Witness for the Prosecution

Use these activities to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

When Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction

In this activity, students select a real-life podcast to adapt into a piece of crime fiction.

Listen to "Confessions" from the podcast This American Life or another podcast suggested by your teacher. The central stories explored in the podcast navigate the difficulty of language, crime, confession, and punishment. Central to a mystery story is the language that twists the truth until discerning fact from fiction is elusive at best. Choose one of the stories in this podcast, break down the facts of the story, then turn the story into fiction!

• Understand the facts: What crime was committed? Who did it? Who was involved in solving the crime? What ripple effect did this crime and punishment have on the community? What questions are still unresolved in this case?
• Your crime fiction might take the form of a traditional short story, but consider these or other fiction outlets as well: a play, filmed mini-movie, comic book, or narrative poem.

Teaching Suggestion: After individuals prepare their pieces of writing, students might work together to present their different crime fictions to the class.