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Type:
Subject:
Grade Range:
Description:
Duration:
Author(s):

Mystery
Lesson Plan
Science
8
90+ Minutes
Katlyn Allmon

Instructional Unit Content

Standard(s)/Element(s)
Content Area Standard
S8P4. Students will explore the wave nature of sound and electromagnetic radiation.
d. Describe how the behavior of waves is affected by medium (such as air, water, solids).
e. Relate the properties of sound to everyday experiences.

TAG Standard
Advanced Communication Skills
10. The student supports and defends his/her own opinions while respecting the opinions of others.
Advanced Research Skills
5. The student gathers, organizes, analyzes, and synthesizes data from multiple sources to support or
disprove a hypothesis.
Higher Order Critical Thinking Skills
11. The student draws conclusions based upon relevant information while discarding irrelevant
information.

Summary/Overview
The focus of this lesson is to solve a mystery to determine how different forms of media
impact the distance sound travels.

Enduring Understanding(s)
At the end of this lesson the student will understand
a. Sound can travel through solids, liquids, and gases.
b. Sound is a longitudinal wave.
c. Echos occur when sound bounces off of a surface.

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Essential Question(s)
How can media impact the sound you hear?
Concept(s) to Maintain

Sound is a form of energy

Sound must travel through a type of media.

Evidence of Learning
What students should know:
a. Sound is experienced in everyday life.
b. Sound moves fastest through solids and slowest through gases.
c. Sound must travel through a medium
What students should be able to do:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.

Identify the different media within the Dark Dinner scenario.

Describe how media affect the speed of sound.
Describe how an echo could be formed
Supports and defends his/her opinions while respecting the opinions of others.
Gather, organize, analyze, and synthesize data from multiple sources to support or disprove a
hypothesis.
Draw conclusions based upon relevant information while discarding irrelevant information.

Suggested Vocabulary

Longitudinal wave
Medium/media
Compression

Procedure(s)
Phase 1: Hook
1. Poll the class on who would rather watch mystery, sci-fi or horror movie. Ask students what they
like about each of the movies. Ask students about the commonalities the movies genres share.
How can you relate problem-solving to each of these genres? What aspects of being a detective
is important when watching these movies?

Phase 2: Examine the Content

1.

Share the Mystery. Distribute The Dark Dinner to students. After reading about Tiffanys
experience at the Maronnes mansion, students will work individually to develop a list of
tentative hypotheses.

2.

Wanting to solve the Dark Dinner mystery, Tiffany called the local Pet Savvy Shop to learn more

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about different animals kept within the mansion. The Shop has sent over pamphlets of
information on each animal. Divide class into Sound Sleuth Teams. Each team will develop a
team hypothesis for the disappearing jewelry mystery.
3.

Present the Clues.

a. Distribute the Pet Savvy Shop Pamphlets. Students will create a diagram showing how this
information links to the sounds provided in the initial reading.
b. Distribute the clues for Suspects. Students will read the suspects accounts of the dark dinner
and sketch their positioning and sources of possible sounds.
c. Distribute the clues for Dinner Menu. Students will see the dinner selections and match them
with the descriptions of the suspects seating arrangements.
d. Distribute the clues for Emails. Students will read the emails and arrange them in order and
determine which guest matches the information.

4.

Each team will categorize its clues and determine cause and effect relationships.

5.

Based upon patterns/data found within the clues, each team will refine its hypothesis and
propose a solution to the mystery.

Phase 3: Synthesis Activity

6.

Each group will present its findings to the Mansion Security. Each student will act as a security
officer and present a case file to the Bureau explaining the mystery and describing the plan for
recovering the jewelry from the suspects.

7.

Class Discussion: How did sound impact your research in this case? What media best allowed
sound to move through it? What pieces of information did you already have within your
hypothesis? How did you change your hypothesis as you continued to collect clues?

