This is an activity for the ESL classroom though it can alo be used in other contexts. The slide deck is adapted from “Murder in the the Classroom” a lesson plan on One Stop English and you can find that via the link below. I have also designed a set of Character Cards to use with the game as the original lesson plan is all text based. You can also download those at the link below. SlideShare.net – PDF of an adapted set of Character Cards: http://www.slideshare.net/RoyHanney/murder-in-the-classroom-character-cards OnestopEnglish.com – PDF of original lesson plan: http://www.onestopenglish.com/community/lesson-share/lesson-share-archive/speaking/speaking-murder-in-the-classroom/154250.article

3. What is...

A murder mystery?

What happens during the mystery?

What is a detective?

What does the detective do?

How does it end?

4. THE GAME!

5. What you know....




During a school reunion a scream
was heard...
It's 8.30pm...
Shortly after the dead body of Miss
Eliza McGowan, a cranky old
English teacher is discovered...
She has been hit on the head...

6. What you know...

Also found were a number of items
that may lead us to the killer...

7. A book written by one of her exstudents, Simon Donnelly...

8. A photograph of one of her fellow
teachers, a young man called Saul
Sheen...

9. A handkerchief with the initials IW...

10. At the moment these are the
three main suspects but
everyone who was at the party
and saw or spoke to Miss
McGowan needs to be
questioned.

11. Now....

Read the your character card...

Memorise the information...

Act out your role...

Don't just read out the card...

12. Now...

Use the worksheets to collect
information...

13. Now...

First some word definitions...


Alibi: /ˈælɪbaɪ/
someone who has an alibi can
prove that they were somewhere
else when a crime was committed
and so can claim to be not guilty

14. Now...

First some word definitions...

Motive: /ˈməʊtɪv/

the reason that you do something

15. Now...

First some word definitions...


Clue:/kluː/
an object or fact that someone
discovers that helps them solve a
crime or mystery

16. Now...

Ask these questions:




Why were you at the party?
What was your relationship with Ms.
McGowan?
When did you last see Ms. McGowan?
What were you doing when you heard
the scream?

17. NOW PLAY THE GAME!
(use the worksheet to collect information)

18. DISCUSS WHAT YOU THINK
HAPPENED IN PAIRS!
(give the character cards back)

19. Who killed Ms. McGowan?
Why did they kill her?

20. The Solution...



Mr. Green is Saul Sheen's
father; he and Miss McGowan
had a relationship in college.
Miss McGowan has always kept
it a secret but after the last
argument with Saul she plans
to tell him the truth.
She tells Mr. Green about her
plan and they argue.

21. Thanks to...
Murder in the
Classroom
www.onestopenglish.com
There is a full lesson plan on Onestop English and an
adapted set of Character Cards on Slideshare.net –
links on the download pages.