English 8th Grade

Lesson: Novel The Westing Game

Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.1
Cite the textual evidence that most strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly
as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the
text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary
of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.3
Analyze how particular lines of dialogue or incidents in a story or drama propel the action, reveal
aspects of a character, or provoke a decision.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.8.6
Analyze how differences in the points of view of the characters and the audience or reader (e.g.,
created through the use of dramatic irony) create such effects as suspense or humor.

Objectives:
1. Students will be able to draw evidence from the text to support claims made about
characters and setting.
2. Students will be able to critically analyze the plot of the novel by verbally discussing and
individually writing the answers to comprehension questions about the plot.
3. Students will be able to predict who killed Sam Westing by drawing evidence from
character descriptions, relationships, and possible motives.

Time:
1 class period

Materials:
The Westing Game novel
The Westing Game tape recording
Discussion questions for set of 5 chapters
Suspect Chart
Chrome book for Edmodo Quiz

Anticipatory Set:
Students will have already had an anticipatory set for the introduction to The Westing
Game with the mystery fill in the blank notes and predictions.
Before beginning a chapter, always review what happened in the previous chapter. Have
students summarize what happened and any key information to keep in mind throughout.
Steps in Lesson:
1. Students get out The Westing Game novel and are able to move around the classroom as
they follow along to the tape recording.
2. Once the chapter is finished, students head back to their seats and get out their discussion
questions for the chapter we just read. (Questions for a set of 5 chapters are passed out
before the start of every 5 chapters)
3. We go over each question together as a class. Call on multiple students to answer the
question and add on to their responses.
4. At the end of the questions, ask students which characters they are suspicious about and
who they think may have been the murderer.
5. Depending on how detailed a chapter is about characters and possible motives, have
students get out their Suspects Chart to fill in any necessary information about characters.
6. Do this together as a class and then give time for students to fill in any information of
their own to help them figure out the mystery.
7. At the end of every 5 chapters, we will review discussion questions for the upcoming
quiz.
8. Students will study their questions and then take the quiz on a Chrome book using the
website, Edmodo. On Edmodo, students will also decide who they believe killed Sam
Westing by using evidence from the text.
9. Then, they will take a poll to decide who they believe the murderer is.
10. Results of the top 4 suspects are posted on the board every 5 chapters.

Assessment:

Formative:
Students discuss the answers to the discussion questions as a class. Any confusion is
cleared up through further discussion of characters and plot.

Summative:
Completion of discussion questions
Edmodo Quiz

Differentiation:
Listening to tape recording or read at students own pace
Class discussion of questions
Edmodo or hard copy quiz
Written responses
Visual: Movie shown at the end of the novel

Accommodations:
Tape recording of The Westing Game for students of all reading levels to follow along.
Discussion questions are done as a class. Students are given time to copy down answers.
Students are able to take a hard copy version of the quiz instead of using Edmodo.
All students have the opportunity to have their quiz read aloud to them.