Summarizing Activity
Wraparounds
In a circle, each student will take a turn telling
Something I will use from what I learned today
Something I will remember from today
A significant AHA from today
Resource(s):
Guess Who Game faces by Milton Bradley
Anchor Text(s):
Technology:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/green-iguana/
http://animalstime.com/capuchin-monkey-facts-top-10-facts-about-capuchin-monkey/
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/red-eyed-tree-frog/
http://ballpython.weebly.com/fun-facts-about-ball-pythons.html

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Handouts:
Handout 1: The Dark Dinner
Handout 2: Individual Hypothesis/ Team Hypothesis
Handout 3: Pet Savvy Shop Pamphlet
Handout 4: Suspects
Handout 5: Dinner Menu
Handout 6: Emails
Handout 7: Redefined Hypothesis
Handout 8: Solution

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Handout 1
Each spring the doors to the old Maronne Mansion are reopened for an exquisite dinner.
Adults from all over the town dress in their most valuable jewelry and clothing just to
attend the dinner. The owner of the Mansion is a collector of rare animals and has them
dispersed in cages and aquariums throughout the four adjoining rooms.
Tiffany has finally turned eighteen years old and she can attend the Mansion dinner. She
put on her fanciest black dress, spritzed her favorite De Noir perfume and her new patent
leather heels. She feels great and she is ready to go!
Everyone was greeted upon entering, permitted to peruse the four animals rooms before
taking a seat in the dining hall as the food was being served. Before all of the guests had
arrived, suddenly the lights went out and everyone was left in the dark. Everyone heard a
loud and then softer Clank! clank noise. Immediately after there was a faint scratching
noise before several Bloop bloop Bloop bloop sounds. Ten minutes later the lights come
back on and many items of jewelry are missing from the guests belongings. Tiffany
wasnt even in the Mansion yet!

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Handout 2

Individual Hypothesis

Team Hypothesis

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Handout 3

Dining
Room

When the lights came back on a server noticed that all of the animal cages had been
unlocked and left wide open. The animals were moving around within their respective
rooms indicated above.
Tiffany took a trip to the Pet Savvy Shop to find out more information concerning the
missing jewelry and the possible link to the animals within the mansion.
Information from the Pet Savvy Shop Pamphlet:
Albino Ball Python- a constrictor native to Ghana and Togo, Africa. Ball Pythons are
sedentary animals and don't need a lot of cage space. Aspen bedding, shredded cypress or
fir bark, dry cypress mulch and newspaper can be used for cage bedding. Driftwood or a
decorative rock should be added to aid the snake during its shed. A climbing branch or
two, some fake greenery, a hide box and a large water bowl for soaking are available
when purchasing this reptile.
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Red eyed tree Frog- These iconic rain-forest amphibians sleep by day stuck to leafbottoms with their eyes closed and body markings covered. When disturbed, they flash
their bulging red eyes and reveal their huge, webbed orange feet and bright blue-andyellow flanks. This technique, called startle coloration, may give a bird or snake pause,
offering a precious instant for the frog to spring to safety. Many of the animals that eat
red-eyed tree frogs are nocturnal hunters that use keen eyesight to find prey. The
shocking colors of this frog may over-stimulate a predator's eyes, creating a confusing
ghost image that remains behind as the frog jumps away.
Capuchin monkeys- are diurnal and arboreal. These primates spend most of the
daytime searching for food. As the night falls, they tend to sleep in wedged branches and
trees. Capuchin monkeys have no specific habitat requirements, which is why their
habitats are found anywhere. They are often predated by potential predators such as
cougars, coyotes, snakes, raptors, tayras, and jaguarundis. These primates inhabit all
throughout South and Central America, with some species are also found in northern
Argentine. They can be aggressive to their owners.
Iguana- The green iguanas extensive range comprises the rain forests of northern
Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and southern Brazil. They spend most
of their lives in the canopy, descending only infrequently to mate, lay eggs, or change
trees. Primarily herbivores, iguanas are active during the day, feeding on leaves, flowers,
and fruit. They generally live near water and are excellent swimmers. If threatened, they
will leap from a branch, often from great heights, and escape with a splash to the water
below. They are also tough enough to land on solid ground from as high as 40 feet (12
meters) and survive. Iguanas' stout build gives them a clumsy look, but they are fast and
agile on land. They have strong jaws with razor-sharp teeth and sharp tails, which make
up half their body length and can be used as whips to drive off predators.

