Writing Evidence-Based Arguments to Solve School Vandalism Mystery
Objective
Students will analyze evidence and write persuasive arguments using textual support to determine the most likely suspect in a fictional mystery case
Materials
- Mystery evidence packets
- notebook paper
- pencils
- chart paper
- markers
Hook
The school's prize-winning garden has been destroyed overnight, and there are three suspects with alibis that don't quite add up. Students become detectives who must examine witness statements, timeline evidence, and physical clues to solve the case.
Main Activity
Students work in detective teams to analyze evidence packets containing witness testimonies, suspect alibis, timeline documents, and physical evidence descriptions about the vandalized school garden. Each team examines the evidence for one suspect, looking for inconsistencies and supporting details. Teams then write persuasive arguments explaining why their assigned suspect is either guilty or innocent, using specific evidence from the documents to support their claims. Finally, teams present their cases to the class, and everyone votes on the most convincing argument based on evidence quality and reasoning.
Discussion Questions
- What makes evidence strong or weak when building an argument?
- How did conflicting witness statements affect your analysis of the case?
- Which team used the most convincing evidence to support their argument and why?
- What strategies did you use to organize your evidence into a logical argument?
- How is writing a detective's case report similar to other types of persuasive writing?
Exit Ticket
Write one paragraph explaining which suspect you believe is guilty and provide two pieces of evidence that support your conclusion.
Differentiation
Support: Provide graphic organizers with sentence starters for organizing evidence and claims, and allow students to work with partners for additional support
Extension: Have advanced students write a defense argument for the suspect they believe is innocent, addressing counterarguments and explaining why other suspects are more likely guilty
