Mystery

2. STRATEGY OVERVIEW
• MYSTERY LESSONS BEGIN WITH A PROVOCATIVE LESSON OR RIDDLE SUCH AS “WHY DID THE
NEANDERTHALS DISAPPEAR WHILE HOMO SAPIENS WENT ON TO COVER THE ENTIRE GLOBE?”
• IN WORKING TO FORMULATE A SOLUTION STUDENTS NATURALLY BUILD THEIR SKILLS AND COLLECT
EVIDENCE, ORGANIZING AND INTERPRETING INFORMATION, AND DEVELOPING LOGICAL EXPLANATIONS.

3. WHY THE STRATEGY WORKS• THIS STRATEGY BUILDS ON NATURAL AFFINITY TO INTRIGUE OUR CURIOSITY, ENGAGE US IN INQUIRY, AND SATISFY US
WHEN ALL PIECES FALL INTO PLACE.
• THIS STRATEGY IS BUILT OFF THE WORK OF RICHARD SUCHMAN, WHO FOUND THAT WHEN STUDENTS INVESTIGATE A
PROBLEM THROUGH THEIR OWN CURIOSITY, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO RETAIN WHAT THEY LEARNED.

4. HOW TO USE THIS STRATEGY
1. BEGIN BY EXPLAINING THE CONTENT OF THE LESSON AND GOALS
2. ENGAGE STUDENT INTEREST BY PRESENTING A PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED, A QUESTION TO BE ANSWERED,
OR A SITUATION TO BE EXPLAINED
3. PRESENT STUDENTS WITH A VARIETY OF BRIEF CLUES
4. INSTRUCT STUDENTS TO USE THEIR ASSIGNED GROUPS TO DEVELOP A HYPOTHESIS
5. HOLD A DISCUSSION IN WHICH STUDENTS PRESENT OR FURTHER REFINE THEIR HYPOTHESIS
6. ASSIGN A TASK THAT ALLOWS STUDENTS TO APPLY WHAT THEY HAVE LEARNED

5. VARIATIONS AND EXTENSIONS
• YOU CAN USE THE STRUCTURE OF MYSTERY TO HOOK STUDENT’S ATTENTION, ENGAGE THEM IN A
SEARCH FOR EVIDENCE, AND ASK THEM TO GENERATE A HYPOTHESIS
• THREE VARIATIONS ARE MULTIPLE DOCUMENT LEARNING, SEQUENCING, AND PROBLEM BASED LEARNING

6. MULTIPLE DOCUMENT LEARNING• (MDL) IS AN IMPORTANT VARIATION OF THE MYSTERY STRATEGY AND IS USEFUL FOR STATE STANDARDS AND TESTING
SYSTEMS THAT REQUIRE STUDENTS TO READ 2+ DOCUMENTS
• (MDL) POSES A PROBLEM FOR STUDENTS TO SOLVE BY POSING A HYPOTHESIS
• IT DIFFERS FROM MYSTERY BECAUSE STUDENTS BASE THEIR HYPOTHESIS ON DOCUMENTS RATHER THAN CLUES

7. SEQUENCING
• STUDENTS PUT A SERIES OF ELEMENTS TOGETHER IN A LOGICAL ORDER TO FORM A COHESIVE WHOLE.
• SEQUENCING WORKS WELL WITH SCIENTIFIC PROCESSES THAT STUDENTS CAN ARRANGE INTO PROPER
ORDER.

8. PROBLEM BASED LEARNING
• IN A (PBL) LESSON, STUDENTS ARE ASKED TO SOLVE AN AUTHENTIC PROBLEM OR DEVELOP A PRODUCT
THAT ADDRESSES A REAL-WORLD ISSUE.
• REQUIRES STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND AND APPLY THE CONTENT AND SKILLS FROM YOUR STANDARDS
• DEMANDS HIGHER ORDER THINKING
• INVOLVES THE CREATION OF AN AUTHENTIC PRODUCT OR PERFORMANCE

9. PROBLEM BASED LEARNING (CONT)
• CREATE A PROBLEM BASED UNIT BY FOLLOWING THESE 6 STEPS:
1. SELECT A SET OF STANDARDS AND ANALYZE THE CONTENT NEEDED TO MEET THOSE STANDARDS
2. ESTABLISH A TASK THAT WILL REQUIRE STUDENTS TO UNDERSTAND AND APPLY THEIR STANDARDS,
DEMAND HIGHER ORDER THINKING
3. ARRANGE STUDENTS INTO TEAMS THAT CAN WORK TOGETHER TO DEVELOP A PRODUCT OR
PERFORMANCE
4. PROVIDE LESSONS THAT ENCOURAGE LESSONS PRACTICE, RESEARCH, AND PRODUCTION SKILLS.
5. MAKE SURE ¼-1/3 OF UNIT TIME IS SET ASIDE FOR COACHING.
6. DESIGN ACTIVITIES FOR REFLECTION AND CELEBRATION TO BRING YOUR UNIT TO A CLOSE