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Lesson Plan
The Mysteries of Harris Burdick: Using Illustrations to Guide Writing
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| Grades | 5 – 9 |
| Lesson Plan Type | Standard Lesson |
| Estimated Time | Seven 50-minute sessions |
| Lesson Author |
Urbana, Illinois |
| Publisher |
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LESSON PLANS
Grades 3 – 5 | Lesson Plan | Standard Lesson
What's in a Mystery? Exploring and Identifying Mystery Elements
Students identify the characteristics of mystery writing, outline a mystery story using a graphic organizer, write and revise their own mystery story, edit each other's work, and share their mysteries.
Grades 6 – 8 | Lesson Plan | Unit
Everyone Loves a Mystery: A Genre Study
Students track the elements of mystery stories through Directed Learning–Thinking Activities, story maps, and puzzles. Then they offer clues for other readers as they plan and write original mystery stories.
Grades 6 – 8 | Lesson Plan | Unit
Developing Story Structure With Paper-Bag Skits
Lights, camera, action, and a bit of mystery! In this lesson, students use mystery props in a skit bag to create and perform in short, impromptu skits.
Grades 6 – 8 | Lesson Plan | Unit
Expository Escapade—Detective’s Handbook
Students create a Detective's Handbook based on a detective mystery they have read. The handbooks include expository and descriptive writing, as well as a letter.
STUDENT INTERACTIVES
Grades 3 – 12 | Student Interactive | Organizing & Summarizing
The interactive Cube Creator helps students identify and summarize key elements. It can be used as a prewriting or postreading activity.
Grades 6 – 12 | Student Interactive | Writing & Publishing Prose
The Mystery Cube helps students identify and summarize story elements in this popular genre. It can be used as a postreading or prewriting activity.
CALENDAR ACTIVITIES
Grades 3 – 8 | Calendar Activity | February 3
In 1927, Joan Lowery Nixon was born.
As a class, a genre study of mysteries takes place and a chart is made about what makes a good mystery.
Grades 3 – 12 | Calendar Activity | June 18
Today is Chris Van Allsburg's birthday.
Students explore varying points of view, one of Van Allsburg's common themes, by rewriting a traditional story.
Grades 3 – 12 | Calendar Activity | April 28
Author Lois Duncan was born on this date in 1934.
Mysteries are shared with students for them to solve and brainstorm the attributes of a good mystery. Small groups then compose short mysteries using the Mystery Cube.