All posts by Meredith
Thursday 21/10/21 – Reading
Learning Goal: I can identify language used to build tension and suspense and describe how this impacts me.
Today, we will be focusing on how author’s intentionally build suspense and tension through careful selection of words and phrases in mystery texts to engage a reader and draw them in as a participant to solve the mystery!
Tension is something that writers use to create a problem in their stories, it means feeling worry, fear, nerves or pressure. You can also create tension between characters if they argue.
Suspense is something used in stories to make them mysterious or scary. Suspense means waiting for something to happen or being uncertain about what will happen.
To build suspense a writer might use the following elements;
- Onomatopoeia (whoosh, snap, bang, creak!)
- Short sentences
- Ellipsis …
- Adding a character’s internal thoughts (What was that?)
- Descriptive language that is interesting and imaginative said – whispered
- A physical reaction from a character (screamed, jumped, shivered)
When an author uses language to build tension and suspense well it should evoke an emotional response and;
- spellbind you and leave you on the edge of your seat
- anticipating what will happen next
- keep the momentum of the story up
First, read or listen to the information below. Please note this is read to you in the audio recording.
Next, read the piece of text below from ‘The Curse of Cogston House’ and look at the bold text and example table to identify how suspense has been created and the impact that this may have had on you, as the reader.
Nothing moved. Cogston House was as silent as the grave. Perhaps the only thing worse than hearing her best friend desperately calling her name was being alone in this endless quiet. Alice’s eyes searched through the darkness, scouring the corridor which faded into more murky gloom. She could make out the hallway right in front of her, the door opposite, and beyond it, the enormous winding staircase. As she looked, blinking through the tears which had begun to stream hopelessly down her face, she was met with a sight at the top of the staircase which all but turned her to stone…
Something was moving.
Alice watched numbly. Her heart was in her mouth and her breath came in sharp, rattling gasps. Descending the stairs one careful, agonising, creaking step at a time, a hunched silhouette shuffled out from the darkness…
Then, draw up a table just like the one above, read at the least the first page of the passage below from ‘The Curse of Cogston House’, and as you read, identify the text features which build suspense and tension.
We have also attached an audio recording of “The Curse of Cogston House” if you would like to listen along.
Finally, write a short statement about how you felt overall reading the text.
For example,
As I read the text ‘The Curse of Cogston House’ I felt, my heart begin racing as they described the sad, broken, house suddenly appearing from the darkness. This reminded me of a time when I woke up in the middle of the night and could see something moving in the shadows of my room. I was frozen on the spot and could not yell. I shivered and closed my eyes hoping I could find my voice to call out to my parents. As a tiny squeak came out of my throat, my giant fluffy cat jumped onto my bed and shoved her head under my hand demanding a pat. I fell back into my pillows and giggled before drifting back to sleep.
Challenge: can you record any synonyms for the adjectives used in the text that might make it even scarier?
Work sample to upload to OneNote: table and response to text.
Thursday 21/10/21 – Writing
Learning Goal: I can revise and edit my mystery story to ensure all key story elements are included.
First, read or listen to the information below.
Next, before you begin to revise your own story, take a moment to log onto Story box library and take a moment to read along with Littlelight written and illustrated by Kelly Canby https://storyboxlibrary.com.au/stories/littlelight
Thinking about this mystery story, we have provided a completed checklist as a guide for you to ensure the key features of a mystery story are included in your own piece of writing.
Then, using the mystery story writing checklist and the mystery writing word mat + your knowledge of the genre, you will make any final revisions or edits to your story today.
Checklist Littlelight Ingredients for a Mystery Writing Checklist
Ingredients for a Mystery Writing Checklist Mystery Word Mat
Finally, revising a story requires a focus on making changes to improve the flow and sequencing of your writing and should be completed before a final edit and publishing.
