Basic Requirements: An unit that

Middle Level English Language Arts (ELA) Grade 7

A Model Thematic Unit

Mysteries, Uncanny Incidents, and Unusual Happenings

Saskatchewan Ministry of Education | www.curriculum.gov.sk.ca 1

Unit Overview Context(s): Imaginative and Literary Timeline: Approximately six weeks The world is teeming with wonders, mysteries, and unusual incidents. Grade 7 students are often fascinated with the unusual and try to figure out how or why something happens. They enjoy surprise endings and cliff-hangers. This unit challenges students to consider the unusual, the mysteries, and the secrets of our world – both real and imagined. Throughout this model unit, the suggested activities show how you can help students achieve the aim, goals, and outcomes for ELA 7 in the imaginative and literary context. The Learning Activities in this model unit can be adapted based on the interests and needs of your students (from class to class and from year to year). For example, on page 12 and 13 of this model unit, the learning activity suggested is as follows:

Ask students to consider all the wonders and mysteries that they have read or heard about in this section of the unit. Which did they find the most interesting? Why? About which mystery would they like to learn more? Why? Are there other mysteries that interest students?

Although CC 7.8 and 7.4 are some of the outcomes explored in this learning activity, you may select a different outcome such as CC 7.6 (use oral language to …) and invite students to discuss some of the wonders and mysteries they know about as a result of their viewing, listening, or reading. As you explore this unit with students, you have the opportunity to select the outcomes that may need to be reinforced with your students and to create your own learning activities that help students achieve the curricular outcomes. The unit is organized around focus questions with sample lessons and suggested resources included. Approximately 2 – 2½ weeks could be spent on each set of two focus question topics, with the remainder of the time devoted to end-of-unit activities. (Time allocations given are approximations only. Teachers can choose to spend more or less time on each lesson depending on the needs and interests of their students.) Understanding: The real (and imagined) mysteries and unusual incidents of life and nature intrigue humans and beg to be solved or explained. Possible Questions for Deeper Understanding • What are some of the unsolved mysteries and unexplained events of our world? • Why do people find mysteries fascinating? • What is there about people that lead them to pursue a mystery? • What makes a good mystery story, play, or poem? • Questions students would like to explore:

2 Saskatchewan Ministry of Education | www.curriculum.gov.sk.ca

English Language Arts Goals and Outcomes Overview [Grade 7] Each of the three goals for English language arts has a set of outcomes for the specific grade level. The following are the outcomes for Grade 7 ELA.

Comprehend and Respond (CR). Students will extend their abilities to view, listen to, read, comprehend, and respond to a range of contemporary and traditional grade-level texts from First Nations, Métis, and other cultures in a variety of forms (oral, print, and other texts) for a variety of purposes including for learning, interest, and enjoyment. CR7.1 View, listen to, read, comprehend, and respond to a variety of texts that address identity (e.g., Thinking of Oneself), social responsibility (e.g., Participating and Giving our Personal Best), and efficacy (e.g., Doing our Part for the Planet Earth).

CR7.2 Select and use appropriate strategies to construct meaning before (e.g., formulating questions), during (e.g., recognizing organizational structure), and after (e.g., making judgements supported by evidence) viewing, listening, and reading.

CR7.3 Use pragmatic (e.g., author’s purpose and point of view), textual (e.g., how author organized text), syntactic (e.g., main and subordinate ideas), semantic/lexical/morphological (e.g., figurative language and specific word meanings by their context, common affixes and allusions), graphophonic (e.g., word patterns), and other cues (e.g., non-verbal cues, headings, charts and diagrams) to construct and confirm meaning when viewing, listening, and reading.

CR7.4 View and demonstrate comprehension and interpretation of visual and multimedia texts with specific features (e.g., circle graphs) and complex ideas including the visual components of media such as magazines, newspapers, websites, reference books, graphic novels, broadcast media, videos and promotional materials.

CR7.5 Listen critically to understand and analyze oral information and ideas from a wide range of texts (e.g., complex instructions, oral explanations and reports, opinions or viewpoints, messages presented in the media).

CR7.6 Read and demonstrate comprehension and interpretation of grade-appropriate texts including traditional and contemporary prose fiction, poetry, and plays from First Nations, Métis, and other cultures including thoughtful and critical response to content and craft.

CR7.7 Read independently and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of specialized information texts including nonfiction books, grade level instructional materials, reports, reference materials, instructions, advertising and promotional materials, and websites.

CR7.8 Read grade 7 appropriate texts to increase fluency (130-170 wcpm orally; 170-220 silently) and expression.

Compose and Create (CC). Students will extend their abilities to speak, write, and use other forms of representation to explore and present thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a variety of forms for a variety of purposes and audiences CC7.1 Create various visual, oral, written, and multimedia (including digital) texts that explore identity (e.g., Exploring Thoughts, Feelings, and Ideas), social responsibility (e.g., Taking Action), and efficacy (e.g., Building a Better World).

CC7.2 Create and present a teacher-guided inquiry project related to a topic, theme, or issue studies in English language arts.


CC7.3 Select and use the appropriate strategies to communicate meaning before (e.g., planning and organizing ideas to fit format), during (e.g., using transition words), and after (e.g., revising to eliminate unnecessary repetition) speaking, writing and other representing activities.

CC7.4 Use pragmatic (e.g., use language that demonstrates respect for others), textual (e.g., use common organizational patterns within texts), syntactical (e.g., ensure agreement of subjects, verbs and pronouns), semantic/lexical/morphological (e.g., avoid overused and misused words), graphophonic (e.g., enunciate clearly), and other cues (e.g., use appropriate gestures and facial expression) to construct and to communicate meaning.

CC7.5 Create and present a variety of representations including visual and multimedia presentations such as displays, illustrations, and videos, and enhance communication with appropriate graphic organizers, charts, circle graphs, timelines, maps, and sound effects. CC7.6 Use oral language to interact purposefully and appropriately with others in pairs, small groups, and large group situations (e.g., contributing to sustaining dialogue, expressing support for others and their viewpoints, discussing and analyzing ideas and opinions, completing a variety of tasks, and contributing to group consensus building).

CC7.7 Use oral language to effectively express information and ideas of some complexity in formal and informal situations (e.g., a procedural description based on personal experience, a demonstration, a persuasive speech, a dramatization).

CC7.8 Write to describe a person; to narrate an imaginary incident or story; to explain and inform in a news story; a factual account, and a business letter; to persuade in a letter and in interpretation of a text).

CC7.9 Experiment with a variety of text forms (e.g., meeting, presentation to adults, descriptive poem, opinion piece, a review, front page of a newspaper, short script) and techniques (e.g., dialogue, figurative language).

