Who is Sherlock Holmes?
Sherlock Holmes, the world’s first consulting detective, was born January 6, 1854 the descendant of country squires. He spent two years at university before taking rooms in Montague street around the corner from the British Museum. While at university he spent the long vacation with a friend, Victor Trevor, at Trevor’s family home where Trevor Sr., suggested Holmes make a profession out of his ability to observe. (GLOR) It was at St. Barts’ Hospital sometime during 1882 that a mutual acquaintance introduced Holmes to Dr. John H. Watson, who was later to become Holmes’ biographer and closest friend. The two would share rooms in Baker Street throughout most of Holmes’ long career, save for those times that Watson was married. (STUD) Holmes investigated close to a thousand cases by 1891 when he was supposedly dispatched by Professor Moriarty (the most dangerous and formidable criminal mind Holmes would ever encounter) down the falls of Reichenbach. (FINA) Resurrected in 1894, after a hiat
Sherlock Holmes is one of the most popular and well-known fictional characters of all times. A brilliant and eccentric detective, Sherlock Holmes first appears in the stories and novels of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the late 1800’s, along with his well-trusted companion and biographer, Dr. John H. Watson, who is also a medical doctor. Residing together at 221B Baker Street in London, Sherlock Holmes, with the assistance of Dr. Watson, solves crimes that the police cannot, coming to the aid of such officers of the law as Inspector Lestrade of Scotland Yard. They are not above applying methods that are outside the law, such as trespass and theft, in the interests of seeking justice. Sherlock Holmes works his cases forensically, examining the details of crime scenes and inspecting his clients’ persons for information and then applying a particular method to make deductions about evidence. Although Conan Doyle uses Holmes’s powers of deduction to astonish his clients and readers, Sherlock H
Unit/Theme: Sherlock Holmes Level: Honors Subject: Seventh Grade English NYS Standards/ Benchmarks: E3b: Students participate in group meetings in which the students give reasons in support of opinions expressed. E2b Produces a report that includes appropriate facts and details. OBJECTIVES • Introduce background on Sherlock Holmes. • Evaluate students prior knowledge • Provide time for student inquiry • Minilesson: Students will understand that Sherlock Holmes adventures have been read by millions of people and continue to remain popular. • Explain the text that will be used and the homework assignment. RESOURCES • Sherlock Holmes text • Photo of Sherlock Holmes • Oak tag • Mr. Burkhart s deer stalker hat PRIOR KNOWLEDGE • Students have heard of Sherlock Holmes but probably not Arthur Conan Doyle • Students have read mysteries by Edgar Allen Poe w/ Detective Dupin ACTIVITIES/ OUTCOMES • Minilesson: Teacher describes briefly his love of Sherlock Holmes and how he was introduced to the c
Better to ask “Who was Sherlock Holmes?” At this point, history has claimed him as its own. Although his death was never recorded and his obituary never appeared in any newspaper, one can safely say that Sherlock Holmes walks among us no more. Who was Sherlock Holmes? Why, only the man who put the “detect” in detective, practiced forensic science and criminal profiling years ahead of the rest of the world, brought down a criminal empire, and made the occupation of private detective a very cool thing to be. Sherlock Holmes started his career in London in the early 1880s. Not much is known of him before then, but he was quick to make a name for himself with Scotland Yard, and not long after, the rest of England. Eventually his fame would spread world-wide, thanks to the pen of Dr. John H. Watson and the literary marketing genius of Arthur Conan Doyle. What we don’t know about Sherlock Holmes is as intriguing as what we do know. For example, since Jack the Ripper’s murderous rampage sudde
