eMysteries Toolkit

The European Commission's support for the production of this publication does not constitute an endorsement of the contents, which reflect the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. [Project Number: 2019-1-DE03-KA201-060127] 31 Prepare hand-outs which include questions about the story, the author, the characters etc., as well as quizzes for checking the knowledge of the students on the vocabulary (Winters, 1999). Write a newspaper story about the case discussed in the chosen mystery detective story that is taught to students and exchange stories between them for editing and proof-reading (Pompano, 1995). In Math classes, invite students to complete assignments, which introduce math elements from the mystery detective story that they are studying. For example, students can use paper-based materials to draw a diagram to show e.g. the layout, the distance (on a scale), or they can use printed maps to show where the people of the story are located (Pompano, 1995). Prepare some motivational activities that will facilitate the tasks that will follow during the teaching of the mystery detective story. Such activities can be put on a “mystery shelf” inside the classroom and be visible to all students, especially when they have to work on the stories (Winters, 1999). Chapter readings allow students to practice reading skills, which can equip them for the more difficult readings later and strengthen their “detective skills ‟ . Depending on the teacher and the classroom level, choices may include shorter chapter books or much longer, such as book series. Short stories include longer readings that can challenge students’ reading comprehension and their ability to infer the solution to the mystery from the clues presented in the reading. Such stories can be used in order for teachers to evaluate whether or not the students have the necessary vocabulary and skills to tackle more difficult reading materials. Launch a cross-disciplinary project that involves not only several reading strategies, but also mobilizes several types of learning across the curriculum. For example, the teacher could liaise with the school librarian and set a series of tasks around a mystery detective story: library search, independent reading, social interaction, self- assessment, writing (Pompano, 1995).