The Case of the Mystery Readers Camp (Mystery Reading Strategies & Book Club)

This class is sure to hook even the most reluctant readers with it's highly engaging shared text and interactive learning as students become the detectives and try to solve the case BEFORE it is revealed! 

Mystery reading is a highly engaging and highly motivating genre. By reading mysteries, students are provided with a unique opportunity to practice critical reading skills and strategies such as; reading for details, close reading and character/plot analysis.

Using the shared reading, "The Diamond Mystery" by Martin Widmark (The WhoDunIt Detective Agency Series), students will learn about mystery genre elements including; clues, evidence, suspects, motives, alibi, red herrings and culprit. They will put their newly learned detective knowledge to the test as they try to solve the case before the culprit is revealed in the end of the story (Class #3).

Students will interact with the story using the "Detective Notebook" provided as a printable document before the start of the section. If a printer is unavailable, students can use any blank paper to create their own Detective Notebooks referencing the printable. 

Some reading will be completed during class time as a read aloud/close reading of important sections, but students will be assigned reading pages between classes. Students will need to purchase their own copy of the book so they can revisit the reading on their own to try and crack the case. The book is available on Amazon. 

DAY ONE:
- Introduction to Mystery Elements and Vocabulary
- Introduction to Characters (Detectives/Possible Suspects), Case and Setting
- Student Detectives will begin to form their own "Suspect List" as we meet various characters by determining if they have a "motive" to commit the act or "clues"/"evidence" against them!

DAY TWO:
- Student Detectives will track “clues” and “evidence” they discover as we read.
- Student Detectives may eliminate a “suspect(s)” from their list if they discover an “alibi”.
- Student Detectives will develop their own “theory” to determine who they think is the “culprit”, why it was committed and how (before hearing it in the reading).

DAY THREE:
- The “culprit” will be revealed!
- Students will discuss “red herrings” that were used to distract or trick them throughout the story.
- Students will review Mystery Elements and vocabulary.

This class will include interactive read aloud, discussion and slides/visual learning to supplement our discussions.