A TEACHER’S LESSON PLAN FOR
BY MS. ANNMARIE BYRNES, M.A.
www.HarperAcademic.com
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Table of Contents
Note to Teachers
3
Introduction
4
Fiction
4
Mystery
4
Historical Context
6
Essential questions
10
Reading the novel Murder on the Orient Express
Reading Check Assignments
Post-reading activities
10
12
18
Written work to further understanding
18
Activities (individual or group of 2-5 students)
20
Final projects (group work suggested, 2-5 per group)
23
Education Standards
28
English/Language Arts Standards
28
National Educational Technology Standards
28
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Note to Teachers
The study of Agatha Christie’s stories and novels is quite suitable for grades 7 through 12, depending on the abilities of the students
and the curriculum of the class. These lessons can easily be adapted to work for different grade and ability levels. The lessons are
student-centered, aligned to the common core, and engaging for students to complete.
In middle school (7th -8th grade), the short stories are a fine entry into the world of Mrs. Christie’s mysteries. Teachers can use the
stories and novels to teach the elements of fiction, literary terminology, research and writing skills, presentation, and vocabulary.
High school students (9th -12th grade) can graduate to the novels. The novels’ suspenseful stories, full of rich dialogue and characterization, pull even reluctant readers into the world of mystery fiction. The clues and suspects encourage close reading in the
search for evidence to solve the mystery. Informational text is a key corollary to the novel, as the teacher encourages additional
research on the part of the students to aid in their understanding of the intricate plot and past settings. Historicism encourages
research.
I have successfully used Christie’s stories and novels in 9th grade English (both college preparatory and honors) and in 12th grade
World Literature (all levels and ESL). Even within a specific class, individual students have different abilities and interests. Christie’s books provide many topics, ideas, settings, and characters. Choose the story that will engage your students in reading, so that
they read along with your lessons and participate happily in solving the book’s mystery.
Murder on the Orient Express is an excellent novel for teens. It is essentially a locked room mystery (in which the locked room is
a luxury sleeper rail car), has some younger characters in their 20’s, presents romantic interests between characters, and incorporates vengeance, conspiracy, friendships, and secrets. It also contains aspects of forensics and evidence gathering; these aspects are
both popular on TV and as a possible future college/career choice for students. These varied elements combine to make the novel
appealing to teen students.
The methods, activities, and projects in this lesson support the common core standards. Choose the work for your students to do
which will support the standards you need to emphasize. Select the individual activities which suit your class and its needs, and insert them into your district’s lesson plan template. The standards are at the end of the lesson and also online at www.corestandards.
org/the-standards.
My students have access to wireless tablet computers and cell phones in class, and therefore I integrate technology into my lessons.
Adapt these activities to your class situation. Many students love ebooks for their convenience and privacy. If you can, let students
bring their own devices if you don’t have school computers. If students don’t have computer access, you can play the audio of the
book as the students read along in print books in class. The books are available in many formats: print books, ebooks for Kindle
and Nook, audio books, radio dramatizations, graphic novels, anime, manga, digital games, and videos.
ESL students can read and/or listen in their own native languages at home or using ear buds in class. That’s part of the beauty of
Agatha Christie; the books have been translated widely into many languages.
Don’t be afraid of cell phones! Students can use them as educational devices to read the book,
listen to the audio book, research online, ask questions by email or chat, send work electronically, make projects, etc. As I say, it’s a tool, not just a toy. Keep them busy, and the students
will have little time to play on their phones.
–AnnMarie Byrnes
AnnMarie Byrnes holds a B.A. in English and Fine Arts from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia and a M.A. in English from Rutgers University in Camden, NJ. She has taught English since 1980 at Holy Cross Academy, a private high school in New Jersey, and has served
as English department chair. Chosen as Teacher of the Year in 2006, she teaches Honors
and Advanced Placement English. Her A. P. English classes earn college credit from Rowan
College at Burlington County and Seton Hall University.
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Introduction
A. FICTION
Review the elements of a story with the class, using a Christie story the students have previously studied with you.
Elements of a Story
• Prologue
• Rising action
• Themes
• Exposition
• Foreshadowing
• Symbols
• Characters
• Climactic scene
• Irony
• Conflicts: external and
internal
• Falling action
• Epilogue
Have the students create a plot graph or graphic organizer showing their understanding of a story. This can be done collectively or
in a group of 2-5 students to aid in review.
ºº If the work is done on paper, hang the samples on the bulletin board for future reference. Large rolls of newsprint paper
can be useful for this activity. Such paper rolls are often available for free at your local newspaper; call and ask for a donation. All you have to do is pick it up.
ºº If the work is completed on computer, show the samples on an interactive white board or a projector.
B. MYSTERY
Introduce mystery as a subgenre of fiction. Have students create a recipe for a mystery, identifying how it differs from the larger
category of fiction. The recipe is a good model for adding the elements of the mystery to the already known characteristics of a
story. Have the students use their prior knowledge about recipes and mystery movies to help them understand the genre.
Show recipe examples to the class. Hang paper recipes on the classroom’s bulletin boards. Large newsprint paper is often helpful
for this activity.
