11.4 It's A Mystery

Unit 11.4: Its a Mystery!
English as a Second Language 6 weeks Stage 1 - Desired Results Unit Summary

In this unit, students will explore detective fiction as a reading genre and will write expository pieces based on what they read. Students will learn vocabulary related to detective fiction and will examine point of view and setting. Reading detective fiction may help to engage the reluctant reader. Transfer goal: Students will leave this class with an appreciation of detective fiction, the ability to write expository pieces showing different points of view, and knowledge of the importance of setting.
Content Standards and Learning Expectations

Listening/Speaking L/S.11.1 Listens and responds during a read aloud, presentation, or performance from a variety of literature, periods, genres, and styles to analyze character development and setting, and to distinguish the characteristics of tone, voice, and mood; makes connections to text. L/S.11.3 Uses appropriate language structure to analyze and state opinions in discussions and presentations, to problem solve, and to explain a process integrating comparison and contrast statements. L/S.11.4 Expresses thoughts and opinions to discuss current events, concepts, themes, characters, plot, and conflict resolution; makes predictions and inferences, as well as draws conclusions from listening to a variety of texts, performances, and multimedia sources; listens to sort and prioritize information. Reading R.11.1 Examines context clues, uses reference sources and vocabulary expansion strategies to assess word meaning; analyzes the meaning of unfamiliar words and applies the new meaning to context; identifies Greek and Latin root words. R.11.2 Analyzes character development; infers the setting in fiction and nonfiction; classifies point of view. Writing W.11.2 Determines the purpose of writing; analyzes and constructs organizational patterns to connect ideas; writes narrative, expository, and persuasive essays.
Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings:

Experiences, relationships, history, and culture influence identity. Expository writing has a controlling idea that is developed, supported and summarized. Multiple strategies can be used to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. The elements of mysteries, particularly detective stories and expository writing
Essential Questions:
What is identity and how does culture and experiences help shape it? How does expository writing differ from other writing forms and how can one make expository writing organized and engaging? How can word structure and context help you determine the meaning of unfamiliar words?
June 2012
Unit 11.4: Its a Mystery! English as a Second Language 6 weeks Content (Students will know)
Context clues, references sources, vocabulary expansion strategies Point of view Setting in fiction, particularly mystery novels The structure and organization of the detective novel genre Elements of expository writing Prediction Setting Witness, Suspect, Victim, Culprit, Sidekick, interrogate, lead, investigate, clues, lead, red herring
Skills (Students will be able to)

Analyze character development and setting. Make connections to text. Express thoughts and opinions to discuss concepts and plot. Make predictions and inferences. Analyze the meaning of unfamiliar words and apply the new meaning to context. Classify point of view. Explain a process integrating compare and contrast. Write an expository essay. Utilize reference sources.
Content Vocabulary
Stage 2 - Assessment Evidence Performance Tasks

Explain a Process integrating compare/contrast Students will refine the expository journal entry they previously completed about the process of solving the mystery that the detective in their novel took. They will also write similar drafts about at least one other mystery story they have read during this unit. (many available at mysterynet.com or kids.mysterynet.com) The students will use these drafts to compose an expository essay comparing and contrasting the process of solving the mysteries in the two stories. The students will edit and revise their work before completing a final copy. The students will also present their work orally to the class. The essay and oral presentation will be assessed using a teacher-made rubric. Students will choose three expository journal entries from the unit and develop them into an essay.
Other Evidence
Literacy Journal which will include: o Daily Quick-writes and longer journal entries. Prompts suggested below in Learning Activities. o Dialogue Journal the student will write an entry, the teacher will write a response directly in the journal, the student will respond, and so on. o Reading Response Journal Students will answer response questions on their silent or group reading as assigned by the teacher. (See Learning Activities for suggested prompts.) o Reading Log Students will record titles and pages read each day. o New Vocabulary Personal Word Wall Students will record unfamiliar words they encounter throughout the unit. They will use context clues and reference materials to find the meanings of the words. Anecdotal evidence of comprehension and participation collected during discussions and group work
Expand upon journal entries
June 2012
Unit 11.4: Its a Mystery! English as a Second Language 6 weeks

The students should work through the steps of the writing process in order to produce a high-quality final copy. The essays will be evaluated on a teachermade rubric.
Stage 3 - Learning Plan Learning Activities

