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Murder Mystery Game
Murder Mystery Game
Procedure:
Step one:
Explain to the class that you are going to play a murder mystery game. Everyone will be
a character in the game and one of them is the murderer! Give them the background
information:
Background Information
During a school reunion a scream is heard from one of the classrooms. It's 8:30 pm. A
few minutes later the dead body of Miss Eliza McGowan, a cranky old English teacher, is
found. She has been hit on the head. Also found were a number of items that may lead
us to the killer: a book written by one of her ex-students, Simon Donnelly, a photograph
of one of her fellow teachers, a young man called Saul Sheen, and a handkerchief with
the initials I.W. 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.
Step two:
You need 7 students to play the game. The main character cards all contain clues to
working out the mystery. For bigger groups use the supplementary cards (they contain
no real clues) or for groups of fourteen or more, split the students into two groups and
play the game as a competition to see who can work out the mystery first.
Give each student a character card. They need to read and memorize the information.
The aim is to act out the game, become the character and not to just read the
information from the card. At this point answer any questions students might have about
their character.
Step three:
Hand out the worksheets, explain to the class they need to collect information about
everyone who was at the party and fill any relevant information on the sheet. At this point
go over key vocabulary: alibi, motive, clue.
Elicit from the class the questions they need to ask and write on the board for reference:
What is your name?
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?
Step five:
When the students have spoken to everyone who was at the party, have them go back
into their original groups. Take back the character cards. Using the information they have
collected, the students try to work out who killed Ms. McGowan and why they did it. This
part of the lesson usually leads to some lively discussion, most students will quickly
guess who the killer is but the information needs to be carefully looked at to work out the
why.
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. Louise
King overhears them. Mr. Green is furious and it is he who follows Miss McGowan to the
classroom and hits her over the head. He wasn't in his office when everyone heard the
scream, that's why when Saul Sheen knocked on the door he got no answer.
Your name is Edward Green, you are the headmaster at the school.
Opinion of Miss McGowan: You have known Miss McGowan since you were both
students in college, you thought she was a wonderful woman, you will miss her very
much.
Last time you saw Miss McGowan: You were very busy this evening, you didn't see Miss
McGowan.
When you heard the scream: You were in your office working on the computer.
Your name is Hal Johnson, you are the receptionist at the school.
Opinion of Ms. McGowan: She was a polite woman, not very friendly but you didn't have
any problems with her.
Last time you saw Ms. McGowan: This afternoon while we were getting ready for the
party. You arrived late for the party and you didn't see her all evening.
When you heard the scream: You were washing your hands in the men's room.
A copy of Simon
Simon Donnelly Donnelly's book was
found in the classroom
where Miss McGowan
was killed..
A photograph of Saul
Sheen was found in Miss
Saul Sheen McGowan's pocket.