Elements of a Mystery
• Detective
• Motivation
• Alibis
• Detective’s partner
• Police
• Evil plan of the criminal
• Client
• Clues
• Good plan of the detective
• Villain
• Red herrings
• Solution or outcome
• Crime
• Suspects
Samples of some recipe pre-writing chart templates follow this page. I suggest showing students these templates on the board and
having them make their own, using whatever number of rows you think best for your class. These may be used during reading or
at the end of the novel, Murder on the Orient Express.
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RECIPE FOR A MYSTERY
TITLE
Characters
Name
Comments
REAL
NOT REAL
MOTIVE
ALIBI
Detective
Detective’s Partner
Clients
Police
Prime Suspect
Villain
Villain’s Partner or Assistant
CLUES & RED HERRINGS
1
2
3
4
5
6
SUSPECT’S NAME
1
2
3
4
5
6
5
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PLOT
DESCRIPTION
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COMMENTS
Crime
Motive
Villain
Alibi
Clues
Suspects
Solution or Outcome
C. HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Introduce the historical context of the author, Agatha Christie, and her works. Have students research online to discover and share
information about the author, her books in general, this book in particular, her famous detective Hercule Poirot, and the book’s
settings. These tasks can be divided up between student groups, who will then present their research work to the class.
Have students share their research, publishing it on your class wiki or website as well as presenting it in class. Reading informational text broadens the scope of the lesson beyond fiction.
Research Topics
• Life of Agatha Christie
• Books of Agatha Christie
• Hercule Poirot
• Life in Europe in 1933-1934 (between the World Wars)
ºº Travel by car, bus, rail, and air (including different classes of travel and pass keys)
ºº Clothes
ºº Luggage: a grip (carryon), sponge bag (toiletry kit), etc.
ºº Servants
ºº Policing
ºº Gender roles and stereotypes
ºº Class structure in Europe
ºº National stereotypes in the 1930s (primarily the nations represented among the train’s passengers and staff)
Many students today cannot read maps. Students can use technology to locate the settings and share maps and photographs in
class. Have students use paper maps and/or Google Earth to find locations and trace the Orient Express rail journey that Poirot
takes in the course of the novel. Have students determine the railroad schedules of similar long distance, luxury rail trips in your
school locale, for example the New York to Chicago Lake Shore Limited, the Chicago to San Francisco California Zephyr, the New
York to New Orleans Crescent, or the Los Angeles to Vancouver Coast Starlight. Have students compare travel by modern car, bus,
rail, and air to various destinations.
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Geography of the novel (passengers’ origins and locations)
Belgium
Hungary
Paris, France
Aleppo, Syria
England, Great Britain
The Bosphorus (Turkish strait
northeast of the Dardanelles)
India
Italy
Russia
Sweden
Germany
Istanbul, Turkey (also called Stamboul by some characters; previously called Constantinople)
The Orient Express train journey
from Istanbul to Calais
Belgrade and Brod in the former
Yugoslavia (currently in Serbia
and Croatia)
Calais, France
New York, USA
Europe and its train transportation system
Mrs. Christie’s cast of characters in the Stamboul-Calais coach of the Orient Express are all involved in the fictional Daisy Armstrong kidnap-murder case. Many of the characters and events correlate to actual persons involved in the real life 1932 mystery of
the Lindbergh baby kidnap-murder case in New Jersey and New York. Mrs. Christie appears to have been inspired by the widespread press coverage of the tragedy and the suspicion at that time (1932-1933) that the crime had been perpetrated by the mob;
hence, she created the gangster villain Ratchett/Cassetti. While the relationships are remarkable between reality and fiction, the
characters and events are indeed fictional and quite different from research on the original persons.
Have students research the Lindbergh case to see the origins of some of the
characters. Mrs. Christie has used these character templates to stage her crime
at the heart of the novel. She creates a “jury” of twelve characters who work
in concert to achieve justice. It may be best to pursue this reading of informational texts after the novel has been finished. Final project options on this
topic will suit those teachers for whom nonfiction reading and research is a
priority. This way the reading of the novel will function both for fiction and
nonfiction units, as well as research and presentation requirements.
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Information about the Lindbergh case is easily found in libraries and online. Some good sites are as follows.
The FBI
https://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous-cases/the-lindbergh-kidnapping
A site by a former FBI agent, author of The Lindbergh Case, and current college professor and public speaker
http://jimfisher.edinboro.edu/lindbergh/intro.html
Public television
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/lindbergh/sfeature/crime.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/tech/killed-lindbergh-baby.html
History channel
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lindbergh-baby-kidnapped
Lessons provided by the State of New Jersey
http://www.state.nj.us/state/historical/it-happened-here/ihhnj-er-lindbergh.pdf
New Jersey State Archive material online
(Caution: This site is run by conspiracy theorists, but they do post documents.)
http://www.lindberghkidnappinghoax.com/archivelist.html
A law school examination of the trial of the man eventually arrested, tried, convicted, and executed for the Lindbergh baby kidnapping
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/Hauptmann/Hauptmann.htm
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Some correlations follow.
