Unsolved Mysteries of the World - Step 1: Task Definition

Step One: Select Your Topic

Which mystery will you research?

What information do you know or think you know about the topic?

What questions remain?

What aspect of the unsolved mystery do you find the most intriguing?

Pre-Search Directions

Before beginning research, you must first select one research topic on an unsolved mystery to explore. Examine the following unsolved mysteries. Read the descriptions under each mystery in order to select a research topic that you find interesting.

Research Topic One: Bigfoot

Bigfoot (also known as Sasquatch) is the name given to a mythological simian, ape, or hairy, ape-like creature.

Bigfoot is said to inhabit forests, mainly the Pacific Northwest.

Research Topic Two: The Loch Ness Monster

The Loch Ness Monster is an aquatic being which reputedly inhabits Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is similar to other supposed lake monsters in Scotland and elsewhere (although its description varies); it is described by most as an incredibly large creature.

Popular interest and belief in the Loch Ness Monster have varied since it was brought to worldwide attention in 1933. Do these people who claim to have seen Loch Ness just have active imaginations? Or is this a real creature?

Research Topic Three: Aliens and UFOs

In popular culture, the term UFO–or unidentified flying object–refers to a suspected alien spacecraft, although its definition encompasses any unexplained aerial phenomena.

UFO sightings have been reported throughout recorded history and in various parts of the world, raising questions about life on other planets and whether extraterrestrials (aliens) have visited Earth. We are discovering more evidence that they are real. What do you think? Are we in denial?

Research Topic Four: Lost City of Atlantis

Plato wrote about the island of Atlantis in a an allegory. Lost forever, sunk to the bottom of the sea, in a location that none of us really know, Atlantis is a myth to some. Others firmly believe it exists.

The mystery of the lost city of Atlantis still captures the imagination of millions. Was it real or just myth?

Research Topic Five: Mary Celeste

Mary Celeste was an American merchant vessel found adrift and deserted in the Atlantic Ocean.

None of those who'd been on board, the captain and his wife, their two-year-old daughter, and the crew of seven, were ever seen or heard from again. What happened to them all?

Research Topic Six: The Bermuda Triangle

The Bermuda Triangle (also known as the Devil's Triangle) is a loosely defined region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where a number of aircraft and ships are said to have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Creepy!

Research Topic Seven: Easter Island

The 887 giant moai statues on Easter Island have turned one of the most isolated islands in the world into one of the most well-known.

With each year, more theories arise concerning the island, the statues, and the Rapa Nui people who once lived there arise. Will we ever find out the truth?

Research Topic Eight: Stonehenge

Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England, two miles west of Amesbury. It consists of a ring of standing stones, with each standing stone around 13 feet high, seven feet wide and weighing around 25 tons.

It's also one of the most mysterious structures; the prehistoric concentric rings garner plenty of speculation as to why and how they were constructed. So many questions!

Pre-Search Process

Once you have selected a topic, you will need to complete a handout to help you throughout the research process. In order to access the handouts online and copy them into your Google Drive, first open a new browser window and log into your Google Account.

Once you are logged in, return to this webpage and access the handout and the link below.

You will be prompted to make a copy of the handout into your own Drive for viewing and editing:

Pre-Search Inquiry Handout and Planning Sheet

Directions for Pre-Search Handout and Examples

First, complete the two columns on the Pre-Search Inquiry Handout.

On the handout, What You Know could be basic information; for example, an unsolved mystery involves unexplained disappearances.
In the second column, be sure to note what information you will need to find out. What details do you need to know about the unsolved mystery before forming your own conclusion?
These can be written in the form of questions or as statements.

See the following examples below based on the unsolved mysteries Bermuda Triangle and Mary Celeste:

Bermuda Triangle

What I Know: This is an area that some believe to be cursed due to a high number of unexplained disappearances of planes and ships that traveled in this location.

Research Question Example: Has anyone offered an explanation as to why this area seems to be dangerous?

Inquiry-Based Statement: I wonder how many unexplained disappearances have occurred within the Bermuda Triangle.

Mary Celeste

What I Know: There have been other mysterious disappearances of ships throughout history.

Research Question Example: What is the background information about the family aboard this ship?

Inquiry-Based Statement: I need to find out what was left on the boat when it was discovered. There may be clues or evidence on the vessel that may explain what happened to the crew and family.

Once you complete the Pre-Search Inquiry chart, it's time to plan your research strategy. This will be based on your project requirements.

Planning Your Research

Complete the Research Planning Sheet by writing your research questions or creating additional inquiry-based statements about your topic. Note the project due date and research/project requirements.

You may have to return to the Home page in order to list the requirements for your research slide presentation.

Next, go to Information Seeking Strategies.

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