This is a developmental tool built to assist in the creation of murder mystery activities. It will automatically generate a ‘suspect list’ based on characteristics that you specify. It can then automatically assign male/female names, convert the list into a table with alternating colours, and then automatically generate clue cyphers - leaving you to just create worksheets where the answers match the clues provided. This is done through a series of automation scripts in Microsoft Excel. Compatible with PC and Mac.

This file is a useful tool for quickly assigning groups at random. There are three pages inside: 1 will alllow you to specify ALL classes you teach in a master table. This can then be used to quickly switch out classes in a matter of seconds. 2 will generate the generate the random teams using the class you have selected. 3 is a secret page where you can specify individual students that you don’t want to be in the same group together. If their names are paired up on the list, then they will NEVER be put in the same group.

A single lesson, multi-part activity involving four music related clues that students must solve in order to correctly identify the correct suspect from a list. Two of the clues require the knowledge below: They should be able to identify that a marimba ringtone is associated with iPhones. Rosin is an amber-like substance that is used for maintaining stringed instruments. Rudimentary knowledge of Solfa

For this activity, each letter of the alphabet has been assigned a monetary value. Eg. A=$1, B=$2, C=$3, etc… Students must work to calculate the following: Who has the most expensive name in the class Who has the most expensive name in their family Which teacher has the least expensive name What’s the most expensive item in the room a word that equals exactly $100 The attached spreadsheet is a calculator which automatically calculates the cost of any collection of words. As an extension you can start to add decimal places and change the values. Eg. A=$1.50, B=$3.75, C=$2.70, etc… You could also give students a set amount of money and ask them to work out how many items from a shopping list they could buy using the nouns as prices, with a prize to the student who budgets for the largest quantity of items.

This activity requires some craft resources (string and beads of 2 contrasting colours). Students leaning binary and ASCII can work out how to write their name in binary and use the spreadsheet provided to convert each bit of their name into a colourful bracelet. The attached spreadsheet is more of an answer guide. You enter the word(s) and it will generate the correct pattern using conditional formatting.