Super Sleuth

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling

• Introduce the concept of a sleuth. Explain that a sleuth is like a detective. He looks for clues and observes things quietly.
• Ask students to share traits that would make someone a good sleuth and traits that would make someone a bad sleuth.
• Tell them that for today, they will each become a "super sleuth."
• Pick out a name from the bowl of paper strips.
• Quickly model how to track this person's characteristics in covert ways. Write one or two short observations, e.g. "has short hair" or "has brown eyes," on the board.
• Give each student a sheet of paper and a clipboard. Students will use these to record their observations.

Guided Practice

• Model how students will present their findings.
• Each sleuth will have an opportunity to come up to the front of the room and present his clues one by one.
• After each clue, classmates will have the opportunity to raise their hands and ask questions. After asking a question, a student may make one guess of which student they think is being described.
• After each successful guess, a new sleuth comes up.

Independent working time

• Have each student pick a name from the bowl. (If a student chooses his own, have him return it and choose another name.) The name each student chooses is his target for the activity.
• Give students about 15 minutes to observe one another and write down clues.