Reading 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can comprehend and summarise ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’.
Key learning points
- Holmes and Watson have set out to solve the Boscombe Valley mystery.
- It is believed Charles McCarthy was murdered.
- McCarthy was seen arguing with his son prior to his death.
- McCarthy’s son’s gun was found near McCarthy’s dead body.
- McCarthy’s son is the main suspect in McCarthy’s death.
Keywords
Paradoxical - If something is paradoxical, it seems to contradict itself.
Conjecture - A conjecture is a conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information.
Singularity - If something has singularity, you could say it is one of a kind.
Quarrel - A quarrel is a heated argument or disagreement.
Circumstantial - Pointing indirectly towards someone’s guilt but not proving it.
Common misconception
McCarthy's son is definitely guilty.
It is suspected that McCarthy's son is responsible for the murder of McCarthy, however Holmes still has a lot of investigating to do.
Teacher tip
Explain to/remind students of how 'The Speckled Band' similarly plants seeds early on about who/what could be responsible for Julia's murder. However, there is still a lot to uncover as the text continues.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is a mystery?
Q2.In the Sherlock Holmes stories, what job does Sherlock Holmes do?
Q3.Which sentence uses a noun appositive correctly to describe who Dr Watson is in the Sherlock Holmes stories?
Q4.What is a motive in relation to committing a crime?
Q5.What does perpetrator mean?
Q6.What ought to be included in a summary?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What does circumstantial mean?
Q2.In 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery' what did the game keeper witness?
Q3.Who died in 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'?
Q4.Who is the main suspect in 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'?
Q5.In 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery', what injuries were found on McCarthy’s body?
Q6.What is one of the key reasons that James McCarthy is the main suspect in 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'?
To help you plan your 7 English lesson on: Reading 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 7 English lesson on: Reading 'The Boscombe Valley 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.