Making predictions about ‘The Speckled Band’ mystery
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can make predictions about ‘The Speckled Band’ mystery based on clues in a text.
Key learning points
- Julia Stoner has died in a suspicious manner
- There does not seem to be an obvious way in which Julia Stoner died
- There are a range of peculiar events and clues which Holmes must piece together to solve the case
- Based on recent events, Helen may now face the same danger as her sister
Keywords
Ferocious - A ferocious act is one that is violent and cruel.
Speckled - To have speckles is to have many small spots or patches of colour.
Casefile - A casefile is a document kept with all the details of an investigation.
Mystery - A mystery is something that is difficult to understand or explain.
Suspicious - If an incident is suspicious, then there is reason to mistrust or feel doubt towards it.
Common misconception
Julia Stoner's death was accidental.
Explain that the point of a mystery story is for the detective to use clues to solve it and usually find a perpetrator.
Teacher tip
Students can act out the exchange between Helen and Holmes to show a deeper understanding of the main details of the crime and heightened emotions.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What did the police force initially focus on in the Victorian era?
Q2.Why was the character of Sherlock Holmes admired by many?
Q3.In the story 'The Speckled Band', what state is Helen in when she comes to Holmes?
Q4.Why is Helen shivering when she goes to see Holmes in 'The Speckled Band'?
Q5.In the story 'The Speckled Band', what does the simile "her eyes like those of a hunted animal" suggest about Helen?
Q6.What can we predict about the reason Helen has approached Holmes in 'The Speckled Band'?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.In the story 'The Speckled Band', why has Helen Stoner come to Sherlock Holmes?
Q2.What is true of the Roylott family who appear in the story 'The Speckled Band'?
Q3.What does ferocious mean?
Q4.In the story 'The Speckled Band', which character is described as engaging in "ferocious quarrels"?
Q5.What is interesting about the place where Helen is currently sleeping in 'The Speckled Band'?
Q6.In the story 'The Speckled Band', what is similar about the circumstances of Helen and Julia upon hearing the whistle?
To help you plan your 7 English lesson on: Making predictions about ‘The Speckled Band’ mystery, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 English lesson on: Making predictions about ‘The Speckled Band’ mystery, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 English lessons from the Sherlock Holmes: short stories unit, dive into the full secondary English curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.