort of disagreement/issue with the servant.
-18 character cards (all characters from the play) that detail how the person knows the victim, where they were during the incident, and what's happened recently in the play with the character. This activity works well with class sizes of 12-36. Any class over 18 can double up two students to one character or can run two mysteries at the same time. Six of the characters can be removed from the set and the story will still make sense.
-A copy of a Verona map so students can keep track of who was where when the incident occurred. The map is based on an actual map of Verona with some liberties taken to make the story work.
-A notes sheet to detail the different characters, motives, and alibis. I included an answer key for this portion as well. I use this as an assessment for the students.
An engaging way to review the characters and what has happened in the play so far!
This bundle also includes the Mystery Writing Unit as a BONUS FILE (not included in the price of the bundle).
This product includes TWO separate files for students to write a murder mystery or a mystery based on a crime of their choice. Print the files out and distribute as individual worksheets, or bind them so students have their own mystery workbooks!
I've also included a basic outline for how long each activity should take and the order to complete them.
Both files include worksheets and information to help guide them in crafting a mystery similar to the one they completed in class.
-Students complete a close reading of a stage setting for a murder mystery in order to understand the importance of having various entrances and exits for their characters. (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.9-10.5)
-Students create their own detailed setting map based on the close reading and the map from the murder mystery they completed in class. This activity promotes creativity and encourages problem-solving and students craft their setting to allow for secret rendezvous and potentially unreliable alibis!
-Character card templates and worksheet help guide the students in how to create their character cards, add clues, and establish alibis (both real and fake). Students create mini-worlds with their 10 characters who have secrets, complex backgrounds, and various conflicts between them. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3.D
-Students practice writing for a specific audience with their introduction. They must determine what information is essential at the start of the mystery, and what should remain hidden in order to be uncovered as the game progresses. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3.A
