Mystery: a Genre Study

Mystery: A Genre Study

A Unit Plan for 7th Grade Language Arts

Valerie Cullip

Tucker – ENGL 409

Mystery Genre Rationale

What is a mystery? The very term puzzles the imagination for most 7th graders who are unfamiliar with the genre. The mystery genre is meant to challenge and puzzle the reader by giving stubble clues, hidden paths, exploring the unknown, and above all, exploring the truth and outcomes within the given text. Although the mystery genre might be new to some students, by the end of the unit students will be able to analyze the structure, elements and style within the mystery genre. Students will learn how to analyze the role of antagonists and protagonists, and how their internal and external conflicts correlate to the theme by reading the novel The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin. Lastly, students will be able to identify characteristics within plots and themes by solving mysteries with the supporting information. By the time we reach the end of the unit, students will have enough knowledge and information to become mystery writers as they creatively writing their own mystery story for the class Mystery Book for the cumulative project.

The target population for this unit is 7th grade. All students, no matter what color, ethnicity, gender, or disability will able to successfully fulfill completion of this each lesson. I will take into consideration that each student learning style is different, with this being said, assignments, homework, vocabulary, projects and so forth will be able to be modified if needed to fit each student’s individual need. Reading comprehension and progression during the unit will be monitored and evaluated weekly (R.MT.07.02) by students handing in Detective Notes (worksheet) and journal writings (notebooks) of topics we have covered within the book at the end of each week to be graded and handed back. This unit is designed to be educational, resourceful and most importantly, fun for students.

The main text students will use during this unit will be Ellen Raskin’s 1979 Newbery Medal winning novel The Westing Game. The Westing Game is about the unexplained death of an eccentric millionaire who brings together 16 unlikely heirs who must uncover the circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance. Using The Westing Game, students will learn how to “analyze the role of antagonists, protagonists, internal and external conﬂicts, and abstract themes,” (R.NT.07.03) as well as analyze multiple author’s “craft including the use of theme, antagonists, protagonists, overstatement, understatement, and exaggeration” (R.NT.07.04) such as Sahar Sabati’s “The Bus Ride” and various student publicized short story mysteries in the book, “The American Teen Writer Series: White Knuckles, Thrillers and other stories”. By using these specific content expectations, where students will be asked to “write a cohesive narrative piece that includes the appropriate conventions to the genre employing literary and plot devices,” (W.GN.07.01) at the end of the unit for the culminating activity.

For the summative assessment, students will write an alternate ending for the novel. The Westing Game has a wide range of eccentric characters with multiple possibilities for twists and turns for an engaging alternative ending. This will allow students to reflect on the past chapters and creatively summarize what they have learned.

By the end of this unit, students will be able to successfully read a mystery novel, understand the themes in which are included in a mystery story, and lastly creatively write their own mystery.

Content Standards and Expectations

Strand 1: Reading

· R.WS.07.01 explain and use word structure, sentence structure, and prediction to aid in decoding and understanding the meanings of words encountered in context

· R.WS.07.04 know the meanings of words encountered frequently in grade-level reading and oral language contexts.

· R.WS.07.05 acquire and apply strategies to identify unknown words and construct meaning

· R.WS.07.07 in context, determine the meaning of words and phrases including crosscultural expressions, mathematical expressions, scientiﬁc procedures, and literary terms using strategies and authentic content-related resources

· R.MT.07.02 plan, monitor, regulate, and evaluate skills, strategies, and processes for their own reading comprehension by applying appropriate metacognitive skills such as SQP3R and pattern guides.

· R.NT.07.02 analyze the structure, elements, style, and purpose of narrative genre including mystery, poetry, memoir, drama, myths, and legends.

· R.NT.07.03 analyze the role of antagonists, protagonists, internal and external conﬂicts, and abstract themes.

· R.NT.07.04 analyze author’s craft including the use of theme, antagonists, protagonists, overstatement, understatement, and exaggeration.

· R.IT.07.01 analyze the structure, elements, features, style, and purpose of informational genre including persuasive essay, research report, brochure, personal correspondence, autobiography and biography

Strand 2: Writing

· W.GN.07.01 write a cohesive narrative piece such as a memoir, drama, legend, mystery, poetry, or myth that includes appropriate conventions to the genre employing literary and plot devices (e.g., internal and/or external conﬂicts, antagonists/protagonists, personiﬁcation).

· W.PS.07.01 exhibit personal style and voice to enhance the written message in both narrative (e.g., personiﬁcation, humor, element of surprise) and informational writing (e.g., emotional appeal, strong opinion, credible support).

Strand 3: Speaking

· S.DS.07.01 engage in interactive, extended discourse to socially construct meaning in

book clubs, literature circles. partnerships, or other conversation protocols

· S.DS.07.02 respond to multiple text types in order to anticipate and answer questions, offer opinions and solutions, and to identify personally with a universal theme.

Strand 4: Listening and Viewing

· L.RP.07.03 identify a speaker’s attitude toward a subject expressed through tone, mood, emotional cues, and depth of content

22 Lesson Plans – Mystery Genre

Week One

Lesson One: Pre – assessment and Introduction of Mystery Genre Unit

Purpose: To introduce students to the mystery genre. Students will learn the elements in which go into reading and writing within the mystery genre. Students will be able to identity key terms that are identified within mystery texts.

Preparation: Students will be given a pre-assessment KWL worksheet where they will be asked write down what they Know and what they Want to know about the mystery genre. From this assessment, I will be able to obtain knowledge of where I will need to start my unit. This assessment will not be graded. This assessment will be passed back and throughout the course students will fill out what they Learned.

