Sparkles, Smiles, and Successful Students

•Mystery anchor chart •Mystery Bubble Map •Cover page for writing •Writing page paper •Mini book for listening to Peer mysteries •Magnifying Glasses to “spot” clues Common Core Standards: CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.5 With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.2.5 With guidance and support from adults and peers, focus on a topic and strengthen writing as needed by revising and editing. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.5 With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.

•Print out anchor charts for introduction •Introduce with a story -(optional •Plan out writing using any of the optional sheets

•Planning •Clue sheet •Bubble map

•Start writing process •Use detective notebooks for peer review •Copy final draft on paper • •Publish and Celebrate

•Ideas •Magnifying glasses

•Class Clue Hunt •Can be used to start teaching mysteries or to end the unit and have a surprise!

August- Backpack Mystery September- School Mystery October- Halloween or Costume Mystery November- Turkey Mystery December- Gift Mystery January- Snow mystery February- Valentines Mystery March- The Animal Mystery April- Easter Egg Mystery May- Waterslide Mystery * Use your imagination! For younger students choosing something like the Easter Egg or Backpack mystery where something could be inside is a great way to introduce students to mysteries whether than a who-done-it mystery.

•You can always start out by reading mystery books.

•Here are some great ones to try:

•I make a big deal out of publishing student work, if they put time into the writing process we take time to recognize and appreciate what they did.

•When we celebrate this time I like to: •Get a trench coat for the reader (detective) •Give each student a laminated magnifying glass they can hold up when they hear a clue.

Something that cannot be explained. A puzzle with clues to solving

it.

Piece of information used to solve a mystery.

This paper can be used for the final copy of a student’s mystery story.

For another fun option- in their

illustrations students can put a symbol for a clue

such as a question mark, special stamp, or footprint. This can be especially helpful in the younger grades with putting the mystery

together.

SSSTeaching

___________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

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__________________________

________________________

________________________

________________________

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____________________

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Have students work in pairs as peer review for their mystery stories. Give each student a copy of their own detective notebook.

Have the student record clues they hear in another peer’s writing and how the mystery will be solved.

*you can put multiple clue sheets if done in larger groups.

My

De

te

ct

ive

No

te

bo

ok

My

De

te

ct

ive

No

te

bo

ok

N

ame

: ___

___

____

____

N

ame

: ___

___

____

____

Clue

#1

Clue

#1

SSST

each

ing

SSST

each

ing

Clue

#2

Clue

#2

SSST

each

ing

SSST

each

ing

Clue

#3

Clue

#3

SSST

each

ing

SSST

each

ing

My

Gue

ss:

Wh

at

it

wa

s:

My

Gue

ss:

Wh

at

it

wa

s:

SSST

each

ing

SSST

each

ing

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The Great _________________ Mystery

Clue 1: Clue 2: Clue 3:

What is inside? How does it end?

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Mysteries

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Clue 1

Clue 2

Clue 3

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The Great _________________ Mystery

I heard these clues: Clue 1: Clue 2: Clue 3:

My guess: ____________________ The ending: __________________

Take your class on a hunt for clues and learn about solving

mysteries!

Use the clues provided and place in the specific locations or use the blank clues and hide your

own!

Hand to the Students

1. Pens and Pencils

2. Gym 3. Something blue in classroom

4. Reading Nook

5. Cafeteria 6. Office 7. Library 8. Near the board – final location

Ideas for Ending:

Erasers, stickers, extra recess, anything!

Clue 1 Clue 2

Look where you keep the pens and pencils too,

There you will find your very

first clue!

Found the first one, look where you go to

run!

Clue 3

Doing good you found two, look

by something

blue.

Clue 4

Doing well, keep it up – look by our reading

nook.

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Clue 5 Clue 6

In the office it is true you just might find your next great clue.

Clue 7

Books, books, all around where oh

where could I be found?

Clue 8

Back to the classroom where could it be – look near the

board to see!

This is getting

pretty neat, look where you go to

eat!

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Clue Clue

Clue Clue

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For ONE classroom use only! If you liked it, check out my blog, TPT store, or Facebook

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Clipart: mycutegraphics.com Borders:

candcteachfirst.blogspot.com Fonts: Kevin and Amanda