This is how I start my unit on Detective stories : a mini research project on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his famous character Sherlock Holmes. They can do it at home or in the IT room.
This leads us to the study of « The Speckled Band« , a short story by Arthur Conan Doyle.
Studying the biography before the short story itself helps our students understand that before becoming a writer, he was a doctor – hence his characters such as Dr Watson.
Answer Key included.