The Red-Headed League
TEACHER’S
GUIDE
Levels N–Y
FICTION
Short Stories
Why “The Red-Headed League”
Is a Classic
In “The Red-Headed League,” the famous detective
Sherlock Holmes and his faithful assistant Dr. Watson
ponder the story of a man named Wilson, whom a
strange society called The Red-Headed League paid
to do meaningless busywork until the society suddenly
disappeared. Holmes suspects Wilson was hired for
some reason other than his red hair, and he begins
gathering clues to catch a villain. The story is a classic
example of how Holmes uses his keen powers of
observation to make sense of a story that at first
seems nonsensical.
Sherlock Holmes is one of the best-known fictional
characters of all time, and Conan Doyle’s stories of his
adventures popularized the mystery genre. In typical
Holmes fashion, the detective only hints at his reasoning
until the end of this story, and suspense builds as clues
appear. One reason people continue to read Holmes
stories today is for the chance to try solving the crimes
along with—or even before—the great detective.
Since Conan Doyle’s time, many writers have imitated
his clue-dropping, suspense-building format, but few
offer opportunities to match wits with a character so
memorable as the magnificent Sherlock Holmes.
Characters
Levels
Tips for Voice and Expression
Narrator
Sherlock Holmes
Dr. Watson
Mr. Clay
Mrs. Duncan
Mrs. Hudson
Mr. Wilson
Mr. Merryweather
Challenging/Y
Challenging/Y
Moderate/W
Moderate/T
Moderate/S
Easy/R
Easy/P
Easy/N
• clear, steady
• contemplative, energetic
• formal, strong, confused
• persuasive, angry
• authoritative, angry
• polite, friendly
• worried, grateful
• formal, steady
B E N C H M A R K E D U C AT I O N CO M PA N Y
How to Implement Reader’s Theater Classics
Target Skills
Steps To
Follow
What To Do
Genre and
Author Study
1. Introduce the Short
Story and the Script
• Share “Why ‘The Red-Headed League’ Is a Classic” from
page 1 of the Teacher’s Guide.
• Ask: What are features of the short story genre? List students’
ideas. Refer to the Classics Overview for the complete list.
• Read aloud the script summary and “About the Playwright”
from the back cover of the script.
2. Preview the Script
• Invite students to explore the layout, text, and illustrations.
• Read the table of contents, cast of characters, and setting
information together.
3. Introduce Vocabulary
and Idioms
• Introduce key vocabulary words (disbanded, page 13;
fetch, page 11; intruder, page 19; surmised, page 23)
and idiomatic expressions (dirt cheap, page 14).
4. Read the Script
• Have students listen and follow along as you read the first
few pages to model fluency and expression.
5. Build Comprehension
• Teach the “Comprehension” lesson on page 4. Engage
students in discussion.
6. Introduce the
Assessment Rubric
• Display and discuss the assessment rubric in the Classics
Overview so that students know what you expect of them.
7. Assign Roles
• Use the reading levels on the character chart on page 1 to
help you assign roles appropriately.
8. Fluency Mini-Lesson
• Teach the “Build Fluency” and “Fluency Skill” lessons on
pages 4–5.
9. Small-Group
Rehearsal/Reading
• Discuss and model rehearsal expectations.
• Offer suggestions for expression, voice, and characterization.
10. Whole-Group
Rehearsal/
Rereading
• Pull the whole group together and remind students that
you will be assessing them.
• Do not interrupt the rehearsal but simply observe students
as they read.
11. Perform,
Assess, Reflect
• Invite students to perform the script for an audience such
as members of the class, students from other classes,
school staff members, or parents.
• Use the rubric to complete your assessment of students’
performance.
12. Literacy
Connections
• Select the “Literacy Connections” activities on page 5
that best meet your particular students’ learning needs.
• Identify features
of short stories
and plays
• Learn about the life
and works of Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle
Vocabulary
• Learn Tier Two
vocabulary
• Identify and define
idioms
• Homographs
• Recognize
denotation/
connotation
• Multiple-Meaning
Words/Word
Recognition
Comprehension
• Make text-to-text
connections
• Analyze theme
• Compare and contrast
characters
• Draw conclusions
• Evaluate fact and
opinion
• Evaluate author’s
point of view or
perspective
• Recognize imagery
• Analyze mood and
suspense
Fluency
• Build fluency through
repeated readings
• Read italicized words
• Read smoothly and
with minimal breaks
Copyright © 2007 Benchmark Education Company, LLC. All rights reserved. Teachers may photocopy the reproducible pages for classroom use. No other part of the guide may be reproduced
or transmitted in whole or in part in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in
writing from the publisher.
ISBN: 978-1-4108-7972-1
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The Red-Headed League: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery
Components
To Use
• Read and discuss “Spotlight on the Classic,” “Excerpt from the Classic,”
and “The Author of the Classic” on pages 2–6 of the script.
• Read aloud sections from the original text. Incorporate the think-aloud
prompts from the CD-ROM into your discussion of the classic.