Daisy Armstrong Case in
Murder on the Orient Express
Correlations
Lindbergh Kidnapping
Case in 1932-1934
Col. Armstrong
American hero and pilot
Col. Charles Lindbergh
Sonia Armstrong
his pregnant wife
Anne Morrow Lindbergh
Daisy Armstrong
his young child
(the 1st victim)
Charlie Lindbergh
another victim
the 2nd victim
Jon Morrow Lindbergh
Countess Andreny
aunt of baby and
sister of baby’s mother.
Elisabeth Morrow Morgan
Count Andrenyi
uncle of baby and husband of
baby’s aunt.
Aubrey Morgan (who married
both Morrow sisters).
Mrs. Hubbard
grandmother of baby and
mother of baby’s mother
Mrs. Dwight Morrow, widow of
the late ambassador
Greta Ohlsson, Swedish nurse
nurse/nanny to baby
Miss Betty Gow of Scotland
son of authority figure searching for criminal.
H. Norman Schwarzkopt,
Jr., son of the NJ State Police
Colonel
Constance Morrow Morgan.
Miss Mary Debenham, English
governess
Hector McQueen, son of prosecutor
admirer of baby’s mother
Edward Masterman
valet, butler, & chauffeur to
baby’s family
Oliver Whately
Hildegarde Schmidt
cook & housekeeper for baby’s
family
Mrs. Elsie Whately
Pierre Michel, the conductor and father
of the late maid Miss Suzanne Michel
family maid who commits suicide under police questioning.
Miss Violet Sharpe, a British
maid who committed suicide
Cyrus Hardman
boyfriend of late maid.
several boyfriends
Col. Arbuthnot
best friend of baby’s father
Col. Henry Breckinridge, friend
and lawyer of Lindbergh.
Antonio Foscarelli
Dr. John Condon, the gobetween and friend.
Mr. Samuel Ratchett
unknown suspects in the mob
aka the gangster Cassetti
the kidnapper and killer of the
innocent child
notes threatening Ratchett
hand-written threatening notes
ransom notes about the baby
Al Capone
Mrs. Christie’s knowledge about staging a play (as her profession) helped in writing characters who “stage” a murder. The author
was also inspired by her own travels on the Orient Express, so she knew that the windows opened and was familiar with the workings of the journey. Her knowledge that the 1929 train was stuck in snow for ten days also served her well in crafting the world’s
most famous train journey.
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D. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Discuss essential questions in class with the students before, during, and after reading the novel. At first, use examples from history and current events as well as personal experiences and observations. As the class progresses through the novel, use specific
examples from the text to help make points. After finishing the book, use these essential questions to guide discussions and focus
student attention on activities and projects (both during project creation and presentation).
• What is justice?
• Why is reading valuable? Why is writing valuable?
• How do we protect the innocent?
• Why is literature valuable?
• What is the individual’s responsibility to the community?
• What is reality? What is illusion?
• How do choices and decisions shape character?
• Does evil exist? If so, should we confront it?
• Should people face the consequences of their actions?
• What is friendship? What is love?
• How do we punish the evil amongst us? At what
price?
• Who is a hero? What makes a hero?
• How valuable is grit (or persistence) in life?
• Are love and sacrifice two sides of the same coin?
• What can we learn about ourselves by reading literature?
• Is the world a utopia or a dystopia?
• Does fiction help us discover reality?
Reading the novel Murder on the Orient Express
Students will read more if the method of reading is one of their own choice. Some prefer
printed books, others ebooks on their Kindle or Nook, and many prefer a reading app on their
cell phone. A few prefer an audio book combined with text, especially if English is not their
first language, so they can listen as they read along. I also let students read in other languages
first (such as Cantonese), before they read again in English. I let students choose for themselves, although I have print books in English available in class.
The audio book read by David Suchet is excellent. Teens who have watched videos starring
Suchet as Poirot will probably prefer this audio with Suchet’s heavily accented voice.
The dramatic reading version by Dan Stevens is even better! I believe teens can more easily
understand his spoken words; Stevens is superb at creating a different voice for each character, each of which is easily comprehensible.
Properly introduced, your students may enjoy listening to a chapter a day in class. Students
can follow along with the text while listening to the audio (in class or at home). This is especially helpful for struggling readers with learning plans and international students who are
learning our alphabet. Their listening vocabulary is sometimes far beyond their reading vocabulary. It is also helpful to promote active listening and discussing new concepts, especially
in the earlier chapters.
Another option to use with students who struggle with reading is to use the BBC Audio full
cast dramatization in class. Here you have sound effects, music, and actors playing parts in an
abridged version of the novel.
Some students learn to listen to the book on their cell phone, in lieu of music. Another benefit
of audio book versions is that it helps improve students’ pronunciation, both of English words
and Poirot’s foreign expressions.
When there is French in the text, I ask students studying French to help us translate. If there
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are none, we use a translator app online. I also have a print French-English dictionary in
class. Keep a list of Poirot’s common phrases on the board for reference. We also look up
any new vocabulary, which varies according to the class and individual students. A sample
vocabulary chart template will follow this section. I have students differentiate whether the
words are British slang, foreign language, or new words in English suitable for SAT prep.
