Mystery Lesson-Humpty

What Really Happened to Humpty?
(a mystery lesson based on the book by Jeanie Franz Ransom)

Subject: ELA
Grade Level: 2nd
Duration: 60 minutes
Standards:
ELACC2RL1: Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to
demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.
ELACC2RL3: Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges
ELACC2RL7: Use information gained from the illustrations and words in a print or digital text to
demonstrate understanding of its characters, setting, or plot
ELACC2W8: Recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to
answer a question.
ELACC2SL1: Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 2 topics in
small groups
a. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to
others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
b. Build on others talk in conversations by linking their comments to the remarks of others.
c. Ask for clarification and further explanation as needed about the topics and texts under
discussion.
ELACC2SL3: Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to clarify comprehension,
gather additional information, or deepen understanding of a topic or issue
TAG Standards:
-Responds to contributions of others, considering all available information.
- Supports and defends his/her own opinions while respecting the opinions of others.
- Develops and uses systematic procedures for recording and organizing information
- Allows for and accepts alternative interpretation of data
- Incorporates brainstorming and other idea-generating techniques to solve problems or create new
product
- Develops original ideas, presentations, or products through synthesis and evaluation

- Makes and evaluates decisions using criteria
- Examines an issue form more than one point of view
- Separates ones own point of view from others
- Draws conclusions based upon relevant information while discarding irrelevant information.
Summary:
Humpty Dumptys brother, Joe, does not believe Humptys fall from the wall was an accident. Small
groups of students will use the clues that Joe collected as he interviewed the characters in Mother
Gooseland. They will sort the clues and use them to form and support their own opinion of what
happened to Humpty Dumpty.
Enduring Understandings:
In order to have a strong hypothesis, you must present evidence to support it. Even when provided
the same evidence, there is not always one clear answer.
Essential Questions:
How does answering questions such as who, what, where, when, why, and how help you to
understand how major characters respond to major events and challenges?
Evidence of Learning:
Students will be able to use provided clues to form and present a group hypothesis siting evidence
from the text as proof of their hypothesis.
Procedure:
HOOK: Before students arrive, in a prominent area of the classroom, place a wall built of Lego (or
some alternative wall) with egg shells below and either a Crime Scene sign or yellow tape around
the area. Place a copy of the attached note from Joe, Humpty Dumptys brother near the crime
scene for the children to find. Read Joes note to introduce the activity to the students.
ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE: Recall familiar storybook & nursery rhyme characters and a quick
summary of their stories- 3 pigs, Little Miss Muffet, Goldielocks, Old Mother Hubbard, Chicken Little,
Little Red Riding Hood. Review VOCABULARY , hypothesis, binoculars, sorting rule
EXPLAIN: Tell the students that after you give directions you will divide them into teams of 4-5 and
give each group a set of clues, a piece of chart paper, one egg shaped piece of construction paper,
markers, a highlighter and a glue stick. Listen carefully to directions so you will know what to do
with the items.
1.Read- read the clues carefully
2. Sort- as a group decide how you would like to group your clues.
3. Glue- glue the clues into groups on your chart paper and label each group telling its sorting rule.
4. Hypothesize- decide as a team what REALLY happened to Humpty. There are no wrong answers,
but you MUST be able to show evidence of how you came to your hypothesis. On your eg shaped
paper, neatly write your hypothesis including the sequence of events and evidence that supports
your hypothesis. Glue your hypothesis to your chart paper.
5. Highlight- words or phrases in your clues that were key to forming your hypothesis.
WORK: Divide the students into groups of 4-5 per team and give them the items listed above.
Remind them they must work as a team and respect each others ideas. There is a reminder on the
envelope of the 5 steps they must complete.
ESOL: Listen to basic Humpty story being read aloud. Draw pictures to indicate events from
the beginning middle and end.
http://safeshare.tv/w/ewokIbIlQk
Support: Read text aloud (stopping on page 22) allowing students to look at the pictures for
clues and give fewer clues with fewer words on each clue. If additional support is needed, read
the clues aloud and tell students to look/listen for words they see/hear over and over again.
Challenge: Have the students listen an audio recording of the story and write down their own
clues, cut them apart, and sort them.
PRESENT: Once the students have completed the task, the charts will be placed around the room and
the students will take a gallery walk spending 2-3 minutes at each poster. Tell the students to
especially notice similarities and differences in the different teams hypothesis. Look at what key
details they highlighted to see if you can tell why they are the same or different. Talk to your team
about what you notice.
Assessment:
Informal: Were the students able to work together to reach a hypothesis? Listen to discussion during
gallery walk. Did the students notice and discuss differences and similarities between teams?
Follow up activities:
*Write a mystery story giving clues for another nursery rhyme (Why did the dish run away with the
spoon? Where did Little Bo Peeps sheep go? Why is Old Mother Hubbards cupboard bare?)
*Write a letter of apology as if you were the guilty party.
*Read the book What Really Happened To Humpty? By Jeannie Franz Ransom and discuss similarities
and differences between Joes hypothesis and yours.
*Add another character to the story and write clues that would make your character seem guilty.
*research the history of Humpty Dumpty and other nursery rhymes.
Resources/Materials:
Books: What Really Happened to Humpty? By Jeanie Franz Ransom
Computer and access to http://safeshare.tv/w/ENoBuJCcUG
Audio recording of the text through page 22
Crime Scene: Egg shells, Lego wall, crime scene tape or Keep out Crime Scene sign.
Letter from Joe
Clues: one set cut and placed in envelopes for each group. Include 5 steps reminder glued to
outside of envelope.
Chart paper for each group of students to sort and glue their clues.
12x24 egg shaped paper on which students will write their hypothesis
Glue sticks and markers
Here is a picture that can be cut out and put in the crime scene either with or instead of the egg
shells.
CLUES:
-Binoculars are found under Miss Mufffets tuffet.
-Humpty had been showing off his binoculars since

