Using a Murder Mystery Game in History Class to Kick Off the Year

I went into my seventh year of teaching wondering about more authentic ways to foster engagement and cohesion in my high school history classroom. Students frequently face an onslaught of syllabi and expectations at the beginning of the year, leading to early burnout and disengagement. I shifted my routine by implementing a preassessment icebreaker that introduced both the study and skills of history. I had students set out to solve a murder mystery, Body on the Boardwalk, from the “Hunt A Killer” mystery series. It was a tremendous success.

History Class Day 1

Students entered my classroom on day one, already lethargic from the early morning and the mundane routines presented in their other classes. They came with preconceptions of what history courses entailed. They expected syllabi, procedures, and handouts. Some anticipated content and note-taking on day one—a list of the names and dates you typically find in history classes.

But when “Murderer At Large” headlines flashed across the screen, I caught their attention. I started by reading the headline aloud. Then, I explained that we would be working to find the killer by examining evidence. At this point, I used carefully phrased questions and prompts to help students realize that suspects needed motive, means, and opportunity before being accused of the crime. Finally, I explained what evidence students could use in their investigations.

Setup and Implementation 

The successful implementation of a murder mystery game in the classroom requires some preparation and setup. First, you should ensure that you have all of the necessary materials your students will need to be successful. If you purchased a murder mystery package, read the instructions carefully to determine what evidence will be used and how you should prepare.

Make copies of suspect dossiers for each student or group of students, and make copies of evidence when possible. Evidence that cannot be copied, including lock boxes, textiles, and other artifacts, should be placed in a central area where all students have equal access. You should also have a computer and smartphone available—some mysteries require calling numbers or visiting websites. Take a look at my lesson-planning guide for more detailed information. 

Solving whodunits allows students to become private investigators, actively sorting through evidence, re-creating timelines, and deducing motives, means, and opportunities from suspect lists provided by our client. By investigating the evidence and comparing suspects’ alibis and statements, students become active participants in the learning process. This allows them to take ownership of their thinking and skills development.

Our role as teachers also changes from the more traditional dispenser of knowledge to a passive observer, chiming in to offer supplies, learn names, and serve as a sounding board for their theories. In this way, we can carefully assess their interpersonal, investigation, and higher-order-thinking skills.

While my students examined the evidence and offered theories, I took copious notes: Who was actively participating? (Almost everyone.) Who took on leadership roles? (Just a few.) How did their theories evolve? (They became more complex.) Did their timelines match their notes and comments? (Sometimes.) More important, I took that time to preassess their skills—skills that would serve them well as historians in training and easily transfer beyond the confines of the murder mystery and my class.

Murder mysteries compel students to contextualize, periodize, collaborate, and investigate, among other historical and transferable thinking skills, providing an authentic means of determining where our students are in the learning process.

Unpacking the Activity

With some prodding, three of my four classes solved the mystery within two 90-minute class periods. This achievement was a testament to their determination and the effectiveness of the activity. Impressed by their success, I shifted our fledgling community to a classwide discussion, where I read Body on the Boardwalk’s conclusion and congratulated them on their work. This moment of recognition and celebration was crucial in fostering a sense of accomplishment and confidence in their abilities. It also allows students and teachers the opportunity to engage in metacognitive reflection. 

We also discussed why we spent so much time and energy on a game that took valuable class time. I offered just one hint: The game was meant to be more than an icebreaker.

Students offered compelling responses. They realized that by looking at numerous pieces of evidence and contradicting witness and suspect statements, they had to recognize, summarize, infer, assess, validate, disprove, synthesize, and construct theories in the same ways that historians study past events. While sifting through evidence, they had to confront official narratives, forcing themselves to read between the lines. They had to look for bias, point of view, and perspective. They had to “read against the grain” to (re)construct the crime.

In doing all this, they learned that what is missing from the official record often says more than the actual written words.

Conclusion and Reflection

From students to sleuths to historians, my classes had successfully defined the historian’s craft with ease and little teacher input. In end-of-the-semester surveys, I asked students to reflect on their experiences by describing how Body on the Boardwalk challenged their preconceptions and differed from how their other classes began.

Most emphasized their engagement with the process and their classmates. Several pointed out that this was the most robust classroom community of all their classes. One student wrote that the game “let us get to know each other and work together, unlike my other classes where we barely talk to one another.” Another student explained, “Everybody had a different view on a problem and combining multiple peoples’ ideas can lead to solving a problem.” Similarly, another student astutely highlighted, “How there can be multiple different opinions on who the murderer is and when it comes down to actually looking at the clues and figuring things out, you finally solve the mystery.” 

Successfully implementing a murder mystery at the beginning of the year jump-started a flourishing classroom community. On the surface, Body on the Boardwalk provided a means of preassessing students’ readiness and ability levels, introducing historical thinking, and shifting the school experience’s first day. Only after we completed the mystery and reset the classroom did I pass out introductory handouts that covered classroom expectations and routines.