I am a Teacher, Librarian, or Part of a Children's Museum or Theater

I enjoy my students, but I’m bogged down with lesson plans and paperwork and I have to document and measure the results of everything I do in the classroom. Or, I am involved in a children's library, museum, or theater and would like to try something unique and fun, but I just don’t have the time to start something from scratch. Sherlock Holmes sounds interesting, but I’m not sure where mystery stories fit into my program for the year.
What Sherlockian resources are available for teaching?
Our website offers ideas for teaching students of all ages.
Please start by going to:
Each of the three pages have descriptions of exciting projects that have already proved successful in helping students learn about Sherlock Holmes -- either in the classroom or in a library setting.
As an example, what if you are teaching your students figures of speech? Beacon Society member Karen Murdock has marked the figures of speech in "Silver Blaze" and "Scandal in Bohemia". Read her article on this topic in the 2012 Minnesota English Journal. You find her articles under the Resources page.
When you’re looking for a new way to look at English literature, history, forensic science, or just plain good reading, think of Sherlock Holmes.
Would your students enjoy listening to Sherlock Holmes stories? There are audio versions of many Arthur Conan Doyle stories.
Podcasts of the twelve stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes are free! Download them to an iPod or listen online through your laptop.
The entire TV series with Jeremy Brett as Holmes is a favorite (although the Granada stories are not exactly like the originals).
Other film versions are available on DVDs and the Internet.
We’ll help you find a Sherlock Holmes expert (perhaps a Holmes impersonator!) who knows a lot about the Victorian era, detective work, and other fascinating subjects. Check out the Sherlockian link for more ideas.
Where can I find a Sherlockian to help me?
There are Sherlock Holmes societies almost everywhere, but if there’s not one near you, our website will help you locate someone with the expertise you need.
Start with the nearest Sherlockian scion society.
The worldwide Holmesian photo gallery operated by the Sherlock Holmes Society of France is cross-indexed by person and society.
We Also Suggest... links to other teaching resources on the Internet.
Free Lesson Plans
Grades 3-5
Grades 6-8
Other internet Resources
Grades 6-8
Grade 9 Students analyze prepared trash to find evidence of a crime. The general goal is to demonstrate how to investigate using problem solving.
Teaching Mysteries
What Sherlockian resources are available for teaching?
Our website offers ideas for teaching students of all ages.
Please start by going to:
- Jan Stauber Grant -- Past Grant Awards
- Beacon Award -- Past Awards
- Additional Resources for Educators / Students by Age Group
Each of the three pages have descriptions of exciting projects that have already proved successful in helping students learn about Sherlock Holmes -- either in the classroom or in a library setting.
As an example, what if you are teaching your students figures of speech? Beacon Society member Karen Murdock has marked the figures of speech in "Silver Blaze" and "Scandal in Bohemia". Read her article on this topic in the 2012 Minnesota English Journal. You find her articles under the Resources page.
When you’re looking for a new way to look at English literature, history, forensic science, or just plain good reading, think of Sherlock Holmes.
Would your students enjoy listening to Sherlock Holmes stories? There are audio versions of many Arthur Conan Doyle stories.
Podcasts of the twelve stories in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes are free! Download them to an iPod or listen online through your laptop.
The entire TV series with Jeremy Brett as Holmes is a favorite (although the Granada stories are not exactly like the originals).
Other film versions are available on DVDs and the Internet.
We’ll help you find a Sherlock Holmes expert (perhaps a Holmes impersonator!) who knows a lot about the Victorian era, detective work, and other fascinating subjects. Check out the Sherlockian link for more ideas.
Where can I find a Sherlockian to help me?
There are Sherlock Holmes societies almost everywhere, but if there’s not one near you, our website will help you locate someone with the expertise you need.
Start with the nearest Sherlockian scion society.
The worldwide Holmesian photo gallery operated by the Sherlock Holmes Society of France is cross-indexed by person and society.
We Also Suggest... links to other teaching resources on the Internet.
Free Lesson Plans
Grades 3-5
Grades 6-8
- Comparing Books to Movies (grades 6-8)
- Everyone Loves a Mystery: a Genre Study (mentions Arthur Conan Doyle)
- Mystery Writing with Joan Lowery Nixon
- Expository Escapade: Detective’s Handbook (includes a powerpoint presentation* about detective work that mentions Sherlock Holmes & Watson)
Other internet Resources
Grades 6-8
Grade 9 Students analyze prepared trash to find evidence of a crime. The general goal is to demonstrate how to investigate using problem solving.
Teaching Mysteries
- MysteryNet.com, "the place for mystery since 1995" has teaching resources for mystery stories in general (and a section on Sherlock Holmes in particular)