Who Done It?

Writing Workshop Mystery Story Unit:

I've been working on a mystery unit for my middle school writing workshop class.  Below is a link to my file.  Let me know if you have trouble opening it.  My main resources are:  Live Writing (R.Fletcher), Using Picture Storybooks to Teach Literary Devices (Recommended Books for Children and Young Adults) (S.Hall)(Volume 1), Notebook Know-How (A. Buckner); Encyclopedia Brown Books; Three Cousins Detective Club Books; Cam Jensen Books, and other trade books.

Here is the link to my unit (Please remember: no reselling and personal use only):

http://tinyurl.com/2favh22























































A note about Using Picture Storybooks to Teach Literary Devices...:
 My copy is Volume 1 with a copyright date of 1990. This is from the product description of Volume 2: "Both volumes of Using Picture Storybooks to Teach Literary Devices make it easy to find the perfect book to illustrate a specific literary device. The author has selected nearly 500 picture storybooks that effectively illustrate satire, allusion, pun, imagery, paradox, simile, analogy, and other literary devices. A substantial portion of each volume is a detailed guide for finding appropriate examples. This guide is alphabetically arranged from Allegory to Understatement and describes the appropriate titles for each device. Volume 1 spans books from 1980 to 1988, and Volume 2 covers books published since 1989 as well as classic picture books. All entries include full bibliographic information, a plot summary, examples of the literary device, and other devices used in the book. Entries in Volume 2 indicate appropriateness of a title for older students, the art styles used in illustrations, and suggested curricular tie-ins." They seem to compliment each other.

Volumes 3 and 4 jump up in cost considerably so I had to see those descriptions also.

This describes Vol 3: "The value of using picture books beyond the primary grades is becoming more widely recognized. This excellent resource, the third in a series, helps librarians find those titles that teachers can use effectively with older students. The descriptions of the illustrators' art styles and techniques are helpful to anyone involved in discussing or reviewing picture books. The 41 literary devices are arranged alphabetically, from "Alliteration" to "Understatement." The 120 books included were published almost entirely between 1995 and 2000. Each entry includes publication information, a brief annotation, examples from the text highlighting the literary devices, a description of the art style, and curriculum tie-ins. Appendixes group the books by author, title, art style, and curricular area."

Vol 4 description: "This fourth volume of the series, Using Picture Story Books to Teach Literary Devices, gives teachers and librarians the perfect tool to teach literary devices in grades K-12. With this volume, the author has added: colloquialism; counterpoint; solecism; archetype; and others to the list of devices. The entries have been reorganized to include all the information under the book listing itself. Each entry includes an annotation, a listing of curricular tie-ins for the book and the art style used, and a listing and explanation of all the literary devices taught by that title. Grades K-12."

Looking at those descriptions and what I already have (Vol 1) I think Vols 2 and 3 would be more useful to me than Vol 4. But if I could only get one (and found a good price) I might choose Vol 4. It would be a tough decision because I like the layout of Vol. 1 already.