PBS
Crack the Case: History's Toughest Mysteries
Young sleuths don their trench coats, tip their fedoras, and grab their notepads to investigate one of four famous unsolved mysteries. After examining multiple primary and secondary sources related to their cold case, they propose a...
Curated OER
Mystery Strategy for Elementary Students
Learners of all ages solve historical mysteries. Elementary learners research historical topics by organizing information presented by their instructor, formulating hypotheses, and considering solutions to mysteries presented about...
Curated OER
History's Mysteries
Students propose a theme for an upcoming program on the History Channel, select a historical theme for the investigation, resarch topics that support the theme, and write a proposal to the producers of a television program.
Curated OER
How to Write a Mystery
Was it the teacher with the ruler in the supply closet? Find out when you read mystery stories inspired by this presentation. Show the slide show to your pupils to give them ideas that will help them get started with writing their own...
Curated OER
The Mystery of History: Who Killed Lord Darnley?
History is made all the more intriguing when presented as a mystery. The class uses the provided clues to draw a conclusion as to how Lord Darnley, husband of Mary Queen of Scots, died. This is a very fun way to introduce or review...
Ziptales
The Pied Piper of Hamelin: The Mystery of the Children of Hamelin
Which is more likely: 130 children followed a magical piper out of Hamelin and disappeared forever, or that they died of the plague? Or could they have escaped from Hamelin via a secret tunnel to Transylvania? Learners investigate...
Mr. Roughton
History Mystery: The Black Death
Was the medieval Black Death the same disease as the modern bubonic plague? Your class members become the top investigators in the case, examining a variety of exhibits (i.e. disease descriptions, sample historical letter, map, etc.) in...
Polar Trec
Polar Detectives: Using Ice Core Data to Decode Past Climate Mysteries
How does examining an ice core tell us about weather? Learners set up and explore fake ice cores made of sugar, salt, and ash to represent historical snowfall and volcanic eruptions. From their setups, scholars determine what caused the...
Curated OER
Stonehenge: Solving Ancient Mysteries
Students investigate the mystery of Stonehenge. For this Stonehenge lesson, students participate in a classroom activity that requires them to research information about Stonehenge as well as information regarding archeology and...
Curated OER
History/Mystery: Regionalism and Ethnicity in the American Detective Novel
Students use mystery novels to focus on the history and ethnicity of different regions of the United States. As a class, they are introduced to the elements of a mystery and compare them to the other types of novels they have read. In...
Curated OER
History's Mysteries Lesson Plans
By exploring history's mysteries, like Stonehenge, students can learn about historical research.
Curated OER
Methods of Mystery
Students utilize the scientific method to discover the age of an item. In this historical dating lesson, students compare and contrast a 400 year old cabinet to one made within a few years by using carbon dating. Students complete a...
Curated OER
The Mystery of the Shoe Box
Sixth graders do the work of historians. In this world history lesson, 6th graders examine the artifacts and handouts in mystery boxes that their teachers prepare. Students collaborate to solve the mystery of their assigned boxes as they...
Curated OER
Mystery : Structure of the Atom-A Case for Indirect Evidence
Learners investigate the structure of the atom through hands on activities. In this atomic structure instructional activity, students perform 4 activities showing indirect evidence of the structure of the atom and the parts of the atom....
Curated OER
Shipwreck Mystery
Students draw inferences about a shipwreck. In this marine archaeologist lesson, students examine historical and archaeological data to draw inferences about the age and identity of shipwrecks.
Mary Pope Osborne, Classroom Adventures Program
The Backpack Travel Journals
Strap on those backpacks, it's time to travel through history with this literature unit based on the first four books of The Magic Tree House series. While reading through these fun stories, children create story maps, record interesting...
Curated OER
The Mystery of History-Original Sources
Students research the events surrounding the Alamo in 1863, and explore the differences between primary and secondary sources of information. They brainstorm lists of items used to research a subject and categorize them as primary or...
Curated OER
Cemetery Restoration Project
Who is buried in this tomb? Trek to a local cemetery, take pictures of markers, explore records, and conduct interviews to bring to life the stories behind the stones. Use Olympus and Tool Factory to coordinate and gather information...
Curated OER
The Lott House - a History Mystery
Students read a newspaper article about the historic Lott House in Marine
Park, Brooklyn. They study the history of slavery in New York and uncover the secrets of a historic Brooklyn farmhouse that kept slaves and later protected them...
Curated OER
Playing Historical Detective: Great Grandmother's Dress and Other Clues to the Life and Times of Annie Steel
Students draw conclusions about an mystery person based on documents and artifacts provided. In this drawing conclusions lesson, students become detectives by reading and analyzing evidence provided. This lesson includes information on...
Curated OER
Visit a Historical Site
Students research a historical site and determine the site's historical significance to their community. They research the events surrounding the site and conduct field research in order to examine a certain time period. Students write a...
Curated OER
TechnoKnight
Students examine world history by creating arts and crafts. In this middle ages instructional activity, students discuss the relevence of items such as a helmet, shield and family crest. Students complete middle ages worksheets, create...
Curated OER
Learning About Fiction Genres in the Elementary School Library
Teaching about fiction genres can be challenging. The lesson here, designed for library media specialists, offers a fun way to do it. In the lesson, learners visit the library and learn about the different types of fiction through book...
PBS
Going Back In Time
History detectives eschew that time machine and follow the paper trail to go back in time to investigate an unfamiliar object. The goal is for class members to develop their skills as historical detectives.