THE SPECKLED BAND - THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES MINI UNIT KS3

FOUR LESSON MINI UNIT. Lessons assume pupils have cold read The Speckled Band first. Copy of story included in resources.

1. Starter asks pupils to watch brief clip on using speech marks in writing and then apply them in the correct places to an example of Holmes’ speech from The Speckled Band. Re-read the extract where Holmes is visited by Helen Stoner. The next tasks asks students to find the clues by finding evidence that matches the given inferences, from the extract. Then, students use a set of clues about an invented character in order to form a set of inferences. They can then describe this visitor, using conversation to include accurate direct speech punctuation (writing frame on slide 7).
2. This lesson focuses on the villainous character of Dr Roylott. Students given short extract and asked to list and explain the connotations of his description. Example given. Then students explode a quotation describing this character, using given prompts, followed by two individually exploded quotations. Then, students to stick a further extract in their books and match the given connotations to the evidence. Read the article on Victorian Women and, using slide 10 and the information from the article, students should explain Dr Roylott’s motive for wanting both step daughters out of the way. Plenary asks students to decide how far Roylott matches up to given set of villainous character traits.
3. Starter asks students to describe Holmes’ living room using a variety of sentence forms (examples given). Introduced to concept of foreshadowing and asked to identify methods in given extract which foreshadows later violence in the story. Followed by a further more detailed extract (could be printed on A3) which students annotate using a series of prompts to think about the signifcance of setting. Plenary asks students to draw the section of Stoke Moran described in the final slide.
4. This lesson focuses on the relevance of symbolism in creating atmosphere - of the gypsies, animals and India. Information posters provided for teachers to put up around the room so that students can collect facts and then interpret them to understand how the symbolism helps create an atmospheric setting in Stoke Moran. Final task is to write a description of the grounds of Stoke Moran, using ideas learned in lesson.