Smart English – Crime and Detection
Lesson Number 2 – As plain as a pikestaff
Summary
Students identify stereotypical or 'stock' character traits in crime fiction. They explore the creation of
particular characters in Sherlock Holmes extracts. Finally, they identify methods of presenting characters in
fiction.
Starter (c. 5 mins)
Put students into pairs. Give them a list of some 'stock' characters from crime fiction (see notes over page).
Give them three minutes to make notes on the typical attributes of these characters. Join pairs into fours to
share and expand ideas.
Main / Development (c. 33 mins)
Differentiation
1. Take feedback from the starter activity.
Establish an understanding of the learning
objective as it relates to a crucial feature of
crime detection stories – stock characters.
Inform students of how many of these character
types they should complete within the time limit.
More able students could come up with their own list
of stock characters. Help students to understand the
relevance of the criteria to characterisation
especially in relation to ‘stock’ characterisation.
2. Tell students to read the extract from Sherlock
Holmes - The Boscombe Valley Mystery in the
Student Book.
3. Ask student pairs to make notes on what
impressions they get of the characters of
Lestrade and Miss Turner, and how these
impressions are created by the text. See
Worksheet 2a.
Focus your attention on supporting lower ability
students to ensure they get started and keep going
and that they have read the extracts properly.
4. Take some feedback from the paired
discussions. Explain to students that the
impressions we get of characters come from
both narrative description and dialogue.
5. Tell students to read The House of Silk extracts
in the Students Book and to discuss similarities
and differences between how Lestrade and
Holmes are presented in both Sherlock Holmes
stories.
6. Model this process by showing students extracts
of Lestrade's speech from both Sherlock Holmes
– The Boscombe Valley Mystery and The House
of Silk to point them in the right direction. See
Worksheet 2b.
7. Join pairs together to form groups of four. Tell
groups to consider what they have found out
about how the writers have used narrative
description and dialogue to create characters.
Tell them to discuss and make notes on this
question: how and what do we find out about
characters through narrative, description and
dialogue?
Challenge able students with an extension task to
write a bit more of one of the extracts presenting
one of the characters in a way that is consistent with
the impression of them in the extract.
Compose groups that are made up of individuals of
similar ability so that you can work with a guided
group where necessary.
8. Give students 8 minutes for this task. Then
choose an envoy for each group. Send the envoy
to the next group to convey and receive ideas.
Send again and again, before returning the
envoys to their own groups for final discussion.
Plenary (c. 7 mins)
Give each group some sticky notes. Ask students to note down two or three key features that they
identified during their investigation and stick them to the whiteboard. Ask able student to visit sticky notes
as they are being displayed and jot down on them brief notes about their relevance to the learning objective.
Alternatively, stage 8 above would be an adequate plenary.
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© Smart Learning Ltd 2015 – Copying permitted for purchasing institution only.
Smart English – Crime and Detection
Lesson Number 1 – As plain as a pikestaff
Homework / Extension
Ask students to write a description of a criminal that could fit into a Sherlock Holmes story.
Watch a clip from the BBC television series “Sherlock” and explore how a character is presented through this
medium.
Read a newspaper article that describes a real criminal and turn the description into one suited to fiction.
© Smart Learning Ltd 2015 – Copying permitted for purchasing institution onlyt.
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Smart English – Crime and Detection
Lesson Number 2 – As plain as a pikestaff
Notes
Starter
The purpose of making notes on typical character attributes is for students to explore stereotypes/ ‘stock’
presentations. Some may wish to draw, others may wish to make notes. Good characters to mindmap are:
a) A police detective
b) A damsel in distress
c) A thief
d) A fraudster
e) A solicitor/barrister/judge
f) A pathologist
You might need to model this to start students off. For example, for a pathologist you could include: a white
coat, very pale skin, wears glasses, introverted, etc.
Main / Development

Emphasise the key words “meaning” and “effect” in the learning objective. Explore with students how
vocabulary, description and dialogue can alter the effect on the intended reader. Also, highlight how
character types, dialogue and narration are all aspects of text organisation.

Highlight vocabulary choices. For Lestrade, the simile “ferret-like” is worth exploring, as is “sly-looking”.
In contrast, his attire being 'in deference to his rustic surroundings' also paints a picture of a respectful
character here. Note the sexualised image of the Miss Turner, her “lips parted” and “pink flush” being in
contrast to the innocent portrayal through “eyes shining” and “overpowering excitement”.

Break this task down into more specific areas of focus. Good areas to focus on are:
a) Adverb choices
b) Use of the second person
c) Decisive language

Unpack this task with the class to ensure that they understand what is being asked of them. Refer back
to the learning objective, again drawing attention to the fact that description and dialogue are
'organisational features' and how they influence intended 'effects'.

Roam around whilst students are planning this activity, offering support where necessary. Stop students
after one or two minutes and share with them useful ideas that you have heard – especially those that
really address the learning objectives well.
Conduct the activity with a guided group in order to support the less able. Alternatively, you may wish
to work with a Gifted and Talented group in order to give them an additional push.
Plenary
Act as a scribe to summarise key findings. Ideally, if you can type them up and save them then this can be
referred back to when exploring character further on in the unit of work. You could use an interactive
whiteboard or this task if the facilities are available.
Homework / Extension
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© Smart Learning Ltd 2015 – Copying permitted for purchasing institution only.