Solving Puzzles, Learning Lessons: Integrating Mystery Writing into Your Curriculum

​Are you looking for a new and exciting way to engage your students with language arts and critical thinking? Look no further than the thrilling world of mystery writing! Whether you're teaching elementary or high school, adding mysteries to your curriculum can be fun and educational for both you and your students. In this blog post, we'll go over some tips for incorporating mystery writing into your lesson plans.

1. Start with the basics
Before diving into the mystery genre, it's important to cover the basics of storytelling and creative writing. Teach your students about plot, characterization, and setting. Once they have a strong foundation, they'll be better equipped to craft compelling mysteries.

2. Read and analyze mysteries
Expose your students to a variety of mystery novels and short stories and encourage them to analyze the elements that make them successful. Some classic mystery novels that are great for the classroom include Agatha Christie's "And Then There Were None" and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "Sherlock Holmes" series. Ask your students to identify clues, suspects, and red herrings in the mysteries they read.

3. Have students write their own mysteries
Once your students have a good understanding of the elements of mystery writing, have them put their knowledge to the test by writing their own mysteries! Encourage them to be creative and think outside the box. Have them incorporate the lessons they learned in class, such as building suspense and leaving clues for the reader. I have lots of free mystery writing prompts available <here> if you need some resources to inspire your students to begin writing. 

4. Use mysteries as a tool for critical thinking
Mystery writing is a great way to teach critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Encourage your students to think like detectives as they read and write mysteries. Have them analyze evidence, suspect motives, and come up with theories. You can even incorporate a mock crime scene investigation into your lesson plans!

5. Host a mystery writing contest
To really get your students excited about mystery writing, hold a mystery writing contest! Give them a set of guidelines to follow, such as a word count or a specific theme. You can even bring in a panel of judges and award prizes to the winners. This is a great way to get your students excited about writing and showcase their creativity.

Incorporating mystery writing into your curriculum can be a fun and educational way to engage your students with language arts and critical thinking. By starting with the basics, reading and analyzing mysteries, encouraging your students to write their own mysteries, using mysteries as a tool for critical thinking, and hosting a mystery writing contest, you can create a dynamic learning experience that your students will never forget. Happy sleuthing!