Mysterious Mysteries
3rd to 5th grades semester unit
Unit Summary and Rationale: In this unit the students will learn to
separate fact from hoax and how to investigate multiple solutions to a problem in
order to come to the most logical conclusion. They will practice solving various
“crime” puzzles and magic illusions using critical thinking skills and/or
mathematics, read how various mysteries are solved in fiction, and explore why
hoaxes are perpetrated.
The students will then study various forensic
techniques. Armed with this background, they will be confronted with a “crime”
supposedly committed at school to figure out “whodunit.”
Learner Objectives:
By the end of this unit students will be able to:
 Research desired information using the internet, books, and observation
 Organize information using notes, outlines, and timelines
 Use critical thinking to determine believability and likelihood for various
mysterious events and magic acts
 Present results of research clearly and cleverly to differentiate between
fact and hoax
 Write a mystery with a logical story line that is interesting, clever, and
grammatically correct
 Become aware of careers associated with forensics and mystery writing
Learner Activities:
The students will:
 Investigate how mathematics can be used to make and solve some
mysterious problems
 Solve various “crime” puzzles using reasoning and logic
 Investigate how various magic tricks work
 Practice separating fact from fiction while being open-minded but not
gullible
 At first in small groups and then individually select a mystery (such as the
Loch Ness Monster or what is really in a hotdog) to research and then
display results in an interesting format
 Individually read a variety of mystery books to become more perceptive at
noticing clues and details and to predict “whodunit”
 In small groups read a variety of mysteries to become more familiar with
famous mystery authors comparing and contrasting their styles
 Individually write a mystery that is logical and interesting editing, typing,
illustrating, and then binding it into a book
 Investigate various crime solving procedures such as fingerprinting, DNA
analysis, fiber identification, etc,


As a group solve a “crime” that appears to have happened at school
Design an informative hall display to share findings with other students
Assessment Activities:
The students will:
Observation: respond to riddles, math teasers, and performance of magic
tricks
Performance Tasks: display results of investigations about various hoaxes and
mysteries in informative and interesting formats
Performance Events: solve “crime” presented using various forensic techniques
and write, illustrate, and bind a mystery book
Level of Expectation:
At least a “3” or “4” on generalized scoring guides or at least “Mystifying” or
“Mysteriously Good” on other scoring guides
Instructional Methods:
Reading
Writing/ Journaling
Research using books, films, and the internet
Use of scientific method to analyze data
Cooperative learning
Discussion
Questioning
Resources:
Books:
Assorted “Clue” mystery books by A.E. Parker
Assorted “Stories With Holes” books by Nathan Levy
Scratch Your Brain Where It Itches by Linda Brumbaugh
Amazing Math Magic by Oliver Ho
Secret Codes by Eric Winokur
Other assorted mystery books such as Great Quicksolve Whodunit Puzzles, and
A Case of Red Herrings
Assorted mystery books such as The Boxcar Children by Werner, From The
Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg, The
Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, Bunicula by Debrah and James Howe
Mystery Plays by Tom Conklin
The Usbourne Detectives Handbook
Solve It Yourself Mysteries by Hy Conrad and Bob Peterson
Cops and Robbers: Using Science and Critical Thinking Skills to Solve Crimes by
Karen Schulz
Mysteries fo History by Robert Stewart, Ph.D.
The Mysterious Times: Strange Stories of 30 Real-Life Mysteries by Melissa
Heckscher
Fakes, Giants, and other great hoaxes, by Timothy Bay
Bigfoot and Bermuda Triangle by Ian Thorne
Internet:
www.mysteries.com
www.usdoj.gov/kidspage/subject.html
www.crimeandclues.com/
www.forensicpage.com
www.usfa.fema.gov
www.latent-prints.com/
http://ca.geocities.com
www.kruglaw.com/f_entomology.htm
www.fbi.gov/programs/lab/handbook/examodon.htm
www.treas.gov/usss
www.moneyfactory.com
www.asqde.org
Periodicals:
Discover, September, 1999, “Beasts in the Mists”
Kids Discover, July 1999, “Detectives”
Kids Discover, October 1999, “DNA, FBI,DNA, FYI
Muse, February 2001, “The Roswell Incident”
Games and Kits:
Spy Alley game
Vosburg Diamond puzzle
Field Trips:
Steiger Haus mystery overnight
Content Standard alignment:
Process Standard Alignment:
SS 2, 7
MA 1, 3, 4, 5
CA 1, 2, 3, 4
SC 7, 8,
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.10
2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.7
3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6
4.1 4.4 4.7 4.8
District Goals/Objectives:
SS gr 7: 9 SS gr 8: 17 18
M gr 6 + gr 7 VII VIII X
CA gr 6 01-12, 16-20 CA gr 7 1-11 CA gr 8 1-12
R gr 6 01-07, 10, 11 R gr 7+ 8 1-8
SC gr 6 + gr 7 01, 02 SC gr 8 01