TLC Crime Solvers Wrap Up Fictional Cases

Students in Kate Doctor’s English class at The Learning Center put on their Sherlock Holmes’ thinking caps to solve fictional cases she designed for a true crime unit. “I really did enjoy it. My favorite part was finding out who did it,” said junior Sam Eken. 

For the unit assessment, Doctor divided her two classes into small-group investigative teams to analyze the clues. Each case had a victim, witnesses and suspects, evidence, and an incident report. The team’s goal was to figure out the perpetrator and assemble the evidence to back up their theory. Each student played a key role such as forensic analyst or crime scene illustrator. Sam said her group quickly discerned who was a talker and who was a writer, for instance.  

After organizing their material, addressing gaps in the case, and constructing oral arguments, the teams presented their findings to classmates as if to a jury. 

“This is an innovative project in which students collaborate and engage with content that stimulates their critical thinking skills,” Doctor said, noting how the exercise fits well with real-world applications.  

Sam, a fan of true crime shows on TV, agreed. She found that while the random groups pulled her out of her comfort zone, the mix encouraged her to make an extra effort with unfamiliar classmates – as often is required in workplace situations. 

“Everyone chipped in to the presentations, and it helped us learn each other’s strengths,” Sam added.