• Script
• Short Stories
Read-Aloud CD-ROM
• Classics Overview
• Point out the color coding of characters’ names and use of
stage directions.
• Script
• Students should use context clues to determine the meaning of each
word or phrase. Then use the glossary to solidify students’
understanding. Use the vocabulary activity to extend learning.
• Script
• Activity 1
• Ask students to finish reading the script by themselves, with partners, or
in small groups as you monitor, answer questions, and provide
additional modeling as needed.
• Script
• Have students think/pair/share to answer and discuss the questions on
“Activity 2: Build Comprehension.”
• Activity 2
• Model each skill on the rubric so students can see and hear the qualities
they are striving to attain.
• Classics Overview
• Refer to the chart for tips on voicing characters with expression.
• Script
• Have partners practice reading smoothly and with minimal breaks, and
reading other sections of the script that contain italicized words.
• Script
• Divide the class into small groups to rehearse their roles. As students
read the script and practice their parts, circulate about the room to
monitor, answer questions, and provide additional modeling as needed.
• Script
• Allow time for students to give positive feedback and constructive
suggestions to one another.
• Decide on a stage area, how students will be positioned, and whether
props or movements will be added.
• Conduct a final dress rehearsal.
• Script
• Classics Overview
• Take time to briefly conference with each student to provide
specific feedback.
• Ask students to complete “Activity 3: Fluency Self-Assessment.”
• Classics Overview
• Activity 3
• Students may work individually, with partners, or in groups while other
groups of students are rehearsing their roles.
• Script
© 2007 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
The Red-Headed League: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery
3
Comprehension
Analyze Theme
Ask: What do you think the message
might be in the play adaptation? Allow
responses.
Think Aloud: It amazed me that
Sherlock Holmes could figure out so
much about Mr. Wilson just upon
meeting him. Dr. Watson points out that
Holmes has a “sharp eye” and that he
“sees things the rest of us don’t notice.”
By not just taking things at face value,
but rather looking beneath the surface
and using his powers of observation,
Holmes is able to solve this mystery
and many others. At the end of the
play, Holmes thanks Mr. Wilson for
giving him such an interesting mystery
to solve. Holmes says solving peculiar
problems “makes life interesting for
Sherlock Holmes.” I think Conan Doyle
is giving readers a message about being
observant and that seeing ordinary
things in a new way is both a challenge
and a fun thing to do.
Discuss: Encourage students to state
the big idea, or message, in their own
words. They should articulate the idea
that when people are observant, they
can find fascinating things all around
them in their daily lives. Invite students
to suggest other messages Conan Doyle
may also have meant to communicate,
such as “if something is too good to be
true, it probably is.”
Think/Pair/Share: Invite students to
make their own connections to the big
idea. Ask: Have you ever seen something
familiar in a new way because you really
took the time to observe it? What did
you see in a new way?
figures of speech or unfamiliar words—
for example, “cold-blooded” (page 12)
and “a three-pipe problem” (page 15).
Read with Expression:
Stage Directions
• Point out the stage directions that
appear in italics and parentheses.
Explain to students that these
directions are not read, but are
included to help the reader interpret
the part as the author intended.
Say: Stage directions tell readers how
to say their lines and to whom they
should be directed. For example,
point out the direction “(surprised)”
on page 9. Tell students that Wilson
is surprised at the amount of money
the Red-Headed League will pay.
Demonstrate and ask volunteers
to echo-read.
Read with Expression:
Read Italicized Words
• Tell students that one way to read
with expression is to place extra
emphasis on words in italics. Explain
that authors use italicized words to
show that a character is surprised or
is making a point. Have students turn
to page 10 and find the italicized
word “entire.” Tell students that
Wilson is surprised at the duties
of the job. Model reading the line,
emphasizing “entire.”
• Ask students to find the italicized
word “half” on page 14. Discuss why
the word is italicized. Model how to
read the line and ask students to
echo-read the line after you.
• Invite students to look through the
rest of the script to locate italicized
words. Ask them to take turns reading
the lines aloud, placing extra emphasis
on the italicized words.
Build Fluency
Echo-read all or part of the script aloud.
Ask students to repeat the lines after
you. Stop where necessary to explain
4
The Red-Headed League: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery
© 2007 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Fluency Skill: Read Smoothly
and with Minimal Breaks
• Tell students that their audiences will
better understand their reading if they
read smoothly and without adding any
extra breaks. Say: When I read aloud,
I look for sentence punctuation so I
know when to pause. I try to read the
phrases in between the punctuation
smoothly and without any extra
breaks. I should sound like I’m talking
to someone. Listen as I read Holmes’s
first set of lines on page 12, and tell
me which reading makes more sense
to you.
• First read Holmes’s lines, stopping
every few words. Then, read the lines
again, smoothly. Say: The second time
I read the lines, you could understand
them better because I read smoothly
and without extra breaks.