Assess and Reflect on Language Abilities (AR). Students will extend their abilities to assess and reflect on their own language skills, discuss the skills of effective viewers, representers, listeners, speakers, readers, and writers, and set goals for future improvement. AR7.1 Set and achieve short-term and long-term goals to improve viewing, listening, reading, representing, speaking, and writing strategies.

AR7.2 Appraise own and others’ work for clarity and correctness.


Suggested Resources for the Unit A range of language, prose (fiction and non-fiction), poetry, and plays (scripts) as well as human, video, and other resources are suggested. Language Resources Dictionary Language and Writing 7 ResourceLines 7/8 Write Source 2000 Crossroads 7 Identities 7, p. 51

Poetry “So you found some fresh tracks in the snow?” (David McCord, Identities 7) or similar lyrical poem “Spellbound” (Emily Bronte), “And Even Now” (Dorothy Livesay), “I Am Afraid” (an Inuit poem), or similar lyrical poem about our fears “The Listeners” (Walter de La Mare) or similar narrative poem with mystery and suspense Plays/Scripts The Mystery of the Stone Statues (Identities 7) Prose Shorter Prose Non-Fiction Selections “Seven Not-So-Well Known Wonders of the World” (Todd Mercer) (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) “King Tut’s Tomb” (Daniel Cohen) (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) “Oak Island Treasure Hunt” (Sharon Siamon) (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) “A Giant Hoax” (Timothy Bay) (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) “The Phony Captain” (Daniel Cohen) (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) “Field of Schemes” (Todd Mercer) (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) Shorter Prose Fiction (Short Stories) Selections “The Dinner Party” (Mona Gardner) (SightLines 7) “The Wretched Stone” (excerpts from the Log of the Rita Anne) (Chris Van Allsburg) (SightLines 7) “The White Owl” (Hazel Boswell) (SightLines 7) “The Revenge of the Blood Thirsty Giant” (a Tlingit legend) (C. J. Taylor) (SightLines 7) “The Phantom Dog Team” (Harry Paddon) (SightLines 7) Full-Length Non-Fiction See suggested titles for this unit in bibliography and subsequent updates.


Novels See suggested titles for this unit in bibliography and subsequent updates. Media/Magazines/Websites “The Gold Funeral Mask of Tutankhamen” (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) “Howard Carter Takes Apart a Sealed Door” (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) “Howard Carter (Kneeling) Opens the Shrine” (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) “One of the Giant Stone Spheres of Costa Rica” (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) “Smith’s Cove, Oak Island Around 1897” (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) “One Who Lives Under the Water” (Blake Debassige) (SightLines 7)


Outcomes Learning Objectives Assessment and Evaluation

CR 7.1 CC 7.2 CR 7.6 CR 7.2

Mysteries, Uncanny Incidents, and Unusual Happenings Are you fascinated with the unusual and do you enjoy a good mystery? Do you enjoy asking “what if …?” and trying to figure out how or why something happens? Do you like surprise endings and cliff-hangers? The world is teeming with wonders, mysteries, and unusual incidents. This unit challenges you to consider the unusual, the mystery, and the secrets of our world – both real and imagined. Stranger Than Fiction – Mysteries of Our World Sample Lessons 1 through 6 (approximately 2 weeks) Unusual happenings, unexplained phenomena, and unsolved mysteries fascinate everyone. They beg for an explanation and a solution. Although we may not find or have all the explanations or answers, we love to speculate and consider the possibilities. What are some of the unsolved mysteries and unexplained events of our world? Question 1: What are some of the unsolved mysteries and unexplained events of our world? Question 2: Why do people find mysteries fascinating? Wonders of the World Lesson 1 – 120 minutes Suggested Resources: “Seven Not-So-Well-Known Wonders of the World” (Todd Mercer) (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) or a similar article about interesting mysteries from around the world

Before Reading

• Mercer introduces us to seven wonders from around the world. In this article, he reports their astonishing features and speculates about their origins.

• To help the reader learn about each, Mercer uses headings and rhetorical questions. These devices focus the reader’s attention and make us want to read to find the answer.

• The important information in an article is usually found by asking and answering most or all of the 5Ws + H (Who? What? Where? When? Why? How?) questions. Students could create a grid using the 5Ws + H to make notes on the important ideas presented in the article.

Informally, consider students’ attentiveness, interest, participation, and motivation. Can students focus their learning? Throughout the unit, note students’ ability to consider ideas and to explore the aspects of the focus questions as well as to make connections with each of the activities in the unit and the focus questions. What features of text and what specific reading skills and strategies do students use to construct meaning? Do students know how to use representing strategies such as creating a grid and mapping ideas gleaned?


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During Reading

• Have students read each of the seven sections silently and then a second time as a guided reading: o Electricity in 250 B.C.E. (Baghdad, Iraq) o Substance “X” from Distant Star System o Singing Sand Dunes o Giant Stone Spheres of Costa Rica o Merpeople of New Guinea o Crystal Skulls of Central America o Glowing Ocean Vents

• Use the Pause and Think strategy for each paragraph in each section: What have we learned now?

• Model the making of notes that summarize the key points for each of the first three wonders using the grid.

• Have students use the grid independently for the remaining four wonders.

After Reading

• Have students compare with a partner what they wrote. • As a class, review what students thought were the key points. • Consider the three rhetorical questions that Mercer used in the

first three mysteries. Have students create a rhetorical question for each of the remaining four mysteries.

• Using their notes, have students answer their rhetorical questions.

Viewing

• Have students consider the two photographs in the centre of the anthology that relate to the article.

• What do they learn from the photographs? • Of what other events or objects described in the article would

they like to see photographs? • What do they consider “other wonders” of the world about

which they would like to learn? Language Study: Using a Context Clue • Vocabulary knowledge plays an important role in

comprehension of a text. Throughout this unit, students can be introduced to a variety of vocabulary strategies including using a Context Clue or Contextual Redefinition.

• By looking closely at the surrounding words, students can pick up clues that will help them figure out the meaning of an unknown word.

• Students can learn about the different types of context clues (supplied through association, by synonyms, comparisons and contrasts, definition and description, tone, cause and effect).

Use elements of Comprehend and Respond rubric in curriculum. Make anecdotal notes on the students’ reading strategies (e.g., “Characteristics of Skilled Readers” in Crossroads 7, Teacher’s Guide). Note students’ viewing strategies. To what images do they attend? What conclusions do they draw based on the images in the photographs? Give students an opportunity to show that they understand context clues as they predict and confirm meanings of several other unknown words in the text or another text.


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• Choose several of the words in this article (e.g., harnessed, impact, arcs, credibility, artifacts …) to illustrate how contextual clues and redefinition can build vocabulary and understanding.

