Unsolved Mysteries – Project Outline

Date Assigned: ______Name: ______

Due Date: ______

During this Literacy project, you will be choosing an unsolved mystery to research. You will learn: appropriate research methods (books and online), summarizing, creating a bibliography, media design and presentation skills. You will complete research about your chosen unsolved mystery using secondary resources that you may find in the school library, public library and (approved) internet sites. You will be graded as per the attached evaluation guide.

Unsolved Mystery choices:

  • The Bermuda Triangle
  • Stonehenge
  • The Ancient Egyptian Pyramids
  • The Statues of Easter Island
  • The Plain of Nazca
  • Crop Circles
/
  • The Loch Ness Monster
  • Big Foot
  • Disappearance of Tom Thomson
  • Roswell UFO Incident
  • Lost Atlantis
  • Lost civilizations of the Sahara

Or an unsolved mystery of your choice – approved by Ms. Rocha

Steps:

  1. Pre-research: Figure out which unsolved mystery you would like to focus on by doing some pre-research. Is there enough information to be able to complete a project about your choice? Get your choice approved by Ms. Rocha.
  2. Resource hunt: Gather as much information as you can about your topic. Highlight and/or take notes about the important information, key ideas and supporting details (in your own words).
  3. Organize: Take the information that you have gathered and organize it into appropriate subheadings. Subheadings for your report may be different than your peers’. A graphic organizer has been provided for you on the class website. Feel free to open it, reorganize it in a way that makes sense for your project. Hand it in with your good copy!
  4. Summarize: Include all important W5H researched information in your summary under appropriate subheadings and in paragraph form; include a complete and correct bibliography.
  5. Theorize: Explain the current theories about the unsolved mystery and suggest your own theory about what occurred.
  6. Complete Report: Revise and edit, check the rubric and checklist, print and duotang your report.
  7. Design: Create a visual representation of your project. For example: a travel brochure advertising why tourists should visit, a newspaper article about what happened, a comic strip discussing the main ideas of your project, a poster or magazine about your topic, a blog written an adventurer etc.
  8. Present: Create a dramatic presentation about the main points in your research. For example: a TV broadcast, a movie trailer, a news broadcast, commercial etc.

Research

What do you need to find out?????

  • What happened exactly? Summarize all pertinent main facts found in your research.
  • Who discovered it?
  • When did it occur? When was it discovered? How was it discovered?
  • Where did this occur? Describe exact locations.
  • What does it look like? Describe fully.
  • How did it occur? Be specific. If it occurred in different ways, or if there are different theories.
  • Theories: In all unsolved mysteries, there are theories by ‘experts’ as to why the mystery occurred. Explain a minimum of TWO expert theories.
  • Analyze: For each of the above theories, analyze the research. Form your own opinion about each of your theories. Think critically and support your answers with evidence found in your research.
  • Create: Based on the evidence that you found, create your own theory about your unsolved mystery.

Duotang Checklist

  1. Cover page (title of project, your name, date handed in)
  2. Written Report
  3. Bibliography
  4. Rough: jot-notes, graphic organizer and/or rough copy
  5. Evaluation Guide

Unsolved Mysteries – Evaluation GuideName:______

Expectation / Level / Grade
Reading / I have used a variety of appropriate texts (minimum 2 books, 2 internet sites) which are shown in a bibliography. (R1.1,1.2) / R 1 2 3 4 / ______
25
I have understood what I read and summarized the important ideas. I have included details that support the main idea. (R 1.4) / R 1 2 3 4
I have identified the point of view presented in my reading about the theories related to my unsolved mystery; I have discussed critically the possible biases and perspectives of the authors. (R1.9) / R 1 2 3 4
Writing / In my research, I have successfully gathered information to support my ideas from a range of print and electronic sources. I have included a copy of my research notes, graphic organizer and/or rough copy. (W1.3) / R 1 2 3 4 / 40
In my writing, I have organized my information in a way that makes sense using appropriate subheadings. (W1.4) / R 1 2 3 4
In my paragraphs, I have used topic sentences and provided sufficient details and/or examples to support the main idea. My writing is in my own words and not plagiarized. (W1.5) / R 1 2 3 4
I have written my report using formal language, my sentence structure is fluent (not choppy, or too wordy). (W2.3, 2.4) / R 1 2 3 4
I have successfully edited my work for spelling, punctuation and grammar. I have successfully edited for content, clarity and interest. (W2.7,3.2,3.4,3.5) / R 1 2 3 4
I have included all written components of the assignment (summary, analysis of two theories and myopinion). (W2.8) / R 1 2 3 4
Media Literacy / I have chosen an appropriate media form to suit the purpose and audience (M3.2). / R 1 2 3 4 / ______
20
I have created a media form and used appropriate conventions and techniques (ie: a magazine article about a disappearance) to describe, educate and visually represent your chosen mystery. (M3.4) / R 1 2 3 4
Oral communication / I have chosen an oral presentation form that will engage my audience (O2.2) / R 1 2 3 4 / ______
15
I have spoken in a clear and coherent manner. (O2.3) / R 1 2 3 4
I have appropriately used a range of vocal effects (ie: tone, pace, pitch and volume) to enhance my presentation. (O2.5) / R 1 2 3 4
I used a variety of appropriate visual aids to support and enhance the presentation of the main points from my research. (O2.7) / R 1 2 3 4
Final Grade & Comments / ______
100