Create a mystery box using any material: paper, card, wood, plastic or metal. Students can construct their own box or adapt one that is premade. Have students paint the box, cut holes into it or cover it in material. They should use their imagination in how the box is made, what it represents and what it is for. Students should put something mysterious or an item that creates a mystery into the box. For example, the box could contain a series of old keys that belong to long-forgotten doors, or there could be photographs of a mysterious event, tableau vivant or set-up image.
English artist Kirsty Hall makes mystery envelopes, which she draws and then places a mystery object inside. The envelope is then sent to someone as a surprise. Have students do a similar project by asking them to decorate an envelope and put something "secret" inside. Then have students send the envelope to another student in the class (or to you). Inside the envelope, students can place an original poem, a found object, a drawing or a photograph, and it should be in keeping with the theme of "mystery."
Ask your students to paint, draw or used mixed media (photographs, ashes, shells) to create an image on a simple square canvas or some kind of painting board. The image must contain a "mystery" of some kind. The mystery can be something about themselves or something more abstract. The concept of mystery is that it is something difficult to explain or understand, so if the painting or drawing doesn't make sense, that is fine. Encourage the use of juxtaposition, for example, putting things side by side to hide or reveal a truth in the image. Get them to think about how light affects the image as this is useful in creating a mysterious image.
Have students spend one day photographing everything they do. Students will then create a book that explores ideas about mystery through what they show and what they hide in the photographic image. Demonstrate to the students how you can make your own book by incorporating the mystery theme. Make an example using your own images. Students can decide to cut up the photographs, use them in interesting angles or composition, blur and distort them or use very common images. The most important thing is thinking how they want to present the photos to create a mystery within the artist book. When people look at the book, the point is that they want to know more. This shows students that even if they spend the day doing the most mundane things and photographing them, they can be made into something interesting and mysterious to others.