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Handout 4

Where were you sitting during the dinner? Across from the Capuchin monkey room.
What is your occupation? Im an investment banker for the town.
What did you hear during the blackout? I have poor hearing in my right ear, but with my
left I hear a clank noise, a THUD!, a scratching noise and a faint coughing.

Where were you sitting during the dinner? I was sitting with my back to the iguana room.
What is your occupation? I am a teacher at a local high school.
What did you hear during the blackout? I heard a tinkling sound, a faint hissing, someone
whispering behind me and a loud POP!

Where were you sitting during the dinner? The tree frog room was diagonally facing me.
What is your occupation? I am a server at the Mansion.
What did you hear during the blackout? There were many noises. Many that I could not
hear very clearly. I heard clanking sounds, a bloop bloop noise and the sound of
something lightly scratching the floor. There was also a light tinkling noise very briefly.

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Where were you sitting during the dinner? The disgusting snakes room was right behind
me. Yuck!
What is your occupation? I am an optometrist and work at the 24/7 Glasses store.
What did you hear during the blackout? Well, to tell you the truth, as soon as the lights
went out I put my head down and closed my eyes tightly. After that I heard a very loud
BLOOP, BLOOP, BLOOP, BLOOP! sound. I also heard something slowly and lightly
dragging on the table.

Where were you sitting during the dinner? The red eyed tree frog was behind me at the
dinner table.
What is your occupation? I am a salesman of fine jewelry.
What did you hear during the blackout? I heard clanking noises, a hiss, THUD! and a
scratching noise.

Where were you sitting during the dinner? I sat beside George.
What is your occupation? Im a ballet dance instructor.
What did you hear during the blackout? There was a clanking sound followed by a soft
screeching sound near the table legs. I thought I heard a THUD! as well.

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Handout 5

Menu Items Served to Guests in a specified Order

Guest 1: Spaghetti and meatballs, water, garlic bread and

broccoli
Guest 2: Caesar salad, tomato soup, squash and corn,
ginger ale
Guest 3: T- bone steak, mashed potatoes, Diet Coke with
ice, sliced carrots
Guest 4: Cheese burger, French fries, strawberry milkshake
Guest 5: Chicken noodle soup, grilled cheese with spinach,
and a pineapple smoothie

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Handout 6

Thank you for sponsoring us in the International Dance

recital this past Tuesday. I appreciate all of your help and
effort to making our town more culturally aware! It is a
shame that the election did not turn out in your favor, but
there is always 2015!
Dear Mr. Marrone,
Your idea for inviting local townspeople to the Mansion is
brilliant! Hopefully, this will buy you a few more votes for the
election for mayor in 2012! Go all out! This is your time to
shine! Let me know if you need anything. I have a way with
finding the funding we need!
Sincerely,
Your #1 Fan
December 21,
2014
Your treatment of the helpless animals locked within your home is

ruthless and uncalled for! I have not forgotten the promises you made
during your campaign. Your devotion to the wildlife sure did evaporate

as soon as the election concluded. I hope all of the townspeople see right
through you like I do!
Sincerely,
S``

A VOICE FOR THOSE WITHOUT ONE

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I have left several messages on your answering machine and

voicemail. This is the last attempt I will make before more
rash actions must take place. I have ways of getting
borrowed money backwith interest.
3/2/14 4:00 PM

Handout 7

Redefined Hypothesis

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Handout 8

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Solution

Fact Correlation
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