Teachers' Resources

Mystery

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"MYSTERY – A mystery is a problem solving activity based around a central question which students must investigate and attempt to answer. The information or ‘clues’ needed to solve the mystery are presented on separate slips of paper which students must sift through in order to come to their conclusion.

Mysteries tend to have a strong narrative thread – they are about people to whom things happen or who initiate events. This helps to engage the attention of students of all abilities. These people, places and circumstances do not have to be real – they can be an amalgam that represents important relationships and generalisations – but closeness to reality is to be preferred.

Mysteries are very versatile teaching and assessment aids that can be used to promote a wide range of cognitive skills and interactive skills. In particular they can help students develop the ability to sort and classify information, and identify relationships such as cause and consequence. They are also an effective strategy for promoting group problem solving skills. Most mysteries lend themselves to sequencing activities that can help students develop their own narrative for the event. Writing frames can help students to record their understanding effectively.

Target skills
Making and justifying inferences
Sorting, classifying, grouping data
Analysing, identifying relationships
Developing a problem solving strategy
Synthesising information and drawing conclusions
Speculation
Sequencing"

Extract taken from “The Big Picture in Northumberland - An introduction to Thinking Skills”.