May 21, 2010
Holy Redeemer’s Mystery Festival ends with mock trial
Sixth graders Seth Orth, Abby Schoenstein and Gracia Kiely process a crime scene during the Mystery Festival at Holy Redeemer School in Evansville. Click for a larger version.
By MARY ANN HUGHES (Message staff writer)
There was a crime, two suspects, arrests, breaking news reports, even a trial with judge, jury, defendant, bailiffs and attorneys.
And throughout the process, students at Holy Redeemer School in Evansville learned lessons in science, math, social studies and creative writing.
It was all the brain-child of science teacher Karen Dick in what she calls the “Mystery Festival.”
She began the process by telling her sixth graders about a fictitious crime: someone had broken into the Holy Redeemer Research Facility and stolen important cancer research.
The sixth graders were transformed into CSI detectives, testing hair fibers and handwriting samples. They even dusted for fingerprints.
Once news of the crime leaked out, the seventh graders assumed the role of news reporters. They created TV and radio newscasts, informing the student body about the latest developments.
Their newscasts were shown throughout the school, and parents could turn into the school’s ed-line site to watch too.
The teachers and staff members became the suspects, and two were “arrested” by eighth grade bailiffs and read their Miranda rights.
When the sixth grade CSI detectives were interviewed by the seventh grade news reporters, they quickly learned to say, “We can’t share that information,” their teacher said.
Last Thursday, the entire student body gathered in the school gym, which had been transformed into a courtroom.
Everyone stood as the judge entered the room, and the trial began. The eighth graders served as judge, jury, attorneys, bailiffs and as the court reporter.
After a series of witnesses were questioned, the jury left the room to deliberate. Marianne Webster, Holy Redeemer’s principal, then asked the students what they thought of the proceedings.
By their responses it was clear that the students had been carefully listening to witnesses and considering the evidence.
They even mentioned the fictitious news reports they had seen about the crime. When the jury returned, they announced “not guilty,” evoking cheers and a few boos from the student body.
Dick said the process provided many educational lessons, including creative writing and communication skills. “It crossed the whole gamut” of the curriculum.
It also taught the students to work together as a group, and “that’s a real biggie,” she added.