Detective Fiction Read Aloud The teacher will choose a high-interest detective novel to read aloud to the class. (See Literature Connections for suggestions) The goal should be to finish reading this novel within the first 2 weeks of the unit. The teacher should model fluency in oral reading, express thoughts and opinions to discuss concepts and plot, and use context clues to discern meaning of unfamiliar words. The teacher should also lead discussions with the students about character development, setting, and point of view of the novel. This novel will also serve as a common knowledge base for the students in order to discuss and provide examples of the parts of the performance tasks. After the novel is finished, the teacher should read a short mystery story to the students each day (see Kids.Mysterynet.com or Mysterynet.com for examples). Students will write an explanation of how a specific place influences the way they behave. They will use details from their own experience in a particular setting to support their explanation. Students will write an explanation of how setting influences a character and other aspects of the story. They should support their explanation with details from the text. (The text can be the novel they are currently reading or anything else theyve read recently.) Students will assume the role of an object, write about experiences in a particular setting from the objects point of view, and write a brief monologue describing the objects experiences. Students will continue reading novels on their own, as they have done throughout the year. In this unit, students should choose a detective fiction novel (see Literature Collections for suggestions many available online.) The novel will be used for various activities and assessments throughout the unit. How do your detectives character traits contribute to his/her strengths and weaknesses as a detective?
Thinking about setting and cause/effect Journal entries
Independent Reading
Detective Novel Expository Journal Entries1
Based on portions of the Detectives Handbook http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lessonplans/expository-escapade-detective-handbook-40.html
June 2012

What kind of mystery is your detective trying to solve? How does your detective get involved? Write a character detective about a sidekick in your story, either person, or animal. How does the sidekick contribute to detection during the mystery? What is the setting of your novel? How does the setting contribute to or hinder the investigation? Is the story written from the point of view of the detective? Is so, choose a scene and rewrite it from the point of view of another character. (If its not, choose a scene to rewrite from the point of view of the detective. The teacher may have to scaffold or model the process) Write a how to paragraph that takes the reader step-by-step through the process by which the detective solved the mystery. Students will use Prediction Log (see attachment: 11.4 Learning Activity Prediction Log) to record predictions about the mystery while reading. When the students have read about half of their detective novels, they will give a short report to the class or to a small group describing the story so far and sharing their predictions and inferences about the case being presented. http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson865/organizer.pdf Plot Structure: A Literary Elements Mini-Lesson http://www.readwritethink.org/classroomresources/lesson-plans/plot-structure-literary-elements-904.html Thrills! Chills! Using Scary Stories to Motivate Students to Read http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/thrills-chills-using-scary407.html ** Expository EscapadeDetectives Handbook http://www.readwritethink.org/classroomresources/lesson-plans/expository-escapade-detective-handbook-40.html Everyone Loves a Mystery http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lessonplans/everyone-loves-mystery-genre-796.html Full-text short stories, novels, poems, etc. from a variety of genres: http://www.searchlit.org/elibrary.php MysteryNet Kids Mysteries http://kids.mysterynet.com/ Online mysteries, mystery games, mystery books and resources http://www.mysterynet.com/
Detective Novel Making Predictions and Inferences
Sample Lessons

Additional Resources

Literature Connections
Nancy Drew Mysteries by Carolyn Keene Sherlock Holmes Series by Arthur Conan Doyle (many available online through SearchLit.org. Also here: http://www.mysterynet.com/holmes/more.shtml) The Hardy Boys Series by Franklin W. Dixon (collective pseudonym for many authors) The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe (http://www.mysterynet.com/edgar-allanpoe/murders-in-the-rue-morgue/) Literature Timeless Voices, Timeless Theme, Bronze o All Summer in a Day by Ray Bradbury page 288 (Story: Setting) o Primer Lesson by Carl Sandburg page 294 (Story: Setting) June 2012 4

o o o The Dying Detective by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, dramatized by Michael and Mollie Hardwick page 328 (Play: Drawing Conclusions) The Monsters Are Due o Maple Street by Rod Serling page 696 (Play:Predict, Conflict in Drama ) Lochivar by Sir Walter Scott page 727 (Ballad: Poetry)
June 2012 Adapted from Understanding by Design by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe

11.4 It's A Mystery

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What are the main elements of a mystery novel?

What are some strategies for making predictions while reading?

Unit 11.4: Its a Mystery!

English as a Second Language 6 weeks Stage 1 - Desired Results Unit Summary

Content Standards and Learning Expectations

Big Ideas/Enduring Understandings:

Skills (Students will be able to)

Stage 2 - Assessment Evidence Performance Tasks

Expand upon journal entries

Unit 11.4: Its a Mystery! English as a Second Language 6 weeks

Stage 3 - Learning Plan Learning Activities

Thinking about setting and cause/effect Journal entries

Detective Novel Expository Journal Entries1

Based on portions of the Detectives Handbook http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lessonplans/expository-escapade-detective-handbook-40.html

Unit 11.4: Its a Mystery! English as a Second Language 6 weeks

Detective Novel Making Predictions and Inferences

Unit 11.4: Its a Mystery! English as a Second Language 6 weeks

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