I assign a few chapters at a time, and I vary the length of the reading assignment based on
the students and their abilities. We also read daily during class for 10-20 minutes to whet
their appetites for reading. The timing is based on their attentiveness and focus. We discuss
the current reading daily and examine any student difficulties. There is a due date for each
section assigned; on that date, students produce work in class as evidence of their reading.
To engage the students, I usually have them create their own reading check assignments as
individuals in class. I vary the assignments and often give a choice of two or three; they must be submitted to me promptly during
class to receive full credit. I vary which 2-3 per due date to keep their interest up. Sample templates will follow this section. The
templates (used as worksheets) can be useful with younger students or students who struggle academically.
Try not to spoil the surprise of the exciting climax of the book. Teens who are reading devotedly hate spoilers. Be careful until your
due date. After that, all’s fair in class discussions and activities.
Concurrent with the reading of the novel, I show the class a movie version of the novel. With this book, there are three good alternatives, each of which is available at the library on DVD, streaming online, or in your personal library. American teens struggle
with the setting: many have never been on a train of any sort, let alone on a sleeper car or dining car. The students may struggle to
visualize a luxury train and this variety of characters as they read, but they will catch on quickly as the film literally sets the scene
for them. The film also excites them about reading “ahead” to find out what happens next; choose your stopping point with care.
Using the film you choose judiciously helps get the students reading enthusiastically.
It is always key to test students’ knowledge on what is the same, different, or altered between the book and film. I often use a Venn
diagram or a chart itemizing what is the same, missing, added, or changed from the book. A sample template follows; correctly
filled in, it will have a number of blank spaces depending on differences noted between the book and the film. Many times it is easy
to see who is caught up on reading: they are irate that the scene they were waiting for was altered or cut!
Movie reviews:
The 1974 all star film version has many fine points and is easily accessible at school and public libraries as a
DVD. It may also be available for streaming. The individual characters are clearly delineated, as is the plot.
This makes the story easier to follow for the students, even though they rarely recognize the actors. However
the students may not warm to this version of Poirot; he may be too eccentric for today’s students obsessed
with self-image. If the students do not like the protagonist, they may not engage with the book. Additionally,
a few characters express racist views.
The 2001 CBS television movie version starring Alfred Molina is my current favorite
with teens. This version of Poirot is less eccentric while staying true to the character’s
essence. In the movie, he is having “girl-trouble” with Vera (a character borrowed
from Mrs. Christie’s short stories), a minor romantic subplot that engages teens with
similar interests. It is updated to the present (2001), which still seems like a long time
ago to adolescents. Very little is changed in the updating; for example, the burned
note becomes a damaged videotape. The students enjoy this movie, especially those
who struggle to comprehend the exotic locales and foreign phrases of the novel. This
version seems most accessible to my students.
The 2010 version starring David Suchet as Hercule Poirot is also excellent. It is easily accessible on DVD and
through online streaming (Amazon Instant Video and Acorn TV). Surprisingly, it is not the easiest to follow
in terms of which actor is which character; this presents problems for students, as do the many deviations
from the book’s plot. It is visually dark, a serious problem for some classrooms which may not be able to
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adequately darken the room. It is also thematically dark, with an even more robust examination of the essential question “What
is justice?” than is present in the book. Prayer, faith, and Poirot’s Catholicism are not only introduced here, but take prime focus
away from the puzzle.
READING CHECK ASSIGNMENTS
One assignment at each reading due date
Give a choice of 2 or 3, or assign a specific choice at each due date.
• Create a Quiz: Write 5-10 questions and answers based on the reading.
• Create a Quiz: Write 5-10 examples of parts that are missing from, added to, or changed in the film. Show what you know about
the book.
• Create a Chart: Keep a running tally of clues and suspects.
• Art Design: Create a set and/or costume design for stage or film based on the novel. Draw on paper, create digitally, or make a
3-D model using Legos or foam board.
ºº Poirot and his room on the train
ºº Mr. Ratchett/Cassetti’s room on the train
ºº A 1934 Orient Express sleeper or dining car
ºº The major and key characters
• Detective Hercule Poirot
• M. Bouc, director of the train line
• Victim/villain Mr. Ratchett
• Suspects (other passengers)
• Write a diary entry by one of the passengers, reflecting on recent events. Is the passenger willing for Poirot to read this? If not,
is it hidden? Create a frame story for the diary.
• Write a letter by one of the passengers. Choose whom you are writing to and what you are telling this person. Consider whether
the letter is finished, or if the character would continue writing later. Would the letter be delivered on board the train, or kept
for later delivery?
• Create a Graphic Organizer: Research sleeper cars such as the Calais Coach on the Orient Express train. Create an outline of
the train car, similar to the graphic in the book. Identify which characters are assigned to each car, using the evidence in the
text as your basis. Add in where various pieces of evidence are found on the train; label your graphic. Add in known times of
events. See sample on next page.
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Sample graphic (from 1980 re-print of novel):
• Write an Article: Write a short news article about the events of the story so far. Have students focus on specific chapters due
that day, answering the journalist’s questions in their articles. Since many chapters focus on an individual character, the choice
should be easy.
ºº Who?
ºº What?
ºº When?
ºº Where?
ºº Why?
ºº How?