Don’t forget to;
- Add sentences and words (think about how you will build tension and suspense)
- Remove words and sentences that do not add to your story
- Move words or sentences if they are in the wrong place and don’t follow a logical sequence
- Substitute words or phrases if they are repeated (what will I change to engage my readers)
Challenge: If you are happy with your story it might be time to complete a final edit then publish. You might like to be creative in your approach to publishing for example you might like to;
- Create a set of illustrations for your mystery story and present this in a video as you read your story
- Record an audio clip
- With your parent’s permission you night use an app like Puppet pals to record your story with an avatar
- Create an illustrated book
Work sample to upload to OneNote: Revised mystery text
Wednesday 20/10/21 – Reading
Learning Goals:
- I can follow the elements of a mystery to solve it and create a case report.
- I can use evidence from a mystery text to justify my answer.
Today, we are going to read a short-story and using our knowledge of the key elements of the mystery genre, we are going to solve the mystery. You will need to pay close attention to each element of the story to ensure you follow all the right clues, avoid red-herrings and put together a solid case report with evidence from the text to support your conclusion.
Remember, the mystery genre is a genre of fiction that follows a crime from the moment it happens until it is solved. Mysteries are sometimes called “whodunnits” because they turn readers into detectives to figure out the who, what, when, and how of a crime. Most mysteries feature a detective or private eye solving a case as the main character. In this case we are working with my favourite Mystery-solving crew Scooby Doo and Mystery Inc.!
First, listen to, or read the information below,
Next, you will be reading a short story and completing the Detective’s case report as you read the story.
Here is the blurb of the story to get you thinking…
A whacky werewolf is terrorizing a hot air balloon race. Shaggy and Scooby take to the sky to save the day.
Before you begin reading, draw up a table in your book like the Detective Case report, or if you have access to a printer you might like to print this out.
Detective Case Report Final (1)
Log onto to EPIC and read Scooby-Doo in Up, Up, and Away! https://www.getepic.com/app/read/75066
Remember, to hear any tricky words read to you, use your mouse to hover over the word and it will be read out loud with a definition!
Please note; Your teacher may have allocated this to you in your personal EPIC mailbox. As this requires concentration, this reading will count as your 20 – 30 minutes of independent reading.
Then, pay close attention to the key elements of a mystery story placing yourself, the reader, as part of the Mystery Inc. detective crew to solve the case!
As you read-along with the story, add notes to your case file and remember, to solve the mystery and justify your answer, focus on the following elements;
- The setting of the story
- What do the characters say, or do to cause you to think they might be a suspect or villain?
- What red-herrings or distractions might there be in the text?
Finally, when you arrive at the page where the werewolf is captured in the net, STOP! Before you read the final few pages of the book, make a prediction about who the werewolf really is! Remember, you must use the evidence you have entered into your Detective case report from within the text to justify your answer.
Read to the end and don’t forget to let us know if your prediction was correct! Make sure you review and check your answers, because all may not be as it seems!
Work sample to upload to OneNote: Detective case report.
Wednesday 20/10/21 – Writing
Learning Goal: I can draft a mystery story including the key elements of the genre.
First, read or listen to the information noted below.
Next, review your mystery planning sheet, and sequence of events. Ask yourself if you would change anything now after reflecting on your plan.
Then, Using your plan, think about the key elements of a mystery story , when and how they are introduced. Make any changes to your plan before you begin writing.
Finally, begin writing your mystery draft. Don’t forget to use all of your notes and plans to support your writing, tomorrow you will revise your work and ensure you have the key ingredients included in your story!
Don’t forget the key ingredients!
- The setting
- The characters (detective, side-kick, suspects, victim?)
- The mystery to be solved
- Clues and distractions
Challenge: If you finish this, choose a well-known fairytale such as The Three Little Pigs and introduce a new character who may have been the villain instead of the Wolf!
Work sample to upload to OneNote: Story Draft
Tuesday 19/10/21 – Reading
Learning Goal: I can identify the ‘suspect’ in a mystery story using clues and avoid ‘red herrings’.
Today, it is time to get your detective hats on and solve a mystery!
First, watch this introductory ‘crime’ video to set the scene and solved the mystery of who pushed Humpty Dumpty?
Next, read the text below as you read The Humpty Dumpty Mystery, use the suspect list to take notes of clues to narrow down the suspect list and find your villain! To solve the mystery you will need to answer the following questions;
- Where is the story set?
