From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Another File for Mrs. Frankweiler”

Students will design a file to be included in Mrs. Frankweiler’s collection, drawing on textual elements to justify their choice of topic.

Mrs. Frankweiler describes her large collection of files as a “hodgepodge” containing “a lifetime of secrets” (Chapter 9). When Claudia and Jamie arrive at her home, she threatens to turn them into the police unless they can tell her something interesting for her to add to her files; they go on to tell her about their stay at the museum. Suppose you are in Claudia and Jamie’s situation. What recent experiences from your life or current events do you think Mrs. Frankweiler would find interesting enough to add to her files? For this activity, select and create one document you think merits addition to Mrs. Frankweiler’s files.

• Start by brainstorming a topic, which could be an interesting experience you’ve had, or even something as simple as a list of items in your backpack, along with their significance.
• Second, decide on a format for your file. To capture Mrs. Frankweiler’s attention, you may want to include text and visual elements, such as a drawing or a photograph.