Language Study: Choosing Verbs Carefully • Good communicators choose their verbs carefully. For

example: o “People harnessed electricity as long ago as 250 B.C.E.” o “The scientists launched the satellite.” o “The sand dunes boomed and barked.” o “The researchers rotated the huge chunks of granite.” o “The mermaids and mermen struggled in the fisherman’s

net.” o “The ancient Aztecs or Mayans carved and polished the

crystal skulls.” o “Molten rock and seawater seeped into the crevices.”

• List as many verbs as you can that could be used to replace “said” (at least 15).

• Rewrite each of the following sentences to eliminate “get” or “got”: o I got home before you did. o Did you get the message? o I got a touchdown. o I got a round of applause.

What was amazing about the seven “not-so-well-known” wonders? What are considered the “original” seven wonders of the Ancient World? What are considered the “modern” seven wonders of our world? What might be considered the seven wonders of Canada? Of Saskatchewan? Of one’s own community? An Ancient Mystery Lesson 2 – 60 minutes Suggested Resources: “King Tut’s Tomb” (Daniel Cohen) (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) or a similar article about an ancient wonder or mystery

Before Reading

• Have students listen to the introduction to this article using a grid similar to the one from the previous selection.

• Encourage students to make notes that answer as many of the 5Ws + H questions as they can.

• Based on what they have heard, what is the main point of this article? What do they know and need to learn to understand the mystery associated with King Tut’s tomb?

Can students recognize the verbs and justify why they are good choices? Do students strive to learn and to use new words and more precise words in their communications? Do students make connections between previous and new knowledge? Use elements of Comprehend and Respond rubric in curriculum.


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During Reading

• Have students read silently the rest of the article. • They can use a 5Ws + H grid for each section (i.e., “Search for

the Boy King’s Tomb”, “Everywhere the Glint of Gold”, “The Mummy’s Curse”).

After Reading

• What do the students believe about the mummy’s curse? Is it fact or fiction? Why?

• Should the art objects found in the tomb be privately owned or should they be national or world treasures? Why?

• Encourage students to support their conclusions with reasons – the “Why?” in the 5Ws + H questions.

• Why does King Tut continue to hold such fascination? Note: Students might like to locate the many rhetorical questions that Cohen used in his article. What new vocabulary did they learn? What strong verbs did they notice? Viewing • We can also receive information and learn more about this

subject through visual images such as the photographs in the middle of the anthology related to this article.

• Have students view the three photographs and consider the following questions: o Photograph 1: What do you learn about Tutankhamen’s

funeral mask? o Photographs 2 and 3: What impression do we get of

Howard Carter? Do these photographs appear to be posed or were they taken as the action unfolded? What are your reasons for your opinion?

o How have these photographs added to our knowledge of King Tut’s Tomb?

Recognizing and Separating Facts from Opinions • Learning to tell the difference between facts and opinions is an

important skill for critical listeners, readers, and viewers. • Have students consider these two statements: o Statement 1: “On November 26, 1922, the diggers reached

another sealed door.” o Statement 2: “This was the most interesting discovery of the

Twentieth Century.” The first statement can be proved and agreed upon. It is a fact. The second statement, however, is someone’s belief but cannot be proved in a way that everyone will agree on it. Sometimes people present opinions as if they were facts. To become critical readers, students need to recognize which statements are facts and which are opinions.

Can students apply what they have learned in previous lessons? Use elements of Comprehend and Respond rubric in curriculum. Do students understand the difference between fact and opinion? Can they support their responses with reason and evidence from the text?


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• Have students review the second paragraph on page 21 (“When the discovery became known it …”). Have students consider each sentence by asking: o Is this a fact? (Can this statement be proved and universally

agreed upon?) o Is this an opinion? (Does it tell how people feel about things

or how they view or judge them?) o If this is an opinion, is it supported with examples and

reasons? Do I agree or disagree with this opinion? Do I need to find out more?

• Have students examine another paragraph for fact and opinion (e.g., “There is no doubt that the death of Lord Carnarvon was both strange and tragic …”). Are opinions supported with examples and reasons?

A Modern Canadian Mystery Lesson 3 – 120 minutes Suggested Resources: “Oak Island Treasure Hunt” (Sharon Siamon) (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) or a similar article about a Canadian mystery

Before Reading

• One mystery that continues to fascinate and intrigue Canadians is Oak Island, Nova Scotia.

• Have students share what they know about Oak Island in the first column of a K-W-L chart (list what you KNOW, list what you WANT to know, and list what you LEARNED).

• Note that when students are reading to gain information about a topic they will have to decide if they will skim, scan, or read closely to find out what they need or want to know. Often effective readers will skim an article to gain an overall impression of the piece. While skimming, the readers think of a few important questions that they will try to answer during a more thorough reading. Model skimming as a pre-reading activity by having students: 1. Read the title and introduction. Ask: What is the piece

about? What is the author’s opinion about this treasure hunt?

2. Skim the first paragraph. Ask: What are the three questions this article will attempt to answer?

3. Read the headings. Ask: What do you think each of these sections will tell you?

4. Look at the map and diagram. Ask: What does each of these tell you?

5. Read the final paragraph. Ask: What is the author’s conclusion?

Now have students summarize what they have learned so far and ask four or five questions that might be answered by

Note students’ abilities to give complete attention to the task. Note students’ abilities to summarize main ideas.


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reading the article carefully. Have students place their questions in the “What I WANT to know” column of their K-W-L charts.

During Reading

• Have students closely read the article making notes in the “What I have LEARNED” column of their K-W-L charts.

• Encourage students to also add any interesting details (5Ws + H) that they learn as they read. These can be recorded on the back of their K-W-L charts.

After Reading

• Reviewing their K-W-L charts and recalling what they have read, have students orally review the history of the Oak Island treasure hunt and then consider in writing which of the theories about the origin of the site seems most logical to them and why.

• If students were to be in charge of the first exploration of the

treasure site, how would they have proceeded? Language Study: A Word Attack Strategy • As students listen, read, and view, they are certain to

encounter words that are new to them. • A strategy such as Context, Structure, Sound, and Dictionary

(CSSD) can help students deal with these words. Students can apply the CSSD strategy by considering the cues in the text and using resources to confirm their predictions. 1. Context: Think about the possible meanings of the word

that make sense in the passage. Is there enough information in the context to allow us to make a good guess as to what it means?

2. Structure: Look to see whether the word is a compound (like green/house) or made up of a familiar root word plus a prefix or suffix or both (like im/pass/able). Do you recognize any part of the word? Does this part suggest a meaning for the word?

3. Sound: Look to see if the word sounds like one that you have heard before in another context. Try different pronunciations of it. Do you produce a word that sounds familiar?

4. Dictionary (or other reference): Check to see what the reference says about the word. Read all the definitions and choose the one that fits in the context.

