5 Minute Mysteries

• Help to determine which details are important

• Practice supporting an answer with evidence from the text

Why Mysteries?

Vocabulary

• Alibi: An excuse that an accused person uses to show that he or she was not at the scene of the crime

• Breakthrough: A discovery that helps solve the crime

• Clue: A fact or object that gives information toward solving the crime

• Crime: An action that breaks the law • Deduction: Drawing a conclusion • Detective: An investigator looking for and

gathering clues • Evidence: A thing or statement that helps to

prove who committed the crime

• Hunch: A guess or feeling not based on facts • Motive: A reason that a person does something —

can include anger, hatred, love, or greed • Mystery: Something that is unknown• Opportunity: A fact proving or reason why

someone could have committed the crime. • Red herring: A false clue that throws the

investigator off track • Sleuth: An investigator • Suspect: Person who has a motive to have

committed a crime • Witness: Person who has knowledge about a crime

Directions:1. Read the mystery silently.2. Re-read the story again looking for clues.3. Determine what the crime or question is4. Identify the possible suspects.5. Highlight, circle, or underline important clues

in the text.6. Fill-out graphic organizer using evidence from

the story.7. Solve the mystery and explain WHY!