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ºº Present the article as if it were in a newspaper or magazine. Have students check paper or digital periodicals to ascertain
the correct formatting.
ºº Be sure to include headlines, bylines, 2 or 3 columns, photographs of pertinent characters and settings, a map, a graphic,
etc.
ºº Mention the crime and evidence.
ºº Interview characters at a particular time in the story.
• M. Poirot the detective
• The train director M. Bouc
• The doctor, Dr. Constantine
• The conductor of the sleeping car, Pierre Michel
• Suspects: the passengers of the sleeping car
• Create a Collage: Have students choose different characters (one each) and create a collage or scrapbook page for each one. Use
images, photos, clothes, items they would carry or use, maps, etc. to build a true picture of the character and tell their story.
Combine the collages on the bulletin board to create a display for class. Photograph the finished board and post it on your class
website or social media page.
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VOCABULARY
WORDS & PHRASES
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Chapters ____________
DEFINITION
IDENTIFICATION:
• French
• British slang
• American English
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BOOK VS. FILM
Chapters ___________
BOOK ONLY
CHANGES TO BOOK
(similar but different)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
FILM ONLY
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READING COMPREHENSION
CREATE A QUIZ
CHAPTERS _______________
QUESTION
ANSWER
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
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Post-reading activities
Students will create and share a variety of activities and projects as they learn in depth. Generally, at first we do quick projects
meant to help students understand the text. Later, the projects get more creative, lengthy, and innovative. Some activities may be
done on paper or in a document; others lend themselves to posters, 3-D models, or power points.
Some activities will be done individually, while others may be done in a small group of 2-5. I will give the parameters below for
work done alone. Groups must perform the same amount of work as individuals. For example, one student’s 2-page newsletter
becomes a 4 page document for 2 students or a 6 page document for 3 students. Occasionally I require group work to foster teamwork and encourage new skills.
WRITTEN WORK TO FURTHER UNDERSTANDING
(individual work, 1 page each) Offer students several choices; each student completes one.
• Evil Plan: Create a flow chart or list, identifying the step-by-step process of the evil plan to kill Mr. Ratchett in the plot. Alternatively, write a summary of the plan or create a flow chart. Remember that the killers had to make adjustments to their
plans as the murder unfolded.
• Good Plan: Create a flow chart or list, identifying the step-by-step process of the detective/protagonist’s good plan to discover the truth. Alternatively, write a summary of Poirot’s plan or create a graphic organizer.
• Problems with the Plan: What unexpected problems with their plan did the killers face? How do they handle the unanticipated presence of an actual detective on the train coach during the murder? How do they hand the snowy weather and stopping
of the train? Write an essay or create a flow chart to examine the many unexpected problems that confronted the killers.
• POV analysis: Identify which characters’ point of view (POV) is used in different parts of the novel. Mrs. Christie experiments with POV and its effects on the reader in many of her books, including this one. The novel shifts POV repeatedly to
show characters in a different light. Characters in this book lie and conceal their actions; they change their stories, sometimes
repeatedly. They are unreliable narrators.
ºº Choose a character and examine all the ways the reader might view this character at different times. This works well with
the characters below.
• Mrs. Hubbard
• Mr. Ratchett
• Pierre Michel, the conductor
• Countess Andrenyi
ºº Identify the different viewpoints used in the book. A sample POV template follows this section.
• 1st person
ºº major character
ºº key character
ºº minor character
ºº singular or plural number of characters
ºº past or present view of events
• 3rd person
ºº omniscient (god-like)
ºº limited omniscient
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ºº observer (not part of action)
ºº observer (part of action)
• Create a Clue Chart: Identify all the pertinent clues, what they suggest, and whether they are true and valid clues or red herrings. You may use the earlier clue template as a guide. Alternatively, create a power point presentation analyzing the clues (10+
slides).
• Create a Suspect Chart: Identify which clues point to each suspect. Clarify which clues are true and valid and which were not
(red herrings). You may use the earlier suspect template as a guide. Alternatively, create a power point presentation analyzing
the suspects (10+ slides).
• Alibi Analysis: Write alibis for the various suspects from their points of view for police.
POINT OF VIEW (POV)
CHARACTER’S NAME
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
CHAPTERS OR SCENES
POV
NARRATIVE VOICE
PERSPECTIVE
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ACTIVITIES (INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP OF 2-5 STUDENTS)
Offer students several choices; each student or group completes one. Essays and stories should be about 2-3 pages per student.
• Write a confession by Mrs. Hubbard, including her motivations for the crime (one student). If you wish to work in a pair, have
the second student decide which characters will see/read/hear the confession in a framing story. Combine the story parts into
a unified whole for the pair of students.
• Make a crossword puzzle using an online puzzle maker. Use the information you have already learned to write at least 30 clues.
Clues could focus on details of the plot, characters, new vocabulary (especially SAT words), and literary terminology applied
to the novel. A group could create a series of related puzzles focusing on the book (one puzzle per student). An example of an
excellent free online puzzle maker is at www.armoredpenguin.com.
• Identify the major themes of the novel. Write an essay examining 3-5 themes evident in the novel. Use specific details from the
novel to explain how the themes are evident in Mrs. Christie’s work. Use the essential questions for ideas (see earlier list) or the
theme page that follows.
