An autopsy is an examination to reveal the cause of someone’s death.

To intrigue someone is to evoke their curiosity or interest.

Coaxed means to persuade someone to do something.

A venomous substance is poisonous and typically secreted from snakes or spiders by biting or stinging.

Writing your own newspaper article about Sherlock Holmes

English

in 'Sherlock Holmes: Short Stories', pupils practise using analytical writing sentence structures, to formulate their arguments. In 'Myths and Legends Re-Told', pupils develop these skills further, applying them to a range of pre- 20th Century texts. 

in 'When the Sky Falls' pupils read fiction texts for fluency and comprehension. In 'Sherlock Holmes: Short Stories' pupils start to analyse the language choices of an author.

In this unit, pupils read and explore two famous Sherlock Holmes stories. They start by reading and analysing 'The Speckled Band' before using it as inspiration to write a newspaper article. They then read and analyse 'The Boscombe Valley Murder' before writing a comparison of the two stories.

Sherlock Holmes: short stories

Subjects which particular individuals may be sensitive to, eg, adoption, migration, bereavement or death, divorce, poverty, deprivation.

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

What does a headline do in a newspaper article?

What must a subheading be when used in a newspaper article?

Which technique is used here to give extra information about a noun: Dr. Roylott, son of a wealthy aristocrat, had lost his fortune.

Helen, a 30 year old teacher from Surrey, lost her sister last year.

Roylott was Julia and Helen's stepfather, who kept exotic pets.

Which sentence uses noun appositive correctly?

as you would any other sentence in the article

How should you write out an interview quote in a newspaper article?

Julia died at Stoke Moran in her bedroom.

Helen hopes to move on from this tragedy.

Which sentence creates the best conclusive tone for the end of an article?

Who would be able to provide the most informative interview quote about the case in 'The Speckled Band' once solved?

Dr. Roylott orchestrated Julia Stoner's death

roughly two years before Helen comes to Holmes

Match the who, what, how where, when of Julia Stoner's death (from 'The Speckled Band') to how it might be written in an article opening.

What is the most hooking headline for an article on the solved mystery of 'The Speckled Band'?

What tone must you create in the tail of a newspaper article? 

the tone of the quote will vary with each person you interview 

interview quotes add seriousness to the article

Which are true of interview quotes when used in a newspaper article?

Content guidance

Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Adult supervision recommended

Introduction

What will you need for this lesson?

Are you ready to learn?

Equipment

Content guidance

Supervision

Worksheet