PB Works
George Washington’s Socks: Short-Answer Questions Chapters 1-9
Build a literature unit around the book George Washington's Socks with this series of short answer questions. Broken up in two- and three-chapter increments, these reading comprehension questions allow young readers to demonstrate their...
Curated OER
With Detective Fiction in the Urban Classroom
This abstract for an instructional unit using three-minute mysteries, stories by Sir Arthur Canon Doyle, and Edgar Allan Poe includes a short history of detective fiction, sample plans, and suggestions for exercises and activities...
Curated OER
Web Quest on "How to Write a Mystery."
Students complete a Web Quest on How to Write a Mystery. They listen to or read a short mystery story and discuss its elements. They write an outline of a mystery story using all of the elements.
Curated OER
Wrapped in Mystery
Sixth graders can identify five basic elements that most mysteries contain. They put the elements of mystery into a graphic organizer they can follow. They construct meaning after reading Poe's short story and identify or infer the...
Curated OER
Pizzazz!...Chain Stories
Students compose a short story working with partners. They create a beginning, middle, and an ending. Students brainstorm with their partners and create a creative short story.
Curated OER
Math Maven's Mysteries
For this logic worksheet, students read a short story about a hidden baseball bat in a large stadium. Students read the clues about the location of the bat. Students determine where in the stadium seats the bat is located.
Curated OER
Ocean Mysteries, Legends, and Customs
Students conduct Internet research to investigate mysteries, legends, and customs related to the ocean. They select a topic, and write and illustrate a short story.
Curated OER
Compare and Contrast
Fourth graders read two books In this compare and contrast instructional activity, 4th graders read a science fiction or fantasy story and compare it to the story, "Help! I'm a Prisoner in the Library." Students also have the option to...
Curated OER
Mystery Book Report Form Worksheet
In this mystery book report form worksheet, students complete a book report which includes the title and author. They write the names and descriptions of the characters, before the heart of the story, clues to solve of the mystery, and...
Macmillan Education
The Tell-Tale Heart
Rather than who done it, the mystery literary detectives have to solve as they examine the evidence found in Edgar Allan Poe's famous "The Tell-Tale Heart" is why did he do it?
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Suspense Writing Prompts
"I don't know what to write about!" How often have you heard that lament? Here's a list of 10 prompts that provide a starting place for suspense stories.
Curated OER
Maniac Magee Comprehension Questions
Supplement your Maniac Magee lesson plans with a packet of student materials. Included here is a variety of questions about the text. Pupils complete multiple choice and short-answer questions and choose from a variety of extension...
Curated OER
Think of an Ending
Good endings are hard to find. And write. This, the final lesson in a six-part series devoted to study of the ingredients of a good story, focuses on crafting endings. Class members draft ideas about what should happen to each of their...
Curated OER
Predicting From the First Line 2
In this Predicting From the First Line 2 worksheet, students answer 6 questions by predicting the rest of a story from the first line. Students also write a short story, using the first line given.
Curated OER
Predicting From the First Line 3
In this Predicting From the First Line A, students answer 6 questions by predicting the rest of a story given the first line. Students also write a short story, using the first line given.
Curated OER
Predicting From the First Line B
In this Predicting From the First Line B worksheet, students answer 6 questions by predicting the rest of a story given the first line. Students also write a short story, using the first line given.
Curated OER
Writing A Summary - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Middle schoolers explore short stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In this literature lesson, students read one of his short stories listed and then summarize the story in a written piece.
Curated OER
Sherlock Holmes: Teaching English Through Detective Fiction
Students read examples of mysteries and detective fiction. With a focus on Sherlock Holmes, they are introduced to the techniques for reading properly. In groups, they define new vocabulary, make predictions and summarize the stories. ...
Curated OER
Art Mystery
Students explore famous artists in order to write mystery stories incorporating their life and works. They write their own based on their research of a particular artist.
Curated OER
Revising Your Mystery Story
Students edit and improve their short stories by examining character description, dialogue, and plot elements. In peer editing groups they correct gramatical and spelling errors. they read aloud their new story drafts.
Curated OER
You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover
In this prediction worksheet, students answer questions about what the book and Little Women and will be about based on the first sentence of the book. Students become authors writing their own short story with the given first line.
Curated OER
You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover
In this prediction worksheet, students answer questions telling what they think the book, The Little Match Girl will be about based on the first sentence. Students write their own short story using the first line as their starting point.
Curated OER
Language Arts: Creative Reading, Predicting and Writing
In this predictions worksheet, 4th graders guess what the book Black and White will be about based on the first line. Students answer questions related to the book's genre and story line. Students write and illustrate their own short...
Curated OER
Language Arts: Creative Reading, Predicting and Writing
For this predictions worksheet, 5th graders guess what Jumanji and will be about after reading only the first line. Students write and illustrate their own short story based on the first line of Jumanji .