This scene investigation is SUCH a fun way to get your students to practice their argumentative writing skills while also providing a hands-on activity for kids. This is the perfect activity for teachers who want engagement and critical thinking in their classroom.

To provide this lesson, print out and cut up all of the witness statements and crime scene evidence cards (tip: laminate these cards so you can use them again next year).

Divide up your students into groups and hand out a set of witness statements & evidence cards. Then, hand out graphic organizers for each student. Read the class the summary of the crime and the directions.

Tell students their job is to figure out who killed Mrs. Smith and why. Students need to write a claim, find three pieces of evidence, a counterclaim, refutation, and a closing statement.

Once students have done this. Have groups take turns presenting their findings to the class.

Finally, read the answer key story off to students to reveal what actually happened to Mrs. Smith. Remember, the goal of this lesson is to have a strong argument, not necessarily to match the answer key!