Overview

The following lessons can be used individually, as a unit in a marking period, or in a series spread over the academic year.

Skills developed through these lessons are:

• Analytical questioning skills through Bloom’s Taxonomy and Web Quest
• Internet research skills through the Web Quest
• Organizational skills through “How to Write a Mystery” writing segment
• Close and purposeful reading skills through the reading segment
• Organizational and writing skills through the writing segment
• Revision skills through the revision segment

I recommend this unit be taught over time as follows and that the skills learned be applied to other projects, such as web quests on your favorite topics, as the year unfolds:

• September Introduce Bloom’s Taxonomy
• October Practice questioning from Bloom’s Taxonomy
• November Chester Himes Web Quest
• January Reading of a Chester Himes mystery
• February Harlem Web Quest (can be combined with Harlem Renaissance)
• March Writing the mystery
• April Revising the mystery – entering the contest

As a single unit a 6 week period will work:

• Week 1 – Introduce Bloom’s Taxonomy and practice questioning
  
• Week 2 – Chester Himes Web Quest
  
• Week 3 – Reading of a Chester Himes mystery
  
• Week 4 – Harlem Web Quest (can be combined with Harlem Renaissance)
  
• Week 5 – Writing the mystery
  
• Week 6 – Revising the mystery – entering the contest

Questions? Tim-jollymore@batnet.com