Encourage students to explore words they encounter in their listening, reading, and viewing. Bring new words to class and link them with known words. Have students set aside a portion of their notebooks to collect personal vocabulary, and give them

Note students’ abilities to support their ideas.


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strategies such as building word webs and vocabulary squares to make the words their own. Mysteries Unmasked Lesson 4 – 60 minutes Sometimes a “mystery” is no more than a hoax, prank, or practical joke. Suggested Resources: “A Giant Hoax” (Timothy Bay) (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) or a similar article about a harmless hoax; “The Phony Captain” (Daniel Cohen) (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) or a similar article about a hoax with serious consequences; “Field of Schemes” (Todd Mercer) (Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown)

Before Reading

• Ask students to read the title and introduction to each article about hoaxes.

• After students have previewed each article, have them write a short statement of what they think they will learn from each article.

During Reading

• Have students think about and confirm or change their predictions.

After Reading

• After students have read each article, ask them to create: o a newspaper headline (a bold title that gives a preview of

what the story will cover and that will arouse interest in the reader)

o its byline and placeline (placed underneath the headline, the byline tells who wrote the article and the placeline tells where the news story takes place)

o a sketch of a photograph and a caption that might be used to support the message of the story for each of these articles.

• Use a current newspaper to model what the headline, byline, placeline, and photograph with caption might look like.

The Most Interesting Mysteries Lesson 5 – 120 minutes Writing a Newspaper or Magazine Article Activity 1 Ask students to consider all the wonders and mysteries that they have read or heard about in this section of the unit. Which did

Note students’ use and application of reading strategies. Read the statements noting students’ abilities to predict. Create a short rubric that identifies the basic elements that should be included in the students’ work.


CC 7.4 CC 7.2

CC 7.3 CC 7.4

they find the most interesting? Why? About which mystery would they like to learn more? Why? Are there other mysteries that interest students? For example, how do they explain the following (unexplained phenomena or unsolved puzzles)? • Are monsters like Sasquatch or Ogopogo real or not? (Consider

“Five Monsters: Real or Not?”) • What is the Bermuda Triangle? • How did Stonehenge come to be? • Do UFOs exist? (Consider “Do UFOs Exist?” [commentary]

Arthur C. Clarke, Nelson Mini-anthologies Explore the Unknown) • What happened to the Franklin Expedition? (Consider “The

Mystery of the Franklin Expedition”) • What happened to Shanawdithit – the last of the Beothuk

people? (Consider: “The Mystery of Shanawdithit – the Last of the Beothuk”)

• What can we learn from petroglyphs found in Canada? • What can we learn from the body of a 4000-year-old man

found in the Alps? (Consider “Discovering the Iceman”, Shelley Tanaka, Identities 7)

Have students consider how they might create a newspaper article for a mystery about which they would like to learn more. Remind them that newspaper articles have to produce accurate information and be interesting to read. Most of the articles that they have been studying fit these criteria. Additional magazine and newspaper articles are found in “Disasters” (Crossroads 7, pp. 176-219). Students will be required to: 1. Find a story

• Decide on a topic on which to report.

2. Learn about the story • Once they have decided on a story (topic), students could

make a K-W-L chart for their topic. What do they and their readers likely already know about this topic? What questions do they and their readers have about this topic? What would be good sources of information to learn as much as possible about the story?

• Students might consider possible sources of information about their topic (e.g., non-fiction books, almanacs, atlases, magazines, newspapers, people, Internet, audiovisual media, encyclopedias). Students should be shown how to search through their resources. Students could record answers to their questions in the third column of their K-W-L chart in point form, recording only key words or phrases. In addition, they may want to add other information that they think their audience will find interesting.

• Overall, they must remember that their newspaper articles should be objective, which means that they should give facts, not opinions.

Use elements of Compose and Create rubric in curriculum. Make anecdotal notes on the students’ reading strategies (e.g., “Characteristics of Skilled Readers” in Crossroads 7, Teachers’ Guide)


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3. Analyze the information • Next, students can sort through their information to find

the answers to the 5Ws + H questions. • Prompt: You are a reporter. Write an article for publication

in a local or national newspaper or magazine explaining a mystery that will capture the attention and imagination of the readers.

4. Write the article

• A news article should begin with a lead (an introductory paragraph) that tells the most important details about the news story. It answers the 5 Ws.

• Then comes the body of the article that explores the main facts given in the lead.

• Most articles include the important and interesting information first because most people read this part first (inverted pyramid).

5. Write a headline 6. Include a byline and placeline 7. Include photographs (or drawings) and captions

• The photographs/drawings should tell the story at a glance and the captions should explain the photographs in a short sentence.

8. Edit and proofread, then consider:

• Is the headline eye-catching? • Does the lead include the answers to the 5 Ws? • Does the body adequately develop the details of the story? • Is the information arranged in the inverted pyramid

structure? • Are any important facts or details missing? • Is the article objective? Does it report the events fairly

without stressing one opinion? • Conventions.

9. Submit to publisher (i.e., teacher) • Publish. • Share with class on a bulletin board or in a collection of

interesting “real” mysteries. A Sensational Article Activity 2 Have students now write a sensational article account for a supermarket tabloid using the facts of the article as the basis. Have students take their story and slant their article (through opinions and colourful adverbs and adjectives) so that the reader is misled (e.g., “Treasure Hunters Find the Oak Island Secret”).

Create and share Writing an Article rubric with students. Share checklist with students.


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Reflections on Focus Questions 1 and 2 Lesson 6 – 120 minutes Viewing an Artwork Suggested Resources: “One Who Lives Under the Water” (visual) (Blake Debassige) (SightLines 7, pp. 24-25) Have the students consider the following questions while viewing: • If you were a museum guide, how would you describe the

subject and content of this work? • What is happening in the piece? • What is the centre of interest in the work? What makes you

think so? • What do you think the artist was trying to say in creating this

piece of art? How well did the artist succeed? • How does looking at this piece of visual art make you feel?

What senses are stirred by this work? What associations and memories does this piece evoke in you?

• What do you like most about this artwork? What do you like least?

• What is the title of the work? How does it contribute to your understanding of the artist’s purpose?

Reflections • Have students create a Question and Reflection Grid such as

the following to record their reflections, and then have students share their thoughts with a peer.

• After discussing their ideas with the peer, have students add any additional thoughts and submit them to the teacher.

On the Edge of Your Seat – Mystery and Suspense Sample Lessons 7 through 11 (approximately 2½ weeks) While some mysteries are built on actual events and are factual, other mysteries are built with the imagination. Most people love a good imaginative story. As they hear, read, and view the narrative, they want to solve or unravel the mystery. They notice the details and make connections. They use both their

Questions My Thoughts What are some of the unsolved mysteries and unexplained events of our world?

Why do we find these mysteries fascinating?