Procedure: After I have given the pre-assessment, I will then hand out “Week 1 Detective Notebook” to each student. Inside each packet will contain:

· Detective notes

· Journal notes

· Mystery themed vocabulary

· Themed worksheets

I will give students detailed instructions on how the process of the Detective Notebook will work. Every Friday I will collect the packets and will be graded by Monday along with their vocabulary tests. I will ask students to turn to the Mystery Vocabulary Words worksheet where I will ask explain how the process will work. I will explain:

· Vocabulary flashcards (Cards will be distributed separately)

· Vocabulary sentences

· Ways to find definitions for your vocabulary words

· Students will be asked include pictures on their vocabulary flashcards that coincide with the respective word.

If we have time after class, I will read a five minute mystery to the class and have students take turns finding a solution.

Assessment: Students will be asked to go home and research what a mystery genre is. They can gather information by asking their guardians, browsing the internet, looking up the definition in the dictionary, ect. Students will be asked to take notes and write a paragraph about their findings on the “It’s a Mystery” worksheet.

K / W / L
Detective Notes
Date:______
O
O
O
Date ______
Journal Notes
O
O
O

Name: ______

It’s a Mystery!

Directions: Please fill out each square as you research the Mystery genre.

Dictionary Definition: / Notes:
Ask someone what they think a mystery is. What did they say? / Resources:

Write a paragraph (4 – 6 sentences) about the information you have collected about the mystery genre:

Lesson Two: Mystery Vocabulary

Preparation: Students will have completed the worksheet, “It’s a Mystery!”

Procedure: Students will have their Detective Notebook. I will, once again, go over the vocabulary sheets, flashcard worksheet, crossword puzzle and fill-in-the-blank worksheet located in their Detective Workbook (10-15 minutes). As a class, we will go over each word carefully where students will be asked to think if the word is a noun, verb, adjective, adverb, or preposition. I will then have students cut out and create their vocabulary flashcards.

If we have time after class, I will read a five minute mystery to the class and have students take turns finding a solution.

Assessment: Students will be asked to write a sentence for all of the vocabulary words.

Mystery Vocabulary

Alibi: an excuse given by an accused person to prove that he/she was somewhere else during the time of the crime

Clue: an object or piece of information that helps solve a mystery

Crime: an act that violates the law

Detective: a person who gathers information and investigates crimes

Evidence: a statement or object that proves a solution to a mystery

Hunch: a guess about something

Motive: the reason a person does something

Mystery: a problem that needs to be solved

Photographic memory: the ability to a lasting mental picture

Plot: the arrangement of events in a story

Setting: the time and place of a story

Sleuth: another name for a detective

Victim: a person who is harmed by a crime

Witness: someone who saw something related to a crime

MYSTERY VOCABULARY WORDSEARCH

http://www.capstonepub.com/CAP/downloads/LESSONPLANS/Grades_3-5/Fiction/Mystery_Vocabulary_Lesson_Plan.pdf

J S B H T L Y J F W O U A L V

F G U T T R M Y K G W C U V M

I Y J S E U C A J R I L K I S

Z A Z T P E E K I C T P M K Z

S Y S T E E V L S G N D J N E

O Y O Q U I C I S Z E L K L Q

M E L Z Z U P T T R S L H M P

G U M E C R I M E C S T F L I

V Z P C Y U N V H Y E C O B M

H A F N Y S V Q N U M T I O I

C Z S E T T I N G O N L E A T

L D D D M D B X T T A C T D C

U D G I P Z J I X K G V H C I

E P V V Z H V K M T S Z N S V

X M W E H E O T Q N N A S A E

ALIBI

CLUE

CRIME

DETECTIVE

EVIDENCE

HUNCH

MOTIVE

MYSTERY

PLOT

PUZZLE

SETTING

SLEUTH

SUSPECT

VICTIM

WITNESS

Vocabulary Fill in the Blank

Directions: Fill in the blanks with words from the box. Words will only be used once.

Crimes are acts that ______the law. When there is a crime or mystery, a ______gathers information and investigates the time and place of the crime scene. This is called the ______in a mystery story. The ______(another name for a detective) tries to find ______so that he/she can solve the ______. Sometimes, clues can also be used as ______to prove a solution to a mystery. Many times a detective uses a ______to find the reason a person does something or the ______for the crime. Someone who sees something happen related to a crime, a ______, can help a suspect with an ______so he/she isn’t accused of the crime.

http://www.capstonepub.com/CAP/downloads/LESSONPLANS/Grades_3-5/Fiction/Mystery_Vocabulary_Lesson_Plan.pdf

Lesson Three: What is a Mystery?

Preparation: Students will have written one sentence for each vocabulary word.

Procedure: We will discuss the worksheet, “It’s a Mystery” where I will ask a couple of students to share their paragraphs with the class. The rest of class will be discussion and writing based. I will write questions on the board and have students follow along and take notes on the following questions:

· From the information we have gathered, what is the definition of a Mystery?

· When you think about mysteries what comes to mind?

· What do you find suspenseful?

· What do you think makes a good mystery?

If we have time after class, I will read a five minute mystery to the class and have students take turns finding a solution.

Assessment: I will ask students to write in their “Detective Notebooks” and answer question #1: “Think about your favorite mystery book, t.v show or movie.” Students will write a paragraph about what made them enjoy the movie, television show or book.

Week Two

Lesson Four: Elements of a Mystery