Skip to content
Oak National Academy
Oak National Academy
Teachers
Pupils
icon-background-square
New
New
Year 7

Reading 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'

I can comprehend and summarise ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
icon-background-square
New
New
Year 7

Reading 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'

I can comprehend and summarise ‘The Boscombe Valley Mystery’.

Download all resources
arrow-right
Share activities with pupils
arrow-right
warning

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.
View new resources
arrow-right

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Holmes and Watson have set out to solve the Boscombe Valley mystery.
  2. It is believed Charles McCarthy was murdered.
  3. McCarthy was seen arguing with his son prior to his death.
  4. McCarthy’s son’s gun was found near McCarthy’s dead body.
  5. McCarthy’s son is the main suspect in McCarthy’s death.

Keywords

  • Paradoxical - If something is paradoxical, it seems to contradict itself.

  • Conjecture - A conjecture is a conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information.

  • Singularity - If something has singularity, you could say it is one of a kind.

  • Quarrel - A quarrel is a heated argument or disagreement.

  • Circumstantial - Pointing indirectly towards someone’s guilt but not proving it.

Common misconception

McCarthy's son is definitely guilty.

It is suspected that McCarthy's son is responsible for the murder of McCarthy, however Holmes still has a lot of investigating to do.


To help you plan your year 7 english lesson on: Reading 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery', download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Explain to/remind students of how 'The Speckled Band' similarly plants seeds early on about who/what could be responsible for Julia's murder. However, there is still a lot to uncover as the text continues.
speech-bubble
Teacher tip
content-guidance

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
supervision-level

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

copyright

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Skip lesson video

Loading...

Starter quiz

Download starter quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
What is a mystery?
Something that is easy to understand and explain.
Correct answer: Something that is difficult to understand and explain.
Something that involves a criminal act.
Q2.
In the Sherlock Holmes stories, what job does Sherlock Holmes do?
Police officer
Doctor
Correct answer: Detective
Soldier
Q3.
Which sentence uses a noun appositive correctly to describe who Dr Watson is in the Sherlock Holmes stories?
Correct answer: Dr Watson, Holmes' close friend, often accompanies Holmes on investigations.
Dr Watson is a friend of Holmes, who often comes with him to investigate.
Dr Watson, a colleague of Holmes, often lends a hand in investigations.
Q4.
What is a motive in relation to committing a crime?
Correct answer: The reason someone commits a crime.
The person that commits a crime.
A misleading clue.
Q5.
What does perpetrator mean?
The innocent victim of a crime.
Correct answer: The person who has committed a wrongdoing.
A wealthy person with a large country house.
Q6.
What ought to be included in a summary?
language devices
Correct answer: key information
detailed quotes
detail and description

Exit quiz

Download exit quiz

6 Questions

Q1.
What does circumstantial mean?
A conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information.
A heated argument or disagreement.
Correct answer: Pointing indirectly towards someone’s guilt, but not proving it.
Q2.
In 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery' what did the game keeper witness?
Turner's daughter following McCarthy into Boscombe Valley.
Turner following McCarthy into Boscombe Valley.
Correct answer: McCarthy's son following McCarthy into Boscombe Valley.
Q3.
Who died in 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'?
Correct answer: Charles McCarthy
John Turner
James McCarthy
Q4.
Who is the main suspect in 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'?
John Turner
Patience Moran
Correct answer: James McCarthy
Q5.
In 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery', what injuries were found on McCarthy’s body?
wound in his left leg
Correct answer: severe blows to his head
bruises on his arms
Q6.
What is one of the key reasons that James McCarthy is the main suspect in 'The Boscombe Valley Mystery'?
Correct answer: His gun was found next to his father's body.
A letter from him was found next to his father's body.
His glove was found next to his father's body.

Additional material

Download additional material