Mystery FaceTime

Mystery Catch Up is a 40-60 minute critical thinking challenge that your class takes part in while FaceTiming with another class somewhere else in the world. Your students' goal is to guess the other school's location (country, state, city, school name) before they guess yours. This is achieved by asking yes and no questions. Browse the resources below for a thorough 'How to' guide.

Please note: the mystery video conference can be conducted using FaceTime. Due to network challenges this should be the best option across dioceses.

Setting Up FaceTime

Once your 'buddy' class has been assigned, teachers will be given each other's email address. Teachers will then be able to timetable an appropriate time for their Mystery video conference.

Teachers will need to:

  • turn on FaceTime
  • provide phone number or Apple ID to allow calling
  • set up time
  • set up iPad/iPhone so that students can be seen - mirroring connection to a larger screen may assist your class

How do I start?

1. Before your first FaceTime, teach your students how to ask general questions (as opposed to specific questions). Help them refine their questions to be general to start with and to become more specific as they narrow in on a correct answer. When students ask "specific" questions too soon, it's often a waste of a question.

Good examples of General Questions:

  • Is your school east of the Macquarie river?
  • Is your state on the east coast of Australia?
  • Is your school in the northern half of your state?
  • Do you live within a 65 mile radius of Sydney?


Poor examples (These questions are too specific):

  • Is your school in Canberra?
  • Is your school near Sydney?



How to run a Mystery Google Hangout/Skype

When your students understand how to ask general questions and know the resources they will need to use, teach them the roles that you will be using during your first Mystery FaceTime.

Here are some suggestions:

  • Greeters/Sharers - 2 students: greets the incoming class by speaking about our class and going over the rules. At the end of the call they are also the ones that thank for the call. Once their job is done they merge into the think tank.
  • Questioners - 2 students: ask the other school yes or no questions that help the class learn their whereabouts. Questions are kept on our Google Doc, so all Questioners can see them and so others in the room can have their questions asked. Be aware of whose turn it is to ask questions (ours or theirs), and be quick to decide our question when it is our turn (be reading the Google Doc while the other team is thinking or speaking).
  • Answerer – 1 student – answers yes or no to the questions with the support from the researchers.
  • Questioners' and Answerers' Assistants - 2 students: Whenever the Questioners or Answerers need the Researchers to do anything, assistants quietly ask the Researchers to do it. Be specific with what you are asking for (e.g. "The Questioners need a question. Let's try to narrow down which part of the state they live in.").
  • Google Map Researchers - 3-5 students: Use Google Maps to try to help with questions or find the answer.
  • Wall map and atlas Researchers - as many students as you want: Looking up the answers to questions we are asked when we don't know how to answer them by memory. Everyone needs an atlas and a computer. Come up with questions to ask the other class by adding them to the Google Doc. We can use Google Maps, search engines, and any other tools that will help you find where they are located that is allowed at our school. While you are researching, add links to the Google Doc for others to see the great resources that you find. Encourage others to add links that will help people as well.
  • Photographers: Responsible for taking lots and lots of photos while everyone is working. When the Mystery Hangout/Skype is over, share photos via class blog or school Facebook site.
  • Videographers - 2 students: Responsible for video recording the entire event, especially the dialogue between schools. Never press PAUSE! The only time you should have the video camera on the projection is when they are talking to us. The rest of the time you should get us working. Also, move slowly from one place to the next to reduce shaky footage. Don't zoom in and out - there's no need for it!
  • Data Enterers - 2 students: Bold the questions that we choose to ask on the Google doc. Type in the answer to each bolded question (Yes or No).
  • Signers - 2 students: Create signs that tell the other class whose turn it is. Hold up those signs at appropriate times during the Mystery Skype. Signs we've used in the past include: "Your Turn," "Our Turn - Please wait while we prepare," and "Great Job!"
  • Supervisor – 1-2 students – oversees the entire operation and takes notes on what works and doesn’t work. They lead the debriefing after every Hangout/Skype call to discuss what we need to work on and be proud of.
  • Capitals & Question Mark Editor: Help others remember to use capital letters and question marks on the Google Sheet. (Optional)
  • Question Focuser: Watch the Google Sheet and help those who are asking questions that are not possible or too specific. Walk up to them and work with them to make questions better. (Optional)

Paul Solarz

https://psolarz.weebly.com/how-to-set-up-and-run-a-mystery-skype-session.html

Pernille Ripp

https://pernillesripp.com/2013/08/08/mystery-skype-jobs-created-by-my-students/