• Ask pairs of students to choose two
sets of lines in the script. Invite the
pairs to take turns reading the lines
smoothly and with minimal breaks.
The partners can give each other
feedback on their reading.
Literacy Connections
Vocabulary and Word Study
Striving Readers/ELLs: Homographs
• Read aloud the phrase “a sharp eye”
on page 12. Discuss that the phrase
means that Holmes is very perceptive.
Ask students for other meanings of
sharp. Guide students to use sharp in
oral sentences that show its various
meanings. Continue with other
homographs, such as “pounds” (page
8), “single” (page 11), and “free”
(page 15).
On-Level Learners: Denotation/Connotation
• Write dirt cheap on the board. Invite
students to talk about the literal meaning of the word dirt and how it is used
in dirt cheap. Guide students to see
that the two meanings of dirt helped
Holmes solve the mystery.
• Point out the word “lady” on page 21.
Invite pairs to discuss Mrs. Duncan’s use
of the word and the implication Holmes
makes when he says “This lady…”
Above-Level Learners: Multiple-Meaning
Words/Word Recognition
• Point out the word “deduction” on
page 18. Invite students to look up
the word deduction in a dictionary
© 2007 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
and make note of its meaning as it
relates to logic. Ask students what
other meanings they found for
deduction. As a challenge, invite
students to research the difference
between deductive and inductive
reasoning and to make a Venn
diagram comparing the two.
Reading Across Texts
• Read the story “The Red-Headed
League” in book form or on the
Short Stories Read-Aloud CD-ROM.
• Refer students to page 24 of the
script and “Interpreting the Classic”
question #5. Say: The short story
“The Red-Headed League” is written
in the first person and told from the
point of view of Dr. Watson. The play
adaptation is told in the third person
and has a narrator. Compare the effect
of these two ways of telling the story.
(Possible answer: In the short story,
the reader sees the story unfold as
Dr. Watson does and knows his
thoughts. In the play adaptation,
the narrator is outside of the action
and can comment on any part of it.)
The Red-Headed League: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery
5
Activity 1: Robust Vocabulary
Name ______________________________
Date ________________
Directions: Create a word web for each word and idiom in the word
bank. Use a dictionary or thesaurus to find a definition, synonym,
and antonym. Write a sentence using the word or idiom.
Word bank: disbanded, fetch, intruder, surmised; dirt cheap
Definition
Synonym
Word or Idiom
Antonym
The Red-Headed League: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery
Sentence
© 2007 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
Activity 2: Build Comprehension
Name ___________________________________ Date ________________
Directions: Answer each question using complete sentences. Support
your answers with information from the script. Use a separate sheet of
paper if necessary.
1. How is Mr. Watson like Sherlock Holmes? How are they different?
What parts of the text support your comparisons? (compare and
contrast characters)
2. Why do you think Sherlock Holmes invited Mrs. Hudson to listen
to Mr. Wilson’s story? What evidence from the text supports your
conclusion? (draw conclusions)
3. “The Red-Headed League” is set in London, England in 1890. Some
of the characters have opinions about women’s roles in society that
we don’t have today. What are some of these opinions? Why do
you think the playwright included them in the play adaptation of
the story? (evaluate fact and opinion; evaluate author’s point of
view or perspective)
4. Look at page 18. What words and images does the author use
to create a mood of danger and suspense? (recognize imagery;
analyze mood and suspense)
For additional questions for discussion, see “Interpreting the Classic” on page 24 of the script.
© 2007 Benchmark Education Company, LLC
The Red-Headed League: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery
Activity 3: Fluency Self-Assessment
Name _____________________________ Date________________________
Script _____________________________ Role________________________
Directions: Complete the rubric below. Tell how you plan to improve
your reading fluency in the areas where you answered no.
Skill
Behavior
Yes
No
I read in longer, meaningful phrases.
Fluency and I paid attention to the author’s language patterns.
I made the reading sound like dialogue.
Phrasing
I stressed certain words to emphasize their importance.
I used my voice to make the reading reflect feeling, anticipation,
tension, mood, and the personality of my character.
Intonation
I paid attention to punctuation.
I raised or lowered my voice to interpret the punctuation
of sentences.
I used an appropriate speed of reading.
Pacing
I read the lines with the same speed and flow that I use
when I talk.
I read with very few hesitations or unnecessary pauses
and repetitions.
I recognized words quickly and read them correctly.
Accuracy
I really thought about the meaning of the story and known
words and word parts to help me figure out unknown words.
I corrected myself when I made an error.
I made the words sound meaningful.
I made inferences about my character.
I used my voice (tone) to sound like the character.
Character
Analysis
I used my voice to express a particular feeling of the character.
I used body language (gestures) to better express
the feelings of the character.
I used appropriate facial expressions to represent my character.
Plan of Action: Describe how you will improve your reading fluency
during the repeated readings of your character’s lines.
The Red-Headed League: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery
©2007 Benchmark Education Company, LLC