Lessons

Grade 8

Lesson

Learning Curiosity from Literature

Lesson

Learning Curiosity from Literature

Grade

Grade 8

UNIT

•

Curiosity

Last Updated:

June 10, 2025

In Unit 4, Lesson 1, “Learning Curiosity from Literature,” students will learn examples of curiosity from a classic short story, “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. Students will develop their critical thinking and writing skills by answering questions about the story. Additionally, students will advance their academic dialogue skills by discussing the story with classmates.

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SUGGESTED TIME:

1 class period to introduce the story
1 class period to discuss the story
If desired, a class period can be devoted to in-class silent reading of the story, or students can read the story for homework
Students should complete the short-answer questions on the worksheet as they read the story.

RELATED SUBJECT:

English Language Arts

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LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Read a classic short story
Identify and analyze the story’s genre, point of view, characters, setting, and plot
Identify and analyze the story’s central ideas
Write answers to questions about the story, demonstrating an understanding of standard English sentence structure and grammar
Engage effectively in collaborative discussions about the story

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REQUIRED MATERIALS:

Short story: “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1892) by Arthur Conan Doyle

Video: Sherlock Holmes 3 (2025) - First Trailer posted by KH Studio (~1 min)

Video: Arthur Conan Doyle by Oxford Digital Media (~5 min)
Video: The Sherlock Holmes Book: Sherlock's Method of Deduction by DK Books (~2 min)

Video: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes by Thomas Frank (~11 min)

Worksheet: Prohuman Grade 8 Unit 4 Worksheet 1: Learning Curiosity from Literature

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ELA COMMON CORE STANDARDS MET

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.1

Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.3

Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.8.10

By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poems, at the high end of grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.4

Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.9

Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.A

Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.B

Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.C

Pose questions that connect the ideas of several speakers and respond to others' questions and comments with relevant evidence, observations, and ideas.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.D

Acknowledge new information expressed by others, and, when warranted, qualify or justify their own views in light of the evidence presented.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.3

Delineate a speaker's argument and specific claims, evaluating the soundness of the reasoning and relevance and sufficiency of the evidence and identifying when irrelevant evidence is introduced.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

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CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.8.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

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CHARACTER AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL (CSED) NATIONAL STANDARDS MET

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Performance Character A6

Describe a role model who demonstrates a positive attitude, effort, and grit

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Intellectual Character A2

Identify individuals, fiction and real, past and present, who exemplify the different intellectual character strengths in a concrete and compelling manner

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Intellectual Character A3

Recognize and understand why the intellectual character strengths are not innate (something you are born with) but can be developed with practice and support

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Intellectual Character A4

Understand what it means to be an “active listener” (e.g., intellectual humility)

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Social-Awareness A1

Experience and demonstrate empathy

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Social-Awareness A3

Demonstrate respect for other people’s opinions and perspectives

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Social-Awareness A5

Practice “perspective taking” as a strategy to strengthen your acceptance of others

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Social-Awareness A6

Demonstrate awareness and understanding that despite differences, all people have similar needs, feelings and wants

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Responsible and Ethical Decision-Making A3

Write about and share a principle you want to live by that you learned from a family member, book, movie, or personal experience

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LESSON PROCEDURE

Step 1:

Without providing any context or showing any information on the page, show students the first image on this Encyclopedia Britannica article: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sherlock-Holmes
Ask the students: Who is this?
Ask the students what they know about Sherlock Holmes.
Explain that Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character created by the Scottish writer Arthur Conan Doyle. The prototype for the modern mastermind detective, Holmes first appeared in Conan Doyle’s story “A Study in Scarlet,” published in 1887.
The first collection of Holmes’ stories, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, was published in 1892.
We will be reading one of the short stories from that collection: “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” which Conan Doyle said was his favorite of his stories.
Explain that the actor in the image we saw is Basil Rathbone, who played Sherlock Holmes in movies from 1939 to 1946.
Sherlock Holmes is still popular today. Here is a recent film trailer. Play video: Sherlock Holmes 3 (2025) - First Trailer by KH Studio (~1 min)