becoming captain.
-Police Chief Goose said, I was at the Three Pigs. The
wind we had this morning blew down their house.
-Muffy said. Humpty was letting me try his binoculars
when suddenly this huffy-puffy wind blew him right off the
wall.
-Goldielocks said, Some dog started howling and woke
me up.
-Spider said it was his fault because when a puff of wind
pushed him towards Humpty, it must have scared him.
-Muffy said, It wasnt anybodys fault. It was an
accident.
-Old Mother Hubbard is the only dog owner, but she gave
her dog to the farmer in the Dell last week.
-Chicken Little said, Id just passed Muffy and Humpty

when the wind howled overhead. She had noticed that
Muffy wasnt sitting on her tuffet because she is usually
digging into her curds and whey at that time.
-Joe said, Huff, puff, huff, puff. I need more exercise.
How many times had I heard people say that today?
-The Three pigs were fighting over a cell phone they found
after their house blew down.
-The cell phone had a howl for a ring.
-The voice on the phone said, I got the binnoculars. Now
I want my yummy-wummy muffins. We had a deal,
remember? Be at the wall in five minutes.
What Really Happened to Humpty?

1.
Read 2. Sort 3. Glue/Label 4. Hypothesize 5. Highlight
Dear Boys and Girls,

I am asking for your help! I am sure you have heard
the story of my brother Humpty Dumpty.
HUMPTY DUMPTY SAT ON A WALL
HUMPTY DUMPTY HAD A GREAT FALL
ALL THE KINGS HORSES AND ALL THE KINGS MEN
COULDNT PUT HUMPTY TOGETHER AGAIN
Well, I do not think this was an accident! I have been

interviewing some of the characters in Mother Gooseland
and have gathered some clues from them. Will you
please help me find out what REALLY happened to my
brother?
With Gratitude,
Joe
REFLECTION:
The children enjoyed the challenge of the lesson. They worked cooperatively and really contemplated
each clue. The discussion was on a much higher level than their written responses indicate. I was glad to
see that they did come up with somewhat varied conclusions. We are beginning our opinion writing unit
this week and I took this as an opportunity to discuss opinions and how even given the exact same
information not everyone will agree. I feel that once we have practiced how to state and support our
opinions clearly, the students will be able to express themselves much better through their writing. It
might be fun to do another mystery lesson later in the year to see how their responses progress.
Being the first time doing this sort of lesson, I chose to group the students so that there were mixed
abilities within each group. I would like to see what my TAG kids would have come up with given the
challenge of taking their own notes and working together.
I did use the ESOL variation, which worked well for my students. It wasnt a true mystery lesson for them,
but they were able to work on the same standard (ELACC2RL1: Ask and answer such questions as who,
what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.)
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What clues were gathered from interviewing the characters?

What hypotheses did the groups develop from analyzing the clues?

What Really Happened to Humpty?

(a mystery lesson based on the book by Jeanie Franz Ransom)

- Develops original ideas, presentations, or products through synthesis and evaluation

-Humpty had been showing off his binoculars since

-Chicken Little said, Id just passed Muffy and Humpty

What Really Happened to Humpty?

Read 2. Sort 3. Glue/Label 4. Hypothesize 5. Highlight

Dear Boys and Girls,

Well, I do not think this was an accident! I have been

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