Is Steve Harmon innocent or guilty? Examine the evidence with a worksheet based on Monster by Walter Dean Myers. As kids read the book, they note particular passages that they believe indicate whether or not Steve committed the crime.

Concepts

mock trial, novels, american literature

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Additional Tags

english language arts

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Instructional Ideas

• Helpful for a mock trial presentation during a Monster unit, in which kids prepare defense and prosecution of the main character in front of their peers
• Have kids take notes throughout the entire novel, noting which passages indicate innocence or guilt and why

Classroom Considerations

• Struggling readers will need more guidance than the graphic organizer provides
• Instructions are thorough but the activity is vague (only two sections to write in without any more explanation)

Pros

• A creative way for kids to keep track of particular passages when preparing for a persuasive essay

Cons

• None

Common Core

RL.4.1 RL.5.1 RL.6.1 RL.7.1 RL.8.1