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Step 2:

This video presents background about Conan Doyle. Play video: Arthur Conan Doyle by Oxford Digital Media (~5 min)

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Step 3:

One of the most important legacies of Conan Doyle’s work is how the character he created, Sherlock Holmes, uses the scientific method to solve mysteries.
There is a bestselling book titled Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes (2013).
We will watch two short videos about this method. Have students take notes on the key points of the videos.
Play video: The Sherlock Holmes Book: Sherlock's Method of Deduction by DK Books (~2 min)
Play video: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes by Thomas Frank (~11 min)

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Step 4:

Have students read the short story, “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” from The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, during an in-class silent reading session or as homework. Students should complete the short-answer questions on the worksheet as they read the story.

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Step 5:

After students have completed the story and short answer questions, set aside 50 minutes for in-class discussion of the short-answer questions on the worksheet.

EXTENSION ACTIVITY: Watch the film adaptation of “The Speckled Band”

Watch the film adaptation of "The Speckled Band” posted by Your Daily Brew (Not rated, ~52 min)
For extra credit, write a response to the following prompt:
Does the short story or the film version tell a more impactful version of the story? Write a 2-page essay in which you explain your position and support it with three reasons, citing specific examples from the text and/or the film.

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GRADE 8 UNIT 4 WORKSHEET 1: LEARNING CURIOSITY FROM LITERATURE

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Vocabulary

Scientific Method- A researcher develops a hypothesis, tests it, and then modifies the hypothesis based on the outcome of the tests and experiments. The modified hypothesis is then retested, further modified, and tested again, until it becomes consistent with observed phenomena and testing outcomes. (Learn more:Encyclopedia Britannica - entry on the scientific method)
Intellectual character- Someone who has intellectual character shows the strengths of curiosity, carefulness, intellectual autonomy, intellectual humility, open-mindedness, and critical thinking. Intellectual autonomy means you can think for yourself, especially when it might go against what is popular at the time. Intellectual humility means you recognize that your knowledge is limited and that your beliefs might be wrong. Critical thinking means you question, analyze, interpret, and evaluate what you read, hear, say, or write.

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QUESTIONS TO ANSWER WHILE READING “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” from ‍ by Arthur Conan Doyle:

On the first page, what are the reasons Watson gives for why he takes “pleasure in following Holmes in his professional investigations”?

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What back story or exposition does Helen Stoner tell Holmes and Watson about her stepfather, mother, and sister?

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When is Mrs. Stoner’s money supposed to be given to her daughters?

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Why is Helen Stoner afraid of her stepfather, Dr. Roylott?

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On page 5, Holmes gathers the evidence and makes a hypothesis about what happened to Julia Stoner. What is his hypothesis?

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On pages 6-10, Holmes and Watson gather the data. What data do they gather?
What does Holmes realize about how Julia and Dr. Roylott died?

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On page 11, why does Holmes say, “I had come to an entirely erroneous conclusion which shows, my dear Watson, how dangerous it always is to reason from insufficient data”?

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Why does Holmes say, “I am no doubt indirectly responsible for Dr. Grimesby Roylott’s death, and I cannot say that it is likely to weigh very heavily upon my conscience”?

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How does the way Conan Doyle structured the story create suspense and heighten the reader’s curiosity?

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What did you learn about using the scientific method from this story?

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What is something you are curious about?

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EXTENSION ACTIVITY: Watch the film adaptation of “The Speckled Band”

Watch the film adaptation of "The Speckled Band” posted by Your Daily Brew (Not rated, ~52 min)
For extra credit, write a response to the following prompt:
Does the short story or the film version tell a more impactful version of the story? Write a 2-page essay in which you explain your position and support it with three reasons, citing specific examples from the text and/or the film.

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Prohuman K-12 Curriculum © 2025 by Prohuman Foundation is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

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