Unsolved Mysteries Research Project

THE WORLD’S TOP
UNSOLVED MYSTERIES
YOUR TASK AT A GLANCE
•Choose one of the unsolved mysteries from the following slides.
•Use the internet to conduct research on your chosen mystery.
•Decide whether the mystery is fact or fiction and record three
strong evidences that support your opinion.
•Write an S.A.R. which defends your opinion.
•Present information to the class.
EASTER ISLAND
Easter Island, also known as Rapa Nui,
is remotely located 2,000 miles off
the coast of Tahiti. The original settlers
of the island were Polynesians who
migrated to the far-off land between
400 and 600 BC. They built many
shrines and statues, called moai, from
stones quarried throughout the island
including a volcano site. Researchers
still question exactly how the large
stones were moved.
THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE
The Bermuda Triangle — located in the
Atlantic between Bermuda, Florida and
Puerto Rico — is a thief, stealing planes
and boats right out of existence. The area
got its name after Sgt. Howell Thompson
(l.), along with 27 Navy airmen, vanished
from the devilish spot during a routine
flight in 1945. Rumors persist on a
supernatural explanation, but many
specialists blame hurricanes, a heavy Gulf
Stream and human error.
THE EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS
One of the enduring mysteries of the
pyramids centers around how they were
constructed. The fact that they have
endured for more than 4,000 years is
testament enough to their sound
construction, but archeologists and
structural engineers also marvel at the
precise sizing of the individual blocks.
THE LOCH NESS MONSTER
According to Scottish folklore, a mystical
creature called a water horse lures small
children to a watery grave by tricking them
to ride on its sticky back. The Loch Ness
Monster became an English wonder in
1933, after witness accounts made
newspaper headlines. No hard evidence of
the creature has ever been recorded with
several pictures, including the one above,
being proven as hoaxes.
THE STONEHENGE
The Stonehenge landscape of
Salisbury Plain, England, has
become a tourist hotspot. But
before foreigners with
windbreakers and cameras
showed up, the area may have
been a burial ground and
ceremonial den dating back
5,000 years.
THE LOST CITY OF ATLANTIS
The Lost City of Atlantis was introduced to the
West 2,400 years ago by Plato, who claimed it
to be the island home of an advanced society.
Legend says it was sunk by an earthquake, with
later interpretations as an underwater kingdom
protected by mermaids. Its whereabouts still a
mystery, recent underwater evidence suggests it
was once apart of a larger landmass in Cyprus
off the Mediterranean (c.), but the only true
Atlantis exists in the Bahamas as a grand casino
and resort hotel.
CROP CIRCLES
Since they began to capture media
attention in the mid 1970s, and to
proliferate and evolve through the
decades of the 1980s and 1990s,
crop circles have provided mystery
and controversy. New books, touting
“scientific research,” continue the
trend. The topic is also getting a
boost from a new Hollywood movie,
Signs, starring Mel Gibson as a
Pennsylvania farmer who discovers a
500-foot design imprinted in his
crops and seeks to learn its meaning.
THE YETI
They have eluded explorers, hunters and
scientists who have been searching the
Himalayan mountains for the mysterious yeti
for over a century.
Now it seems we are no closer to knowing
what creature lies behind the mysterious
sightings and footprints that have led to the
legend of the Abominable Snowman.
A key piece of evidence that suggested
many of the sightings were due to an
unknown type of bear living in the
Himalaya has now been ruled out.
SASQUATCH
Name given to an unknown species of
large bipedal ape-like creature
believed to live in forests, jungles and
remote areas around the world. The
creature has different names in different
parts of the world such as the Yowie in
Australia, the Yeti in Tibet and the Alma
in central Asia. The term 'Bigfoot' or
'Sasquatch' is often used either to refer
to the phenomenon as a whole or to
refer to North American sightings of the
creature.
CRYSTAL SKULL
The famed crystal skulls of ancient
Mesoamerica have been a source
of mystery and controversy for
decades. The handful of known
skulls have defied even the most
advanced scientific efforts to
determine who made them, when,
and most puzzling, how.
SHROUD OF TURIN
The 53-square-foot rectangle of
linen known as the Shroud of Turin
is one of the most sacred religious
icons on Earth, venerated by
millions of Christians as the actual
burial garment of Jesus Christ.
It is also among the most fiercely
debated subjects in contemporary
science, an extraordinary mystery
that has defied every effort at
solution.
THE MARY CELESTE
The British brig Dei Gratia was about 400
miles east of the Azores on December 5,
1872, when crew members spotted a ship
adrift in the choppy seas. Capt. David
Morehouse was taken aback to discover
that the unguided vessel was the Mary
Celeste, which had left New York City eight
days before him and should have already
arrived in Genoa, Italy. He changed course
to offer help.
The ship's only lifeboat was missing, and
one of its two pumps had been
disassembled. Three and a half feet of
water was sloshing in the ship's bottom,
though the cargo of 1,701 barrels of
industrial alcohol was largely intact. There
was a six-month supply of food and
water—but not a soul to consume it.
THE ROANOKE COLONY
Before Jamestown and Plymouth,
the English attempted to forge a
colony at Roanoke. Within three
years, it had disappeared, leaving
a mysterious clue behind. What
really happened to the Roanoke
settlers?
BIMINI ROAD
In 1968 an underwater rock
formation was found near North
Bimini Island in the Bahamas. It is
considered by many to be
naturally made, but because of the
unusual arrangement of the stones,
many believe it to be a part of the
lost city of Atlantis (first spoken of
by Plato).
THE MARFA LIGHTS
Accounts of strange and unexplained
phenomena just outside of Marfa
began during the 19th century and
continue to this day. Ranchers,
Apaches, high school sweethearts and
famous meteorologists alike have
reported seeing seemingly sourceless
lights dance on the horizon southeast
of town, an area that is nearly
uninhabited and extremely difficult to
traverse. The mystery lights are
sometimes red, sometimes blue,
sometimes white, and usually appear
randomly throughout the night, no
matter the season or the weather.
DO NOW: WRITE YOUR STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
I want to find out if…
DO NOW: CHANGE IT TO A RESEARCH QUESTION
I want to find out if Bigfoot is real. > Does Bigfoot really exist, or is it a mythical creature?
WEB ARTICLES
When searching for articles online, it’s
difficult to find something legitimate that
qualifies as a valid source. Everyone tells
you not to use Wikipedia, so what do you
do?
I have found that your best bet is to search
for the name of your mystery followed by
the words MYSTERY NEWS to find articles
from credible sources.
For example, if you are researching the Lost
City of Atlantis, typing in “City of Atlantis
Mystery News” will pull up some pretty
good articles that were not written by
wacky weirdos and conspiracy theorists.
As you can see, the top three
results are pretty reputable
and would be pretty good
sources. On top of that, the
articles are pretty recent.
TOMORROW:
We will go to the library so you can research your topic.
You will find at least 3 sources to help you answer your research
question.
You will write notes for each source.
PRESENTATION
Create a presentation that delivers an interpretive side of your
“unsolved mystery”. These must ALSO be INFORMATIONAL.
You will present the information in a new and creative way:
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Skit
Song/Rap
Game
Diorama
Video
News Report
Poster
Prezi
Etc….
MYSTERIOUS PHENOMENON
Is Time Travel Real?