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Detective Deduction: Solving & Writing Mysteries in Grades 2-6

Detective Deduction: Solving & Writing Mysteries in Grades 2-6. By: Erica Hamer. Objectives. Students will analyze evidence to solve mysteries Students will create an original mystery story Students will construct logical reasoning grids

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Detective Deduction: Solving & Writing Mysteries in Grades 2-6

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  1. Detective Deduction: Solving & Writing Mysteries in Grades 2-6 By: Erica Hamer

  2. Objectives • Students will analyze evidence to solve mysteries • Students will create an original mystery story • Students will construct logical reasoning grids • Students will use skills of deduction to solve their classmates’ mysteries

  3. Thinking Skills • Combining & summarizing information • Solving logic puzzles • Making inferences • Sorting & organizing clues • Analyzing evidence • Using deductive reasoning to eliminate possibilities • Questioning • Distinguishing between fact & opinion • Contrasting viewpoints • Making predictions • Supporting conclusions • Differentiating between relevant & irrelevant information • Evaluating sources • Observing • Validating syllogisms • Sequencing events • Recognizing relationships

  4. How Have You Used Mysteries? • What mystery activities have you tried in your classroom? • What worked well? • What obstacles did you encounter?

  5. Developing Detectives Activities • Thinking Outside the Box • Becoming a Keen Observer • Illustrating Detective Vocabulary • Asking Good Questions • Making Inferences • Making Deductions: Logic Puzzles

  6. Logical Reasoning After students master each, they can create their own! • Relationships: group characteristics • Sequential reasoning • All statements • No statements, reversals, & other negatives • Analogies • Logic Diagrams • Syllogisms: • Premises • Valid & invalid conclusions • If-then statements • Deduction: grids or matrices • Try “Pizza Party”, “Spring Bulbs”, & “The Zoo Trip”

  7. Solving Mysteries • Listening: Mini-mysteries on CD • Reading: whole group, partners, individual • Underlining or highlighting: • Clue phrases, important details, evidence, & suspicious behavior • Numbers: times, money, sequences • Taking notes: collecting clues & evidence Students can use plastic magnifying glasses to get into the character of detective!

  8. Create a Logic Puzzle • List 4-8 suspects (clearly male/female names) • Choose a culprit • List 5 facial characteristics: beard, mustache, scar, mole, etc. • Write clues deducing which characteristic matches each suspect: • Mary does NOT have a mole. • Betty has NEVER had stitches. • Proofread: Can a colleague solve your mystery? • Revise: Add clues or correct clues to match solution

  9. Writing a Mystery Story What happened? To whom? Where? Why? • Setting: crime scene(s) • Written description • Crime scene sketch • Characters: • Culprit • Other suspects • Victim • Plot: • Clues • Detailed action (from which to infer clues) • Dialogue (including questions & lies) • Evidence (witness observations, thread, candy wrapper, receipt, etc.) • Crime/Mystery- NONVIOLENT, missing/secret/mixed-up • Motivation (how each suspect benefits from the crime) • Opportunity (timing & location) • Proofreading: Can the teacher & your classmates solve the mystery? • Revising to add clues or correct clues to match solution

  10. More Mystery Ideas • Create a “real” crime scene in your classroom using props as evidence • Take a field trip to attend LASM Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) class • Invite a guest speaker police detective or private investigator • Have students write a script & film a mystery movie or perform a mystery puppet show • How would you adapt these mystery activities for your class?

  11. Sources

  12. Online Resources For Teachers • Mystery Writing http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mystery/index.htm • How to Write a Mini-Mystery http://www.fictionteachers.com/fictionclass/mystery.html • Mystery Cube Lesson Plans http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/student-interactives/mystery-cube-30059.html • Mystery Elements Lesson Plan http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/what-mystery-exploring-identifying-865.html • Host a Classroom Mystery http://www.ehow.com/how_2108914_host-mystery-classroom.html • Forensics Activities: Who Dunnit? http://www.cyberbee.com/whodunnit/crime.html For Students • Interactive: Peetnik Mysteries http://www.superpages.com/enlightenme/superthinkers/pages/welcome.html • Interactive: Mysteries of Catalhoyuk! http://www.smm.org/catal/top.php • Interactive: Fin, Fur, & Feather Bureau of Investigation http://www.fffbi.com/

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