AGATHA CHRISTIE Bundle: Biography, Murder on the Orient Express Activities

This resource has been updated to include PRINT and digital access for distance learning using EASEL.

This bundle includes two of resources relating to Agatha Christie:

1) An introduction to Agatha Christie (biography)

This resource provides teachers with a short biography of author Agatha Christie and is perfect for introducing a unit about The Murder on the Orient Express or And Then There were None or any novel by this best-selling mystery writer (only the works of Shakespeare have sold more than Christie’s books!). It also works well to introduce the mystery genre in general, as a homework assignment, independent work, or to place in your sub file.

The resource includes two reading passages about Agatha Christie. The biographical texts form a brief sketch of her life from her birth in 1890 to her death in 1976.

A page of questions (assessing comprehension as well as expressing opinions while citing evidence) is included as well as a short vocabulary assignment on each of the passage pages.

A full answer key is provided.

2) Murder on the Orient Express Movie Activities

If you are looking for a way to expose your students to more nonfiction reading and critical analysis, then this activity will work very well, and is a great supplement to the study of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express”, or a movie version of the book, or studying murder mysteries in general.

Students do NOT have to see either of the films (the 2017 version directed by Kenneth Branagh or the 1974 version, directed by Sidney Lumet) to complete these activities. They are based solely on Susan Wloszczyna’s review of the movie found at https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/murder-on-the orient-express-2017 and Roger Ebert’s review of the Lumet version found at https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/murder-on-the-orient-express-1974: due to copyright reasons I cannot include the original reviews in this resource but you as a classroom teacher may make copies for your students. They can also work directly from the website.

The set of ten questions are presented in two formats - one page with just the questions or two pages with the same questions with lines for written answers. The first four questions relate to the 2017 review, the next four to the 1974 review, and the last two to both reviews. An answer key is included.

Also included in this resource is a vocabulary activity in which students provide synonyms for words or phrases found in the review. An answer key is provided as suggestions, but students will likely come up other synonyms as well.

Please have a look at the individual listings via the thumbnails below which include a preview.