Unit Title:	Sherlock Shell and the Case of the Missing Chicken
Author:	Janet Grayling and Marcia Holst, Grover Washington Middle School
Subject Area:	Science
Grade:	6-9
Time Required:	2 hours prep time; approximately 14 hours class time

Learning Outcomes:

Students embracing this unit of study will not only exercise their cross-disciplinary skills and call upon the allied fields of  language arts, creative dramatics, and the visual arts, but will utilize scientific learning to produce a forty-minute taped drama appropriate for school assembly display for grades 3-9.

Materials:

"Sherlock Shell and the Case of the Missing Chicken: A Script and Tips For Improvisational Additions" by Janet Grayling. (Sample copy available from the Ova Prima Foundation.)

Audio-visual equipment, including handheld video recorder and microphone, television, editing facilities.

Improvised costumes--students should use parental assistance to bring in appropriate clothing from dad's old "thin clothes" or mom's sewing "rag bag"!

Assigned Readings:

"The Fundamentals of Ovaprimationism"

"Avioprimational Arguments: Exposing the Fallacies Behind the Arguments."

Activities:

• Students will read and discuss the readings in class.
• The teacher will divide the class into the various teams working on the final video project. He or she should stress that no one group is more talented or 'better' than another. Actors are just as important as directors, who are just as important as editors and  technicians!
• Working as a team, the students and teachers will add in 'filler' related to the local school in designated areas of the script, with references to the principal, teachers, students, etc.
• The students will, with supervision, shoot the scenes for the final video, making a creative use of costumes and school facilities as backdrops.
• The editing team will supervise the final 'cut' of the video.
• Show the video in class and/or to parents for a fun and educational experience! Many teachers also share the results of the students' wonderful creativity with the entire school during assembly!

Dividing the class up into teams to work on the video can be the biggest challenge to the dedicated teacher. We recommend the following:

Actors: 12 actors minimum are required. We suggest for the extensive roles:

• Dr. Flotsam: Someone bright and articulate!
• Sherlock Shell: A student with an ability to ask questions in a meaningful manner, and who can handle the multisyllabic words of the scientific explanations.
• Brightly Smartwell, Ovaprimationist: A 'clean-cut' young man. If necessary, the part may be changed to 'Brenda Smartwell.'
• Smedley Pimples, Anti-ovaprimationist: A real "opportunity" for the "ham" in your class! If necessary, the part may be changed to "Samantha Pimples."

The climactic scene in which Smedley Pimples ties Sherlock Shell to a railroad track may easily be simulated with a model train set and some "realistic" sound effects!

Great fun for all involved!