What is there about people that causes them to pursue a mystery? (Why do we find mysteries fascinating? What are some positive and some negative results of our curiosity about these mysteries?)

Use Comprehend and Respond rubric in curriculum. Are students making connections? Are students elaborating and justifying their ideas? Are students building on the ideas of others?


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imagination and their logic to figure out what might happen next and why. Focus Question 3: What is there about people that lead them to pursue a mystery? Focus Question 4: What makes a good mystery story, play, or poem? Suspense Lesson 7 – 120 minutes

A good mystery story keeps the listener, reader, or viewer guessing right up to the last line. It creates an inner tension that builds. What are the most spine-tingling, nail-biting suspense stories that you have heard, read, or seen? How did you respond physically and emotionally to suspense stories? What kept you riveted to each story – even when your heart was pounding with fear?

A Mystery Story Activity 1 Suggested Resources: “The Dinner Party” (Mona Gardner) (SightLines 7) or a similar short story of suspense

Before Reading

• A good storyteller introduces his or her story quickly and effectively. Have the students read the first paragraph of “The Dinner Party” silently.

• Ask students to Pause and Think I: What have they learned about the Who (characters) and the Where and When (setting) of this story?

• Have them read the next two paragraphs. Again, ask them to Pause and Think II: What appears to be one problem? How was it introduced? How does this create tension?

• Set up the rest of the Pause and Think steps as a guide and ask the students to respond individually in writing at each designated pause.

During Reading

• Pause and Think III: Read paragraphs four, five, and six. What is the real problem in this story? What does the American naturalist do and notice? What is the meaning of milk in a bowl in India?

• Pause and Think IV: Read paragraphs seven, eight, and nine. What is the turning point and does it help solve the problem?

• Pause and Think V: Read paragraphs ten, eleven, and twelve. Is this an effective conclusion to the story? Explain.

Note students’ use of reading strategies as they read fiction.


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After Reading

• Was this an effective story? Why? What details held your interest? The story is told from the point of view of the American naturalist. Was this narrative viewpoint effective?

Writing • Retell the story from the point of view of the colonel’s wife. Vocabulary Study • Remind students that to help the listener, reader, or viewer

understand a good story, the author chooses his or her words carefully and often helps the listener, reader, or viewer understand what the words mean by using them in a particular context.

• Encourage them to continue to highlight and to collect interesting and effective words as they listen, read, and view.

Another Mystery Activity 2 Suggested Resources: “The Wretched Stone” (excerpts from the Log of the Rita Anne) (Chris Van Allsburg) (SightLines 7) or a similar story about an unusual or uncanny incident

Before Reading

Have students look at the picture and the title. What might this story be about and • Where might it take place? • What are the two key words in the title (e.g., “wretched” and

“stone”)? What do the words suggest? • What is a ship’s “log”?

During Reading

Have students read silently the first four entries in the log (i.e., May 8, May 9, May 17, and June 5). What can be learned from these entries? Who is the first mate? What do the crew do when they are not working? What is strange about the island? • Now read the entries for June 6 and 10. What has been found

on the island? From the description of the stone, what could it logically be?

• Distribute a stone and (hand) lens magnifier to small groups of students. Ask them to speculate what the stone that they receive looks like to them. Have students generate a list of words to describe what the stone might remind them of and have them share their three favourite ideas with the rest of the class.

Are students’ responses insightful and do they reflect a perceptive reading of the text? Do students include setting, main characters, key events, and appropriate point of view in their retelling? Use Compose and Create rubric in curriculum. Check students’ use of appropriate reading strategies (e.g., making and confirming or correcting predictions, noticing the important details and making connections). Do they use both their imagination and their logic to figure out what might happen next and why?


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• Have students examine the figurative language in the text. o Ask students to reread the description of the stone in the

story. Of what does this description remind them? o Sometimes to show the connection between two things,

writers use comparisons such as a simile (e.g., “The snow was like a blanket.” and “The rock was like a bird’s wing.”) or a metaphor (e.g., “The snow was a blanket.” and “The rock was a bird’s wing.”).

o What similes and metaphors could be created for the image that is suggested by their stone? The stone was like … The stone was …

• Have the students return to the story and read the entries for June 13, 14, and 15. What has changed in the behaviour of the crew? Why is the crew in “grave” danger?

• Have the students read the entry for June 16 and examine the accompanying visual of the apes watching the stone. What might the stone be? What effect has it had on the crew? Why does the stone not glow after the ship was “struck by lightning”?

• Have the students read the rest of the entries.

After Reading

• For what might the “wretched stone” be a metaphor? What details from the text would support this view? What comment is the author making on an aspect of our society? Do the students agree with this comment? Why or why not?

• Have the students listen to the audio recording of the story and identify the techniques used by the writer to create suspense and interest.

Superstitions Lesson 8 – 120 minutes Suggested Resources: “The White Owl” (Hazel Boswell) (SightLines 7) or a similar folk tale that has mystery and suspense

Before Listening

• Often we have heard about or believe certain superstitions or “folk beliefs” (e.g., seeing a black cat, Friday the 13th, walking under a ladder). Brainstorm some common superstitions that the class has heard.

• Ask the students to consider what an owl symbolizes or typically represents (e.g., wisdom and learning). For some people, the owl, particularly the hoot of an owl, was considered bad luck.

• In this story, a visitor from the United States, Felix LeRoy, returns to visit his relatives in Canada. He does not believe in the superstition about the owl and stays in the woods when a white owl is spotted. What happens?

Do students understand how figurative language is used in the text and in daily communication? Use Comprehend and Respond rubric in curriculum.


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During Listening

• As students listen to the story, encourage them to visualize – or picture in their minds – the setting, characters, and events described.

• Using the following chart as a listening guide, have the students note at least four details of the narrative that let the listener know some evil will befall Felix Leroy.

Warnings What Each Means

After Listening

• Have the students consider the following story map questions and support their answers with references to the text that they heard.

1. Beginning-of-Story Questions:

Setting: Where and when does the story take place? Who is/are the main character(s)? What is ______________________ like? Problem: What is _____________’s problem or conflict? What does ________________want? Why is ______________ in trouble?

2. Middle-of-Story Questions: Goal: What does ________________________decide or

attempt to do? Attempts/Outcome: What happens to ___________________________?

Event 1: _____________________ Event 2: ____________-________

Event 3: _____________________ Climax: _____________________

3. End-of-Story Questions: Resolution: How has _________________solved the

problem? What would you do to solve _____________’s problem? Theme: What is the major point of the story? What did the

writer want to teach using this story?

Are students able to identify the key ideas and note relevant supporting details? Do students readily identify the key story elements? Are they able to complete the story map? Can students identify the main idea or theme of the story? What evidence can they give to support their conclusion?


