INTRODUCTION:
An alien from outer space visits you one night. Until that very night you did not believe in "beings from outer space" or in UFOs. Now you are wondering just how many of the mysteries in our world today are real. So, you gather your detectives cape and your best detective buddies. You all set out to uncover the truths involving today's "UNSOLVED MYSTERIES...."
TASK:
You and your Super Sleuth buddies have just decided to gather information about an Unsolved Mystery. Instead of a spyglass, you will be using books and the Internet for your investigation. Your team will then decide what are truly facts and what facts are truly fiction.
You are to research real unsolved cases and mysterious occurrences. You are to present any evidence found, police reports, suspects, pictures, eye-witness testimony, relevant previous cases, and any other facts you discover. Try to focus on one particular case or series of cases. These cases can be:
List of possible topics:
Easter Island Big Foot
Stonehenge Unicorns
Bermuda Triangle Is Tupac Sharkur alive?
Holy Grail Extinction of Dinosaurs
Salem Witch Trials Unicorns
The Hope Diamond Curse of King Tut
Lost Colony of Roanoke Amelia Earhart’s disappearance
Lost City of Atlantis Ghost Sightings
Builders of the Great Pyramids Crop Circles
King Arthur and the Round Table Roswell / Area 51
Black Holes Psychic Powers
U.F.O.s Oak Island Treasure
Vampires
PROCESS:
Step 1: You and your partner (if you chose to complete this project with a partner) will choose an Unsolved Mysteries.
Step 2: Use the Primary and Secondary RESOURCES provided below to research and write down facts about the Unsolved Mystery you chose. Also, use the RESOURCES to write down information you believe makes the Unsolved Mystery fictional.
Step 3: Your research must be at least three pages long and include the following information.
1. Title of your Unsolved Mystery
2. Names of the members in your group
3. Photos/Drawings to go with your Unsolved Mystery
4. Explain the background of the mystery or phenomenon.
5. Indicate why this has become famous. (Why are people fascinated by this mystery/phenomenon?)
6. Explain the mystery/phenomenon's current situation. (Have they solved the mystery? Have they given up? Are they using new methods to solve the mystery?)
7. The "FACTS" about your mystery.
8. Information you believe to be "FICTION".
9. An explanation of your "CONCLUSIONS" as to whether you feel your Unsolved Mystery is more FACT or FICTION.
10. A Bibliography, including the sources you used when investigation.
Step 4: Presenting your research. Presentations can take the form of but are not limited to:
An alien from outer space visits you one night. Until that very night you did not believe in "beings from outer space" or in UFOs. Now you are wondering just how many of the mysteries in our world today are real. So, you gather your detectives cape and your best detective buddies. You all set out to uncover the truths involving today's "UNSOLVED MYSTERIES...."
TASK:
You and your Super Sleuth buddies have just decided to gather information about an Unsolved Mystery. Instead of a spyglass, you will be using books and the Internet for your investigation. Your team will then decide what are truly facts and what facts are truly fiction.
You are to research real unsolved cases and mysterious occurrences. You are to present any evidence found, police reports, suspects, pictures, eye-witness testimony, relevant previous cases, and any other facts you discover. Try to focus on one particular case or series of cases. These cases can be:
- unsolved disappearances (i.e.- the Lindbergh baby kidnapping)
- supernatural events (i.e.- ghosts)
- extraterrestrial beings/happenings (i.e.- abductions, crop circles)
- natural mysteries (i.e.- The Ringing Rocks of Upper Black Eddy)
- historical mysteries (i.e.- the lost colony of Roanoke)
- mysterious creatures (i.e.- Bigfoot)
List of possible topics:
Easter Island Big Foot
Stonehenge Unicorns
Bermuda Triangle Is Tupac Sharkur alive?
Holy Grail Extinction of Dinosaurs
Salem Witch Trials Unicorns
The Hope Diamond Curse of King Tut
Lost Colony of Roanoke Amelia Earhart’s disappearance
Lost City of Atlantis Ghost Sightings
Builders of the Great Pyramids Crop Circles
King Arthur and the Round Table Roswell / Area 51
Black Holes Psychic Powers
U.F.O.s Oak Island Treasure
Vampires
PROCESS:
Step 1: You and your partner (if you chose to complete this project with a partner) will choose an Unsolved Mysteries.
Step 2: Use the Primary and Secondary RESOURCES provided below to research and write down facts about the Unsolved Mystery you chose. Also, use the RESOURCES to write down information you believe makes the Unsolved Mystery fictional.
- Find academically sound and reliable from .edu, .gov sites. Students can also use .org sites but need to understand that they may give a biased view of the subject.
- When possible, articles from peer-reviewed journals should be used.
- Show students how to cite their work. At this stage in their learning, they should be aware of how to use quotes and make a reference list. In-text citations should be mentioned but not required.
- Be sure not to plagiarize. Give credit to the resources you use.
Step 3: Your research must be at least three pages long and include the following information.
1. Title of your Unsolved Mystery
2. Names of the members in your group
3. Photos/Drawings to go with your Unsolved Mystery
4. Explain the background of the mystery or phenomenon.
5. Indicate why this has become famous. (Why are people fascinated by this mystery/phenomenon?)
6. Explain the mystery/phenomenon's current situation. (Have they solved the mystery? Have they given up? Are they using new methods to solve the mystery?)
7. The "FACTS" about your mystery.
8. Information you believe to be "FICTION".
9. An explanation of your "CONCLUSIONS" as to whether you feel your Unsolved Mystery is more FACT or FICTION.
10. A Bibliography, including the sources you used when investigation.
Step 4: Presenting your research. Presentations can take the form of but are not limited to:
- PowerPoint
- Keynote
- IMovie
- Posters
- Diorama
- Video
- News report
- Skit