UnSolved Mysteries

Student Overview

You have just been given the assignment of gathering information about an unsolved mystery. As
the detective on assignment, you will be using books, magazines and reputable websites for your
investigation or research. Your findings will be shared with the class as a PowerPoint
presentation, News show script, Prezi or Movie Maker presentation. Your final project will need
to include:

Story Map for Solve It Stories

Setting when, where, time of year
Who is involved? List of people that have studied or investigated this previously? Who
are the witnesses? The victims? Who might be the suspects?
What is the mystery?
The "facts" about the mystery - what are the observations that have led people to
believe the phenomenon or mysterious event to be real or true? What evidence can you
find that supports this mystery? Requirements-8-10 facts.
How long has this mystery been investigated?
The theories about the mystery - what are some possible explanations to this mystery?
Choose to either support this mystery or disprove it.
Your conclusions - what do YOU believe to be the truth? Use logical judgment to support
your position. What actually happened? Who was responsible for this mystery? Does this
continue to be a mystery?
An Annotated "Works Cited" bibliography, listing the web sites and books you used.
Good Luck!
Operations Manager
Mysteries Unlimited, Inc.

Power Point, News Script, Prezi or Movie Maker: use of template provided or other PowerPoint
presentation of your making. The script of your design-be sure to include works cited.
Case File-Summary of mystery
Story Map for Solve It Stories (form)
Setting, Victims, suspects and their roles
What is the Mystery?-explanation of mystery
Observations and Facts-8-10 facts surrounding the mystery
Theories or Possible Explanations
Evidence that supports your stance
Conclusion and works cited.
Your final product should demonstrate learning, use of technology, research skills,
deductive reasoning and logical judgment to illustrate your position. Creativity and use of
graphics or pictures (as needed) will also be important-make this creative and colorful.
You must be either FOR or AGAINST the common theories-do not try to present both.
Be prepared to present your project on the due date-lost or missing work cannot receive
a grade.
Rubric-be sure to check the rubric before handing in the completed assignment.
Category
Required
Elements
X2
Creativity
Use of
technology

Knowledge
Gained

Application
of Mystery
Genre
Elements

All required elements

were completed. Final
product was beyond
expectations
Final product was
attractive, eyecatching and
demonstrated much
time and effort.
Product demonstrates
superior use of
research, logical
thought and deduction.

All required elements

were completed.
Product was well done.

Missing one required

element, product was
mostly complete.

Product shows
superior
understanding of
mystery elements;
deduction, logic, use
of clues, suspects
and conclusions
Presentation Student is prepared,
speaks loudly and
clearly during
presentation. Key
points are made

Final product was well

organized, colorful and
demonstrated time and
effort.

Final product was

complete, but did
needed work in one or
more areas.

Missing more than one

required element.
Product does not
demonstrate learning.
Final product was not
complete, did not
demonstrate creativity
or good use of time.

Product demonstrates
excellent use of
research, logical
thought and deduction.

Product demonstrates
good use of research,
logical thought and
deduction.

Product demonstrates
poor use of research,
logical thought and
deduction.

Product shows
excellent
understanding of
mystery elements;
deduction, logic, use
of clues, suspects and
conclusions
Student does nice job
with one or two
reminders to speak
up. Presentation is
ready, most key

Product shows good

understanding of
mystery elements;
deduction, logic, use
of clues, suspects and
conclusions

Product shows fair

understanding of
mystery elements;
deduction, logic, use of
clues, suspects and
conclusions

Student is prepared,
may need to practice
public speaking. Some
of the presentation
needed clarification

Student was not

prepared, had some
difficulties with
presentation-needs
some work.

points are made.

List of choices-only ONE students may choose any one of the listed mysteries. Choose three
and number them.
Unsolved Mysteries:
1. What are the Georgia Guide stones?
2. What is the Roswell Incident of 1942
3. Does the Loch Ness Monster exist?
4. What is Big Foot?
5. What is the Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle?
6. What are the Beale Ciphers?
7. Is the curse of King Tuts Tomb true?
8. Where is the Lost City of Atlantis?
9. What is the Voynich Manuscript?
10. Who was Jack the Ripper?
11. What happened in the Falcon Lake Incident?
12. How did the Nazca Geoglyphs occur?
13. Who were the Green Children of the Wool Pit?
14. What happened to the USS Medan? (ship)
15. What happened to the Mary Celeste? (Ship)
16. What is Mothman mystery?
17. What is the mystery surrounding the Yeti?
18. What is the mystery surrounding the Battle of Los Angles in 1942?
19. What is the mystery of the Russian Radio station UVB-75?
20.What happened to the Princess Anastasia?
21. What was the Tunguska Explosion?
22.What happened to Amelia Earhart? 1937
23. Where did D.B. Cooper disappear to in 1971?
24.Where did Harold Holt go?
25.What is the mystery of the Chupacabra?
Parent and Student Signature-DO NOT cut this off please
By completing this I am aware that my student _______________________________
(your name) has been assigned a project on 4/ 29/2016. This acceptance is a class work
grade. The final product(s) are due on 5/17/2016 . This project requires some research
time and maybe completed on a computer. Students are being given two full class periods
to complete this. Any other work necessary becomes HOMEWORK. Students without
computer access must make arrangements to stay after school, use computers in Wildcat
time or use public computers in the local library as needed. Signature is due: May 3, 2016
Student Name: ___________________________Date:
Parent Name: _____________________________ Date:

*****Please let me know if you have concerns, your student should have access to all
programs via their SkyDrive using the internet. Students should save work and have
access to a flash drive. Plagiarism will result in a zero, this is a test grade.