• Write and format a test for the novel, showing what you know about it. Have at least 25 questions. Include an answer key.
• Identify and explain the 3-5 of the novel’s images and symbols in an essay. Tie them into the essential questions and themes.
• Identify and explain examples of the novel’s irony (situational, verbal, and dramatic) in an essay.
• Research meals, food, and drink available to characters in the novel. You can use online menus for the current Orient Express
for ideas at http://www.belmond.com/venice-simplon-orient-express/recipes . Create a menu for the book, including recipes,
in a power point or document.
ºº For extra credit, make something for the class to eat, using appropriate substitutions for alcohol and costly items.
• Analyze the internal and external conflicts faced by the major and key characters at different times in the plot. A conflicts chart
follows this section.
• Create advertisements inspired by the novel, focusing on businesses and objects mentioned in the text. These can each be power point slides, in a document, or on poster paper. Examples may include the following:
ºº The Orient Express train itself (see the current train’s website at http://www.belmond.com/venice-simplon-orient-express/the-train)
ºº A train station in the book: for example, Belgrade in Serbia https://en.rail.cc/belgrade-railway-station/belgrade/station/11176/86 or Istanbul in Turkey
ºº Poirot’s detective business
ºº A tragedy starring Linda Arden in New York
• Draw (on paper or on the computer) one scene/chapter from the novel in the form of anime or manga.
• Design a new cover for a book (front and back), audio book, digital game, manga version of the book, and/or a theatrical poster
for a new play or movie version. Refer to past cover art for ideas.
• Create “selfies” for the characters. Use costumes, props, and backgrounds in your small group. Present the selfies on the interactive white board, on social media, or on posters. Be prepared to explain to the class why the image is appropriate for each
character.
• Choose a “walk-up” song for each character. Create a power point of
characters and play the entrance music for each. Connect your phone/
tablet/device to portable speakers so the class can hear the music. (This
is similar to batters in Major League Baseball walking up to hit with
their own special theme music.) Have the class choose their favorites.
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THEMES COMMON IN LITERATURE
1: Life is uncertain and often chaotic. Change happens. Death is inevitable.
2: All lives matter. Each individual life has value. We are all similar.
3: Life is short. Seize the day (Carpe diem). Be brave.
4: Negativity, greed, fear, violence, revenge, pride, and jealousy can destroy us.
5: Even painful life lessons can be valuable. Know that choices have consequences.
Learn from experience.
6: Everything is connected. All we have is each other. Seek balance and harmony.
7: Even small acts of kindness, sacrifice, friendship, and love can make life rich and
worth living.
8: See the truth. Determine what is real or not real. Appearances can be deceiving.
9: Evil exists. Events and people may thwart us. Heroes fight injustice and strive to defeat evil. The battle between good and evil is never-ending.
10: The universe is implacable and indifferent to us. Each of us exists alone and may be
alienated from others and even ourselves. Be true to yourself.
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CONFLICTS
INTERNAL CONFLICT
Character vs. Self
EXTERNAL CONFLICT
Character vs. Character
Character vs. Authority
Character vs. Society
Character vs. Nature
CHARACTER
SCENE
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FINAL PROJECTS (GROUP WORK SUGGESTED, 2-5 PER GROUP)
Teachers may need to offer more assistance on some of these projects.
• Create a -3 minute movie trailer for the novel, using current actors, novel quotes, images, music, and key scenes. Use a program
such as iMovie or Moviemaker. Remember to write opening and closing credits. Don’t give away the ending: no spoilers. Post
the movie to YouTube; set the privacy to public and email your teacher the link. Watch with your peers in class.
• Create social media for the characters.
ºº Using your computer or cell phone, create Twitter accounts for the characters. Then have these characters “tweet” to each
other in their characters’ voices. Move through the plot using tweets.
ºº Using a document, create a replica of a Facebook account for each of the characters. Add appropriate photos and information. Then have these characters post to each other in their characters’ voices as they move through the plot. Email
me the documents.
ºº Use Instagram or Pinterest to create appropriate photos and graphics for the characters and/or novel as a whole.
ºº Create a 3-5 page document detailing a series of texts between various characters as they move through the plot of the
novel.
ºº Overall, have characters “friend” or “follow” only the appropriate characters. They may “block” or “mute” or “unfollow”
certain characters as well. Email the teacher the links or documents. Replica accounts or texts are also good.
• Write “Fan fiction” for the novel. Choose a character, and write an original short story (3-5 pages) in which you continue the
story. Be accurate to the details of the novel and true to the characters. Feel free to be imaginative and creative as long as you
don’t contradict Mrs. Christie and her book.
• Write an original “deleted scene” such as you might see on a DVD. This story should fit seamlessly into the novel; it will probably be a scene mentioned in the novel. Examples follow.
ºº The kidnapping and murder of little Daisy Armstrong
ºº The trial and acquittal of Cassetti
ºº Mrs. Hubbard’s plot to murder Cassetti
ºº The rehearsal of the murder plot on the train going out to Instanbul
ºº The murder itself (in present tense, as it happens, not in retrospect)
ºº The scene among the passengers in the sleeping car while Poirot is questioning them one at a time in the dining car
ºº The scene with the Yugoslavian police
ºº An epilogue with one or more characters later on in life
• Create an original digital game. Send it to the teacher. Present it to the class and have your peers play it with you as presenter.
