Lesson Plan

Detective Decision Plan

Students will act as detectives to gather and analyze clues before making decisions, completing a mystery-themed investigation and reflection to practice responsible decision-making.

Learning to seek and weigh information helps students make thoughtful choices in everyday situations, building critical thinking and social-emotional skills aligned with CASEL’s responsible decision-making competency.

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Detective Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up

5 minutes

Step 2

Introduction

10 minutes

Step 3

Clue Hunt Activity

20 minutes

Step 4

Group Debrief

10 minutes

Step 5

Cool-Down

5 minutes

Slide Deck

Welcome, Decision Detectives!

Welcome students and introduce our mystery theme. Explain that they are junior detectives on a special mission.

The Case of the Missing Toy

Hook: Tell a short story about a missing toy at school. Encourage students to imagine being a detective.

Learning Objectives

Present the lesson goals and link to CASEL’s responsible decision-making skill.

What Does a Detective Do?

Discuss what detectives do. Show a fun detective cartoon if desired.

Clue Example 1: Footprint

Show a simple visual clue (e.g., a footprint) and talk through what it might tell us.

Clue Example 2: Ruffled Ribbon

Show a second clue like a piece of colorful ribbon. Guide students to think about its origin.

Evaluating Clues

Explain how to judge clues, highlighting reliability and relevance.

Your Mission: Clue Hunt

Explain the upcoming activity. Point to the link for Clue Hunt Activity.

Using the Evidence Organizer

Show an example of a filled‐in organizer. Encourage students to note clue description and meaning.

Reflection Questions

Prepare students for reflection after the hunt. Encourage them to think about the process.

Lesson Plan

Detective Decision Plan

Audience

Time

Approach

Materials

Prep

Prepare Detective Materials

Step 1

Warm-Up

Step 2

Introduction

Step 3

Clue Hunt Activity

Step 4

Group Debrief

Step 5

Cool-Down

Slide Deck

Welcome, Decision Detectives!

The Case of the Missing Toy

Learning Objectives

What Does a Detective Do?

Clue Example 1: Footprint

Clue Example 2: Ruffled Ribbon

Evaluating Clues

Your Mission: Clue Hunt

Using the Evidence Organizer

Reflection Questions

Activity

Worksheet

Discussion

Decision Detective

Tammy Young (The Thalassophile Teacher)