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• Now have students read the story and list all the references in the story that foreshadow tragic events. How did the storyteller create interest and suspense?

Language Study • Review the use of context clues (Master #17 in SightLines 7,

Teacher’s Guide) and a word attack strategy such as CSSD. Natural Phenomena Explained Lesson 9 – 60 minutes Suggested Resources: “The Revenge of the Blood Thirsty Giant” (a Tlingit legend) (C. J. Taylor) (SightLines 7) or a similar narrative that explains a natural phenomenon

Before Reading

• This legend has all the ingredients of a good story but was told to explain a natural phenomenon.

• Read to find out how Red Bird solved one problem but …

During Reading

• As students read, have them complete the following story frame and explain the problem-solution-outcome of the story.

This narrative starts with a problem when ____________________. After that, _______________________________________________. Next, _________________________________________-____________. Then, ____________________________________-__________________. The problem is finally solved when __________________________________. The story ends when __________________________-_____________________. However, the people will be plagued forever by ____________________________.

After Reading

• Have students explain how the storyteller captured and held their interest.

• Have students divide the story into scenes and represent them in a series of drawings or frames that illustrate the answers to the: o Beginning-of-Story Questions (i.e., setting – where and

when the story takes place, the main character(s), and the problem or conflict)

Do students recognize the different types of context clues readily? Did students complete the story map with ease? Are students’ responses insightful and perceptive? Are they supported with details from the text?


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o Middle-of-Story Questions (i.e., what the main character attempts to do – event 1, event 2, event 3, and the climax)

o End-of-Story Questions (i.e., resolution – how the main character solved the problem).

Possible Mini-Lesson: Representing Ghosts Lesson 10 – 120 minutes Listening Activity 1 Suggested Resources: “The Phantom Dog Team” (Harry Paddon) (SightLines 7) or a similar story involving “ghosts”

Before Listening

• Have students consider the title. What is a “phantom” dog team?

• Have them read the first three paragraphs. Where and when does this story take place?

• What is the name given to this “helpful” ghost? • Distribute a map of Bill and Jane Gordon’s dogsled journey

(marking Bluff Head, Rocky Cove, Rigolet, and The Neck). • Invite students to listen to the story being read aloud.

During Listening

• Pause at the end of each stop on the journey and have students summarize what has happened so far and what they predict will happen next.

After Listening

• The storyteller begins by telling us that the ghost in this story is a “friendly, helpful” spirit. Does this spoil the impact of the story or is the suspense maintained despite the information in the introduction?

• Have students return to the printed text to find details to support their argument.

• Invite students to design a poster for a feature film version of this story that would illustrate the mood of the story. Or, they could choose the music that would best capture the mood of one section of the story.

Possible Mini-Lessons: Mood, Creating a Poster Language Study: Sentence Patterns • Students’ mastery of the English language allows them to

understand most of the sentences that they read in a story

Use Comprehend and Respond rubric found in curriculum. Do students readily identify the key elements and


CR 7.3 CR 7.3 CR 7.3

such as the “Phantom Dog Team”. All these sentences contain the basic aspects of a sentence – a verb, its subject, its object or completer, and some qualifiers.

• Have students read and think about the following sentence and then try to answer the questions about it: “The young trapper quickly caught and skinned a muskrat.” o Who caught what? o When did it happen? Yesterday? Today? Not yet? o What was caught? What was skinned? Did the catching and

skinning happen to the same object? o How many trappers were there? How many muskrat? o Who is telling about this action? The trapper? Someone

else? o Who was young? The muskrat? The trapper? o What does the word “and” in the sentence tell us?

• Consider the following questions and the sentences that

follow them. Answer all the questions about each sentence and tell how we know the answer by pointing to specific words and clues in each sentence.

Questions: 1. Who is doing what to whom? 2. When does the action occur? 3. How many actors and how many receivers-of-action are

there? 4. What words are qualified or described by other words? 5. How do you know which words are qualified? Sentences: 1. The tired trapper quickly crossed the lake. 2. The wind chilled him. 3. The trapper traded his furs. 4. He quickly fed his hungry team. 5. He slowly drank his hot tea.

• What happens when words are scrambled in English sentences? Consider: “his closed pack he”, “deeply snow the heavy drifted”, and “the hungry barked loudly dog forest in a”.

• Because of their understanding of English sentences, students

can make sense of, create, and build on the basic sentence patterns of the English language. The action being performed in a sentence is the verb (V). The person or thing performing the action is the subject (S). Other than in commands (where the subject is understood) and conversation (where the listener understands the missing words), every sentence students create should have a subject and a verb and be built on one of the basic three sentence patterns used in the English language: S-V, S-V-O, and S-LV-C.

comprehend the key ideas in the sentence? Can they ask the teacher and each other the key questions that would help another person understand an English sentence? Have students meet with a peer and check their comprehension of a paragraph in one the texts read in this unit. Can they model the asking and answering of the questions? When students can ask themselves questions while listening, reading, and viewing, they have a greater likelihood of monitoring their understanding of the text and have better comprehension.


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Pattern I Sentences: S-V

• The first sentence type contains just two main elements or key words – a verb (V) and a subject (S).

• It is used to get across the basic idea that someone (who) or something (what) did something (the verb).

• Additional words (qualifiers) are added to give more information about the key words (and to answer questions like “which one(s)?”, “whose?”, “how many?”, and “what kind?” as well as “when?”, “where?”, “how?”, “why?”).

• Because a sentence can have many words but is built around the verb, it is best to try to identify the verb (the doing word).

• What questions are answered in the following sentences? o Wolves howled. o Hungry wolves howled loudly. o Snowflakes fell. o Snowflakes fell here. o Snowflakes fell on the team. o Heavy frost came early. o Heavy frost came in the fall. o Winds from the ocean blew toward the land. o The weary trapper arrived at home in the early evening.

Pattern II Sentences: S-V-O

• The second type of sentence must have three main parts to be complete. Besides a verb (V) and subject (S), it also contains a word called a direct object (O).This type of sentence is used when we want to report the basic idea that someone or something (S) did something (V) to someone or something else (O).

• What questions are answered in the following sentences? o The hunter shot a deer. o The dog bit him. o The trapper raised his gun.

• Sometimes, additional information follows the verb. o They sent a message. o They sent a message to the children. o They sent the children a message.

• The subject-verb-indirect object-direct object (S-V-IO-O) pattern lets the direct object (O) answer the questions “what?” or “who?” o The trapper left the dogs some meat. o He built his dogs a shelter. o He tossed the lead dog a bone.

Pattern III Sentences: S-LV-C

• The third type of sentence is quite different from the first two, which tell what actions someone or something did. This pattern simply explains who someone is or tells what someone or something looks like.