• Access the published game online and play it on the classroom’s smart board or by using a projector. Practice outside of class so that you can function as the host and guide to the game for
the class.
• Create a Jeopardy style trivia game, using an online program such as www.Jeopardylabs.com or
www.superteachertools.net/jeopardyx and incorporating what you know about the novel. Play
the game during class as student hosts. This is for 2 or 3 students.
• Create a talk show featuring interviews with the characters at the end of the book. Have students
use their imaginations without contradicting the author; costumes and props help set the scene.
Backgrounds can be projected on the board as in a real talk show. This may be written in a news
article or short story or acted out live in class. (On occasion, I have acted as the host of the live
talk show if the students are younger or shyer and need assistance.) A show should be 2-3 minutes per student.
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• Create a broadcast news program using computers and/or cell phones to film a news show about the events in the book as if it
were real. Include both in studio and “live” camera shots if possible; this can be filmed in school. Include information gleaned
from the earlier research done on the time period and settings. A show should be 2-3 minutes per student.
ºº If students do not wish to act on video or in class, they can create a news website with articles, audio news reports, and
graphics.
• Act out a scene (live or on video or as a radio play) from the novel using a script or scenario. A set, costumes, props, cue cards,
and a student director will help. A show should be 2-3 minutes per student.
Beware of students making movies outside of school starring themselves; the temptation to show off can defeat common sense and
teacher instructions. Adult supervision is essential. (An eighteen-year-old friend is not an adult supervisor; some parents and guardians are not even good judges of acceptable behavior.) Live performances in class are safer and often earn better grades.
Informational text based final projects:
• Create a historical context lesson for the class based on the work begun earlier. Teach the class about the world of the novel: its
different times and places. Consider the European cultures, geography, and travel in the early 1930’s. Tie all the pieces together
for your class. A self-made power point or movie trailer will help you teach the class effectively.
• Research the Lindbergh kidnapping case in more detail. Create a lesson based on it and teach the class about it. Draw parallels
between the real case and the fictional one. What did Mrs. Christie keep? What did she discard? Why? Analyze the inspiration
for the novel. It would be helpful to read reviews and analysis about the novel for this assignment. Students thinking about
teaching as a future career often love this project.
• Research the Lindbergh kidnapping case in more detail. Re-create the case. Present the Lindbergh case to the class as if you
were a prosecutor summarizing the evidence against Bruno Richard Hauptmann and your classmates were the jurors. Create a
power point of the key pieces of evidence to help your presentation. Students thinking about a future career as a lawyer, police
officer, or forensic scientist often love this project.
• Adapt one of the other final projects to this research topic.
ºº Make a movie trailer
ºº Create social media
ºº Write “fan fiction”
ºº Write a short story based on the Lindbergh case
ºº Create a game and play it
ºº Present a talk show, news broadcast, or dramatization
The teacher can give students ideas to pursue in their research using the chart presented earlier in this teacher’s guide. There is also
a list of online resources included earlier that can be shared with the students. Students can also do primary research at local police
stations, crime labs, archives, libraries, museums, and by interviewing the elderly who may remember the case as it happened in
1932-1935.
Some excellent references currently in libraries and at booksellers are listed below. They vary in length and reading level to suit
your individual students’ needs. Some long biographies have only a short section on the kidnapping; I have noted the specific
chapters the students can read as research.
Lindbergh’s autobiographies do not include the case, so they are not listed. Mrs. Lindbergh did write about the case as it occurred
in her book listed below. Many old books on the case are unavailable. Be wary of students who may claim to have used books
written in the 1930s.
I suggest avoiding the plethora of information on recent conspiracy theories, diatribes against Lindbergh’s later political views, and
family scandals. Since the kidnapping was in 1932, those are irrelevant to this project. Several short works are by Mark Falzini, the
archivist for the NJ Lindbergh Case Archives in Trenton.
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• The Lindbergh Case by Jim Fisher
• The Ghosts of Hopewell: Setting the Record Straight in the Lindbergh Case by Jim Fisher
• Hour of Gold, Hour of Lead: Diaries and Letters 1929-1932 by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
• Kidnap: The Story of the Lindbergh Case by George Waller
• The Lindbergh Baby Kidnapping Trial: A Primary Source Account by Greg Roensch
• New York 1934 FBI Files: Charles Lindbergh kidnapping (available as an inexpensive download)
• The FBI’s Famous Cases: The Lindbergh Kidnapping
• Lindbergh by A. Scott Berg (chapters 10-12)
• Loss of Eden: A Biography of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh by Joyce Milton (chapters 13-18)
• The Cases that Haunt Us by John Douglas & Mark Olschaker (chapter 3)
• Lindbergh: A Biography by Leonard Mosley (chapters 13-15)
• The Lindbergh Case Archives and Museum, New Jersey State Police Headquarters, West Trenton (aka Ewing), NJ
• Studying the Lindbergh Case: A Guide to the Files and Resources Available at the New Jersey State Police Museum by Mark W.