- What is the mystery to be solved?
- Who are the possible suspects?
- What are the possible red-herrings in the story?
- Who is the victim?
- Are there any witnesses?
Here is an audio recording of the Humpty Dumpty Mystery if you would like to read along!
Finally, after taking a moment to review your answers to the questions above, write a statement about what you think really happened to solve the mystery using evidence from the text.
For example; I believe that Katniss Kingsman pushed Humpty Dumpty off the wall as she hid something behind her back as she was being questioned by Detective Kenny Kingsman.
Work sample to upload to OneNote: Humpty Dumpty suspect list and statement about what you think happened.
Tuesday 19/10/21 – Writing
Hello 3/4s,
Today in your small groups you will again be working with your teacher on writing. This week we will be exploring the mystery genre with today’s lesson focusing on creating your plan and a sequence of events for your mystery story!
Before you come to your small group lesson, please ensure you have the plan you created yesterday and be ready to plan a strong start, middle and end of your own mystery story.
Please come prepared with your notes, a lined book, a pencil and an eraser. Please make sure that you attend the correct time for your small group focus.
See you soon,
3/4 Teachers
Monday 18/10/21 – Reading
Hello 3/4s,
Today in your small groups you will again be working with your teacher on reading. This week we will be exploring the mystery genre with today’s lesson focusing on the key ‘ingredients’ for a great mystery story!
Before you come to your small group lesson, please watch this short Scooby Doo clip; Scooby-Doo! One Minute Mysteries | The Menace of the Manticore | WB Kids and take notes about what you see, hear and feel as you read along. What features of the visual text make this a mystery?
Please come prepared with your notes, a lined book, a pencil and an eraser. Please make sure that you attend the correct time for your small group focus.
See you soon,
3/4 Teachers
Monday 18/10/21 – Writing
The mystery genre is a genre of fiction that follows a crime from the moment it happens until it is solved. Mysteries are sometimes called “whodunnits” because they turn readers into detectives to figure out the who, what, when, and how of a crime. Most mysteries feature a detective or private eye solving a case as the main character.
Learning Goal: I can plan a mystery story.
First, read or listen to the information noted below.
Next, re-watch short Scooby Doo clip Scooby-Doo! One Minute Mysteries | The Menace of the Manticore | WB Kids and review the notes you made about what you saw, heard and felt as you watched. Think about the key elements we discussed in our small reading groups required to create a mystery story:
- A setting
- A mystery to solve
- A list of suspects
- A detective or detectives and the clues!
- A sequence of events
Then, read the short mystery text Mystery at the beach to generate thoughts for writing your own mystery story later this week! Below that you will also find an example plan to show how that story was created.
Mystery at The Beach (story):
Mystery at The Beach (planner):
Finally, using the text and story plan as a guide, draw up a table in your book with the headings setting, problem, suspects, detectives and clues just like the example and start planning your own mystery! Don’t forget to add enough detail to start planning a sequence of events tomorrow.
Example of planner: Mystery Story Planner Monday (2)
Blank planner you can use:
If you need some thought starters, here are some images and phrases to get you planning!
Mystery story thought starters:
- I peeked through the curtains. There was a limo parked outside with two bodyguards. I heard a knock at the door…
- I went over to say hello to the cute little baby under the umbrella, but when I reached her, I saw that…
- We sat around the campfire in eerie silence, nobody wanting to bring up our predicament. Everything was going to have to come out anyway, we might as well get it over with. I was just about to clear my throat when I noticed Sam and Layla standing apart from the group, whispering. What were they plotting now?
- Estella ran down the trail, her dog, Gerard, several feet ahead of her. A gust of wind ripped through the forest and a loud crack on her left caught her attention. She watched the tree fall, then turned back to the trail, but Gerard was gone…
Challenge: Can you plan to include any ‘red herrings’ or twists to throw readers off the track…
Work sample to upload to OneNote: Mystery planning sheet
Little Letter of Positivity Template
Hi 3/4C,
Just in case you can’t access the letter on One Note, here is another copy of the letter template!
See you soon!
Meredith