Can students apply knowledge of the sentence pattern and its components and conventions? Do students recognize the basic patterns and are they able to use and manipulate them in speaking, writing, and representing? Can students apply knowledge of the sentence pattern and its components and conventions? Do students recognize the basic patterns and are they able to use and manipulate them in speaking, writing, and representing? Can students apply knowledge of the sentence pattern and its components and conventions? Do students recognize the basic patterns and are they able


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• It contains a subject (S), a linking verb (LV), and a complement or completer (C) that refers to the same person or thing that the subject refers to or describes the subject.

• The verb in these sentences “links” the subject to the complement or completer and is not an action verb.

• Common linking verbs are: am, is, are, was, were, seem, become, appear, look, feel, taste, sound, smell, grow, turn.

• What is the linking verb in each of the following sentences and what two words does it link? o Bill is a trapper. o He is cold. o He is young. o His face is red. o The dogs are a team. o The lead dog is a wolfhound. o He is a remarkable dog. o The two children were undismayed.

• Often the basic patterns are embedded in longer sentences but contain the main idea or key idea of the sentence.

• Find an example of each pattern in “The Phantom Dog Team”. For example: o “They stopped again for a brief warm-up and a snack.” o “The evening was calm and fine.” “The team faltered,

slowed, and stopped.” o “His was a young team.” o “He walked out through the team and stood by the cairn.” o “Nine black and white dogs trotted.” o “Bill faced his team.” o “The dogs crowded around Joe.” o “Joe hoisted a heavy sack to his shoulder.”

Humour in Mystery Lesson 11 – 120 minutes A Mystery Play Activity 1 Suggested Resources: The Mystery of the Stone Statues (Identities 7) or a similar play that has the elements of a mystery

Before Reading

• The Mystery of the Stone Statues is a mystery spoof. The play has the elements of a mystery, but the elements are used in a humorous or exaggerated way.

• Ask the students to review the elements of a good mystery: What do they think are elements of a good plot for a mystery? What might be the setting and who might be the characters?

• Note that a production of a play is based on a script and that the script usually contains some important pieces of information at the beginning for the people who will produce it, including:

to use and manipulate them in speaking, writing, and representing? Do students recognize the basic patterns and the key ideas that they communicate? Use Comprehend and Respond rubric in curriculum.


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o the list of characters in the play (Who are the characters in this play?)

o production notes that tell the setting (Where and when does the action take place?), properties (What important objects and furniture will be needed for this play?), what the stage is like (What is upstage, downstage, stage left, centre, and right? Where do the actors enter and exit?), and any other information (e.g., sound and lighting information)

o stage directions that tell what the audience will see, what the actors will do, or how the actors will react.

• Examine the production notes on page 177, Identities 7. What information is provided for this play?

• Have students think about what things might look and sound like.

During Reading

• The script for this play is divided into sections called “episodes” (rather than acts or scenes).

• Have the students read the script one episode at a time. Encourage students to consider how the playwright develops each character. Have students think about what each character says, what each character does, how each character reacts to other characters, and what others say about the character.

• Read the first two episodes aloud so students have a model of how the script might sound.

• Ask students to reread each episode silently and then to read it aloud the way that they think the characters would sound.

• After each episode, pause and discuss: o What have we found out about the characters? What is the

problem the characters have to solve? (What is each character trying to achieve?)

o What has happened in this episode? • Encourage students to support their view with evidence from

the script.

After Reading

• How did the playwright build suspense? • How was the conflict resolved? • How effective was the play? Why is it a spoof and not a serious

mystery play? • What elements of mystery were exaggerated for humorous

effect? • The author had fun with the characters’ names. Why might she

have chosen Dr. Chilling, Amy Truegood, and Stalwart? Language Study: Capitalization and Punctuation • Capitalization and punctuation help us communicate clearly

what we want to say when we write. Why is it difficult to read the following group of sentences?

Can students read both the explicit and implicit messages in this script? Do they understand the conventions of a script? Of a play production? Do students understand the characters from what they say and do and from what other characters or the narrator say about them?


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DOYOUTHINKTHATPUNCTUATIONCAPITALIZATIONANDTHESPACESBETW EENWORDSCANHELPUSTOUNDERSTANDWHATWEAREREADINGCAPITAL LETTERSPUNCTUATIONANDSPACESASSISTBOTHWRITERSANDREADERS

• Rewrite the sentences with their capitalization, punctuation,

and spaces. • How can you use all the necessary capitalization and

punctuation to make the following sentences clear? o writing a good mystery play is not an easy task to

accomplish this you have to have a good plot in mind o the mystery of the stone statues is a mystery spoof this

means that the play has the elements of a mystery but the elements are used in an exaggerated way

o reading a play requires you to use your imagination reading a play requires you to read the stage directions and think about what things might look and sound like you have to hear the characters speak inside your head

o asking and answering questions such as why or what does this tell me about this character help you understand why characters do what they do

More Mysteries Lesson 12 – 180 minutes Some Mystery Poems Activity 1 Suggested Resources: “So you found some fresh tracks in the snow?” (David McCord) (Identities 7), “A Strange Visitor” (Crossroads 7) or similar lyrical poems about fears; or “The Skater of Ghost Lake” (Benet) or similar narrative poems with mystery and suspense A poem can force us to imagine, think about, and understand the world. It can create very imaginative (and mysterious) word pictures or tell a good story. Review with students some of the strategies that will help them understand and enjoy the poems in this unit. For example: • Read the whole poem through at least twice. If possible, read it

aloud. • Think about the experiences, thoughts, and feelings: What

experiences, thoughts, feelings, or memories does the poem call to mind? What is the poet trying to do? Does (s)he want to tell a story, create a picture, tell how (s)he feels about some experience, or present an idea to be considered?

• Think about the speaker: Who or what is the speaker of the poem? How can you tell? Why do you suppose the poet chose this particular voice?

Do students understand and use consistently the conventions of English sentences to communicate their meaning clearly? Do students have the ability to comprehend the ideas and observations found in the poems as well as to appreciate the techniques the poets have used? Do they recognize the speaker (the voice that talks to the reader), the central idea (theme), the form and


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• Think about the meaning: What do you think the poet is trying to say about life or people? Have you had an experience or a feeling similar to the poet’s? Do you agree or disagree with this viewpoint?

• Think about the poetic form and technique: What images are most striking? What form was used? What words or sounds stand out? What devices does the poet use? Does (s)he use imagery? Does (s)he use comparisons? Does (s)he use rhythm or rhyme to accomplish his/her purpose?

Other Mystery or Ghost Stories, Plays, and Poems Activity 2 • Invite students to select other good mystery or ghost stories,

plays, and poems from a variety of sources. • Create a classroom display that includes mystery selections

such as: 1. Short Stories: For example, “The Defender” (Identities 7) 2. Plays: For example, “In the Fog” (Milton Geiger)

• Poems: For example, “The Yarn of the Nancy Bell” (William S. Gilbert).

