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 Students will use skills of deduction to solve their classmates’ mysteries

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

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

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

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”

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!

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

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

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?

Sources

Online Resources For Teachers Mystery Writing How to Write a Mini-Mystery Mystery Cube Lesson Plans resources/student-interactives/mystery-cube htmlhttp:// resources/student-interactives/mystery-cube html Mystery Elements Lesson Plan resources/lesson-plans/what-mystery-exploring-identifying-865.htmlhttp:// resources/lesson-plans/what-mystery-exploring-identifying-865.html Host a Classroom Mystery mystery-classroom.htmlhttp:// mystery-classroom.html Forensics Activities: Who Dunnit? For Students Interactive: Peetnik Mysteries Interactive: Mysteries of Catalhoyuk! Interactive: Fin, Fur, & Feather Bureau of Investigation