The 8th graders are wrapping up an English unit on mystery stories right now. Friday students are turning in the final drafts of original mystery stories that are 3-19 pages long! These stories include a setting, characters, crime, motive, red herring, and surprise twist ending. Students are also finishing The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer and a choice mystery book by Agatha Christie, Varian Johnson, Caroline B. Cooney, Jason Lethcoe, or James Ponti. Next week students will come to class dressed as a character from the shared text, and take a test on the unit the following week. The unit helps students grasp the elements of mystery and how the authors weave together a complex plot and unravel an unexpected solution.
Whodunit?
