I am feeling the spooky vibes of this fall season and am excited to share with you these 5 ways to teach mystery in your secondary ELA class. I’m not one to disregard the “classic” examples of mystery (hello, Oct-POE-ber?) but if I’m being completely honest – my students want and need a new spin. Check out these suggestions and let me know what other examples you have!
1. Use strong YA titles.
I think one of the best ways to get students interested in a genre study is to bring out the contemporary versions. There are so many young adult titles to choose from, but some of my favorites are Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson, We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, or One of Us is Lying by Karen M. McManus. You could put together a literature circle assignment with several of these titles, or select one or two that you think the class would most enjoy.
2. Utilize an engaging mystery movie.
Sometimes “popping in the movie” really is the way to go. A film can perk up uninterested students, and you can focus not only on the plot, but also on the visual storytelling methods that cinema must use to convey mystery (think lighting, mood, and color scheme). If you haven’t seen the Enola Holmes film starring Millie Bobby Brown – it is a must see. And it is a great cinematic example of mystery. I have a plot activity for the movie right in my shop if you need something for a quick print-and-go option.
3. Read interesting informational text.
Learning to close read is an important skill for students as they develop higher-order thinking skills. Take some time to find informational texts with a spooky vibe for your mystery study to keep students engaged.
If you need a quick option, you should check out my Winchester Mystery House Close Reading Assignment here. This flexible resource comes with digital and printable options and includes an original reading passage with four comprehension activities. Highlighting one of the most haunted places in America, your students might not even realize they’re working on close reading skills.
4. Listen to a mystery podcast.
A great way to appeal to a new generation who are growing up with podcasts is to use what they know. That’s right – mystery podcasts. A great one to start with is Mars Patel, a mystery story for middle school that’s performed by actual kids. It’s the same commitment as reading a novel (in my opinion) but is packed with “newness” and is super appealing to my students. You can find the episodes to Mars Patel here as well as other episodes that GenZ Media has produced. You might also like the podcast Six Minutes (you can find it here).
5. Have students create their own mystery.
Appeal to your students’ creative drive and have them write their own mystery, utilizing concepts learned about in class to showcase what they’ve learned. There are several different possibilities you can take to best work for your students. Students can make up a story from scratch, utilize an illustration or real-life mystery. You can have students use a certain set of objects or have them include clues for the reader. Students can work individually or as a group and then take turns in a gallery walk “solving” the mystery.
If your students need help (or a little luck), you can grab my Roll a Mystery assignment here. It’s a great resource to get your students into brainstorming mode and it works whether you’re in class or working virtually.
What have been your go-to teaching strategies for mystery writing? Share here in the comments or continue the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.
Happy teaching!