Falzini
• New Jersey’s Lindbergh Kidnapping and Trial by Mark Falzini and James Davidson
• Their Fifteen Minutes: Biographical Sketches of the Lindbergh Case by Mark Falzini
• The Trial of the Century: Hunterdon County Democrat Souvenir Newspapers 1932-1935
• The Lindbergh Kidnapping: A Guide to Documents by Frances G. Housten
Final Project Judging
All students should view all final projects and participate as appropriate.
Stories, puzzles, and essays should be copied, emailed, or shared online so all students may enjoy them.
Students should take brief notes (3-5 things they liked) about each project; no negativity is allowed. After all projects have been
presented, students should review their notes and vote for their top 3 projects. Students who are absent from class should make
an effort to see the work they missed; students may only vote for work they have seen.
Students should turn in their notes and 3 votes for the teacher to collate.
Announce the winning projects to the class. Providing a certificate, a sticker, or a piece
of candy to the winners entertains the students, encourages healthy competition, and
builds rapport with the class.
PS: Encourage students to continue reading Agatha Christie’s books. Give students a preview of other Christie detectives (Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence, Inspector Battle,
etc.), and introduce (“tease”) intricate plots (without giving away spoilers). Ask parents
and alumni to donate old and new Christie books for your students. Offer these books as
gifts to the students. Let them see you reading too.
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WRITING RUBRIC
COVER PAGE or
MLA HEADING
HEADER + page #s
TITLE & BYLINE
THESIS
INTRODUCTION
Comments
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____________/100
10
10
Mini-OUTLINE
BODY
PARAGRAPHING
creativity
development
accuracy
CONCLUSION
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10
THESIS re-stated
OPINION
MECHANICS:
spelling, punctuation,
capitalization, usage,
number, margins, format, spacing, Standard
English, sentences,
paragraphs
COHERENCE
UNITY
essay matches outline
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TEXTUAL REFERENCES
knowledge of novel
specificity
20
10
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WRITING RUBRIC
Comments
27
____________/100
COVER PAGE
TITLE
INTRODUCTION
10
COHERENCE & UNITY
FOCUS ON TOPIC
10
RULES FOLLOWED
BODY
30
development/depth
accuracy
CONCLUSION
10
on time submission/
presentation
MECHANICS:
spelling, punctuation,
capitalization, usage, number, margins, format, spacing, Standard English,
sentences, paragraphs
as appropriate
TEXTUAL REFERENCES
knowledge of novel
specificity
10
CREATIVITY
10
PRESENTATION
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
You’ll find more teaching resources at the official www.agathachristie.com as well as at academic.hc.com/home.
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Education Standards
A. ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS STANDARDS
Holy Cross High School
Standards, Objectives, and Skills:
LS 1.0 Students will learn to speak for a variety of real purposes and audiences and practice speaking in front of their peers,
such as giving directions.
LS 2.0 Students will listen attentively and actively in a variety of situations to information from a variety of sources (such as
lectures, videos, oral presentations, the internet, CD’s, Power Point presentations, recordings, etc.)
LS 3.0 Students will learn to write in coherent language that varies in content and form for a variety of audiences and purposes.
LS 4.0 Students will learn to read various texts with an emphasis on improving their comprehension, vocabulary, and critical
analysis skills.
LS 6.0 Students will learn to research from a variety of sources (including digital media) and present their results in a variety
of formats. Students will learn to document and acknowledge sources conforming to specific MLA standards.
B. NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS
Summary
1. Creativity and Innovation: Students demonstrate creative thinking, construct knowledge, and develop innovative products
and processes using technology.
Students:
a. apply existing knowledge to generate new ideas, products, or processes.
b. create original works as a means of personal or group expression.
c. use models and simulations to explore complex systems and issues.
d. identify trends and forecast possibilities.
2. Communication and Collaboration Students use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively, including at a distance, to support individual learning and contribute to the learning of others.
Students:
a. interact, collaborate, and publish with peers, experts, or others employing a variety of digital environments and media.
b. communicate information and ideas effectively to multiple audiences using a variety of media and formats.
c. develop cultural understanding and global awareness by engaging with learners of other cultures.
d. contribute to project teams to produce original works or solve problems.
3. Research and Information Fluency Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
Students:
a. plan strategies to guide inquiry.
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and media.
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
d. process data and report results.
4. Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making Students use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems, and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources.
Students:
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a. identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation.
b. plan and manage activities to develop a solution or complete a project.
c. collect and analyze data to identify solutions and/or make informed decisions.
d. use multiple processes and diverse perspectives to explore alternative solutions.
5. Digital Citizenship Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and
ethical behavior.
Students:
a. advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
b. exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and productivity.
c. demonstrate personal responsibility for lifelong learning.
d. exhibit leadership for digital citizenship.
6. Technology Operations and Concepts Students demonstrate a sound understanding of technology concepts, systems, and
operations.
Students:
a. understand and use technology systems.
b. select and use applications effectively and productively.
c. troubleshoot systems and applications.
d. transfer current knowledge to learning of new technologies.