• Invite students to choose one story, one play, and one poem. Have them form groups with students who have selected the same story, play, and poem. Use one of the stories already read to model each of the following roles: 1. Discussion Co-ordinator and Recorder (This reader leads

discussion and, in collaboration with the group, completes a summary sheet at the end of the session.)

2. Summarizer (This reader is responsible for addressing The Beginning, Middle, and End-of-Story Questions in the story, play, or poem.)

3. Questioner (This reader asks the group questions about specific parts of the texts that were interesting, challenging, or that make us think more carefully or read more closely.)

4. Language Technique Master (This reader identifies new and interesting words that the author used and interesting and powerful uses of language or technique in the text.)

• Have students assign one of the roles for which each member of their group will be responsible after reading each selection individually.

• Students should rotate the roles so that they have three different experiences.

Concluding Reflection: What Makes a Good Mystery Story, Play, or Poem? • First with partners, then in small groups, have students review

what they have learned about mystery stories, plays, and poems. What characteristics and elements do they have in common? What makes them different?

• Have the students create a “mystery web” that shows their ideas (see example).

techniques used in each poem? Are students able to apply what they have learned so far as they read and make sense of a new text? Consider the students’ abilities to come prepared, to stay on task, to participate courteously, to listen actively, and to be willing to take on responsibilities for group tasks. Note students’ perceptiveness and thoughts.


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End-of-Unit Activities (approximately 1½ weeks) Have students complete one or more of the following oral, written, and representing categories. When students have selected their projects, review expectations and guide students to resources that will help them complete the project successfully. Discuss timelines and criteria for evaluation. Oral – Telling a Story (choose one)

Sharing a Favourite Mystery Story

• Think about a favourite mystery story of your own (e.g., from camp) of your family (e.g., grandparents), your friends or classmates, or a story that is found in this unit or in one of the story collections talked about in this unit.

• Once you have chosen your story, think about what you have to include in your telling of this story. Most storytellers try to include some basic elements of the 5Ws + H. To hold the interest of their listeners, storytellers build on these basic elements by including: o a beginning that arouses interest and gives descriptive

details to suggest when and where o a middle that includes details of action that hold the

listeners’ interest; some dialogue or conversation to ensure the “who” involved in the story seem like real people; and some clues that build to the story’s main point or outcome

o an ending that completes the story or brings it to a conclusion.

• Sharing your story: o To help you tell your story, make a story bag. The story bag

will contain objects that stand for the tales you are going to tell. Think of objects that you can find or make that represent the key elements of your story.

o Practise telling the story dramatically: Pause. Find places in the story where you can pause to

add suspense or to emphasize something that just happened or will happen.

Create a rubric that includes speaking and storytelling criteria. (Consider “Story Presentation Rubric”, Identities 7, Teacher’s Guide, pp. 156-157.)


CC 7.7 CC 7.3 CC 7.4 CC 7.8 CC 7.3 CC 7.4

Vary your voice. Your voice can be loud or soft, happy or sad. Use your voice to capture the moods and actions of the characters. Create a special voice for each character in your story. Use body language. You can use your arms and legs and

your facial expressions to add meaning or emphasis to what you say. You can step forward or back, stand up or sit down. Try different postures and gestures (Tell A Tale, 1995, pp. 114-115).

• What was your favourite mystery story that was told? Why?

OR

Using Stories to Help People Understand Their World

• Storytellers have often used stories to teach a lesson or to explain why something happened. For example, traditional storytellers often told about natural disasters, historical events, or gave explanations (e.g., How the _____ got its _____ OR Why the ______ does [says] _____).

• Explain to your classmates something that has puzzled you or tell about something that people have wondered about for centuries. Create a story to explain and entertain. o Consider telling about what you have wondered about by

asking and answering a question about it (e.g., Why does the eagle have a white head? What happened to hamster tails? Why does Old Faithful erupt on schedule? Why do houses creak at night?).

o Create an interesting character – an animal or human that helps the story unfold.

o Create a story map such as the following: In the beginning: In the middle: In the end:

• Start turning your ideas into a real story by: o creating a first line that grabs the listener (e.g., “Once upon

a time, long ago, before the days of humans, when hamsters had long tails …)

o introducing the main character (e.g., grandfather hamster) and setting (time and place – e.g., a beautiful green meadow, before the days of humans)

o telling the events in sequence o building up to the most exciting or interesting part of the

story o providing a clear ending (e.g., “To this day, in gratefulness to

grandfather hamster, all hamsters have only short stubs for tails.”) (based on Tell Me a Tale, 1995, pp.107-109).

Writing: Creating Your Own Mystery Story • “Puzzle to solve + several suspects + clever detective +

solution = MYSTERY” (Identities 7, p. 51) • “How to Write a Short Story” (Crossroads 7, pp.150-151)

Use “Short Story Rubric”, Crossroads 7, Teacher’s Guide, p. 149.


CC 7.9 CC 7.8 CC 7.5 CC 7.3 CC 7.4 AR 7.1 AR 7.2

Representing: Creating a Mystery Television Script and Show • “The House on the Hill” (mystery storyboard) (Identities 7, pp.

64-71) • “At the Stroke of Midnight” – Writing, Producing, and Starring

in Your Own Video (A Dark and Stormy Night, 1995, pp. 112-113)

• Creating a Storyboard and Video Script: o Outline the main events of your story in the order in which

they might happen. Use index cards divided in half vertically to represent a

single frame (about five seconds of screen time). Label the left side “Visual” (What Viewers See) and the right side “Audio” (What Viewers Hear).

o On the visual side, write the camera shot (e.g., close-up shot of a house) and sketch what will be seen. On the audio side, write what sound effects, stage directions, or dialogue will be needed.

o Number each frame consecutively.

What Have We Learned?

Self-Assessment

• As you worked through this unit, what did you learn? • Consider the focus questions: o What are some of the unsolved mysteries and unexplained

events of our world? o Why do people find mysteries fascinating? o What is there about people that causes them to pursue a

mystery? o What makes a good mystery story, play, or poem?

• How well did you complete your assignments? • What were your strengths? • How well did you participate in group activities? Did you stay

on task and meet your timelines? Did you work co-operatively with others?

• Where do you need more help or work? • Consider how well you are doing in your listening and

speaking skills. In your reading and writing. In your viewing and representing.

• What have you learned about the English language?

Peer Assessment

• Did my partner(s) and group member(s): o participate effectively in group activities o listen respectfully to others o help and build on ideas of others o stay on task o respond appropriately to others o encourage others through nonverbal and verbal cues o work co-operatively?


Appendix A

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