|
History Mysteries
What is a Mystery?
A ‘mystery’ requires an open question to be answered by considering information that is provided. Not all the information is necessarily relevant and the group has to decide what is relevant. The answer should be as full as possible and considered seriously. Mysteries have a strong narrative thread - they are about people to whom things happen or who instigate events and this helps to get pupils hooked. They are a good tool for fostering collaborative work and independent learning.
Mysteries engage pupils in a wide range of high order thinking skills. These include:
- Classification
- Analysis of problems, events and arguments
- Testing of hypotheses
- Speculation
- Inductive and deductive reasoning
- The establishment of cause and effect
Mysteries can be differentiated in a number of ways including by altering the number of cards given to each pupil, arranging pupils in ability groups or choosing a mixed ability setting or providing writing frames for follow up tasks.
They do take quite a bit of time to set up but once you've got them they can be used over and over again.
The mysteries developed by Hertfordshire Primary History Co-ordinators at their conference in March 2006 are available to download below:
History Mysteries
Below is guide to which mysteries are most appropriate for a particular year group:
Year Group |
Topic |
Title |
5/6 |
Victorians
|
Why did x cry on his 6th birthday?
Why was x transported to Australia? |
3/4 |
2nd World War |
Why did John Smith cry on his 8th birthday? |
3/4 |
Invaders and Settlers |
Why did Boudicca kill herself? |
3 |
Invaders and Settlers |
Why did Boudicca burn down the temple at Colchester? |
2 |
Why do we remember Mary Seacole? |
Why do we remember Mary Seacole? |
3/4 |
Invaders and Settlers |
Why did Harold Red Beard and his Vikings raid monasteries in the UK? |
3/4 |
Invaders and Settlers |
Were priests on Lindisfarne frightened? |
2 |
Why do we remember Florence Nightingale? |
Did Johnny Smith survive after he had been badly injured in the Crimean War? |
5 |
Victorians |
Why did Mary Seacole have difficulty becoming a war nurse? |
2 |
Why do we remember Mary Seacole? |
Why was it difficult for Mary Seacole to travel to the Crimea? |
3 |
What was it like for children in the second world war? |
What did Mary Jones have for her birthday tea on 4th August 1944? |
2/3 |
Why do we remember Mary Seacole? |
Why do we remember Mary Seacole today? |
4 |
Victorians |
How did Jimmy Blunt die? |
3/4 |
2nd World War |
Why did Mrs Brown lose two stone in weight in 1940? |
5/6 |
2nd World War |
Why couldn't Joe have a birthday cake for his 10th birthday in April 1944? |
|
