Claims and Evidence Information Text Mystery Short Fiction Story Activity
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Description
Mystery stories are perfect for getting to grips with claims, evidence and reasoning. Get students engaged in reading, following ideas, understanding cause-and-effect relationships, and predicting outcomes. In a mystery, the reader has to employ inference skills to understand the story and identify clues.
This fun, mystery story activity pack will improve students’ comprehension and inference as they employ detective skills to find the guilty suspects. With loads of fun activities to turn your reluctant readers into amateur sleuths!
You can find another Hettie mystery, The Case of the Missing Puppies here.
Meet Hettie Wainwright, a twelve-year-old amateur detective who likes nothing more than a good mystery! In this story, a thief is spreading fear through the community and escaping from crime scenes on his motorcycle. Who is the masked rider?
Follow Hettie as she tries to find the culprit. Just watch out for any red herrings!
A three-page story of 1,138words.
Flesch Reading Ease of 90.1%.
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level of 2.6.
Contents
- Teacher Guide
- Vocabulary Helper Sheet
- Story Map
- Graphic Organizer (US)
- Graphic Organiser (UK)
- Looking for Clues Sheet
- Clue Recording Sheet
- Red Herring Recording Sheet
- Wanted Poster
- Whodunnit?
- Comprehension Questions (20 questions)
- Comprehension Questions with numbered line support
- Inference Questions (15 questions)
- Inference Questions with numbered line support
- Answer Pages
“Hettie, come and meet Bernie; he’s moved in next door.”
The man stood and moved past me. “I must run; don’t like to overstay my welcome!”
“But you’ve only just got here!” Gran trilled. “Have more pie.” She trotted after him, but he was already at the door. “See you soon!” she called and rushed back to the kitchen. “My nerves are terrible with all these robberies lately!” She cleared the remains of the pie. “Isn’t Bernie lovely? He’s offered to do the garden.”
“Does he work on cars?” I sniffed the fuel smell in the air.
Gran shook her head. “He got splashed filling the lawnmower. Bernie doesn’t agree with cars; they’re bad for the planet.” She began mopping his trail of muddy footprints from her sparkling floor. “I’ll feel much better knowing a big, strong man is next door.”
The robberies had everyone on edge. The only clue was a motorcyclist seen leaving the scene. None of the victims could give the police a description, as the rider wore a full helmet and visor. The wanted criminal soon became known as Road Runner.
Bernie spent more and more time at our house; Gran said he was lonely; Bernie said he loved gardening. Today he was cutting the grass. I handed him a cold drink as he puffed up the path.
“Much better,” he said, admiring his work. He hadn’t done the edges, even though we had a plug-in trimmer. I would do it myself, later.
He drained his glass. “Right, I’m off to collect Gran’s shopping. She’s twitchy as a kitten since the robbery at Star Bank.”
“I can’t believe they haven’t caught Road Runner,” I said.
Bernie laughed. “That’s the police for you! To think you can walk in, demand cash, get on a bike, and ... VROOM!” He clapped his hands together, making my heart miss a beat. “Dirty, disgusting things; motorcycles. You won’t catch me on or in a carbon-belching vehicle. I’m an Earth lover, me.” He jumped on his bicycle and shot off.
Gran insisted Road Runner must be Ben Smith, who worked at Fry Right. “It’s about time they arrested him,” she told Bernie when he came back with her shopping. “Revving that noisy bike at all hours. How can he afford a motorcycle like that? You don’t get one of those washing dishes in a burger bar.”
“You do not,” Bernie agreed. “Maybe you should tell the cops.”
Gran made a good point; A quick Google revealed Ben’s bike cost a bomb.
