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Read Chapters 16-20; Complete Student Packet Worksheets for Chapters 16-20

Introduce students to palmistry. Explain to students that it is said that Alexander the Great, an ancient Greek conqueror and ruler, believed in palmistry and would closely examine all of the palms of his officers for evidence of good character and to predict who might betray him. Tell students that some people still think you can predict the future by looking at your palms. Show students how to identify their lifeline on their palms (the curved line around the thumb) and let them compare their lifeline with their neighbors’. Ask: "Do you think you can tell your fate by just turning over your palm? Explain. What do you think you need to make a good prediction about someone’s life or future?"

Explain that some people make predictions by using on the lines on their palms; these are often weak predictions because they are not really based on anything. Detectives make predictions based on facts and evidence connected to a mystery; these are often strong predictions.

will explain that, like a detective, good readers try to predict a mystery’s solution based on facts and evidence. To solve the mystery, I will synthesize, or combine clues and character motives to predict the outcome of the story. To predict the outcome of the story, I will need to review the questions and mysteries that I charted in Lesson 1 (Figuring Out the Mystery in a Mystery). I will make a prediction about the possible outcome of the mystery, “Who killed Sam Westing?” by using my Clue Tracker from Lesson 3 and my Suspects Chart from Lesson 2.

I will draw a conclusion about Sydelle Pulaski. One clue on my Suspects Chart says that she limps. A clue on my Clue Tracker says Chris Theodorakis saw someone limp into the Westing mansion. By using all the information I have learned form the book, I can make a strong prediction—I can predict that Sydelle Pulaski could have committed the crime. I will record my prediction on chart paper and title this list “Predictions.”

Ask: "What do you need to do to make a strong prediction about the solution of a mystery?" Students should respond that you should look at facts, evidence, clues, and possible character motivation to make a strong prediction.

will look at additional mysteries identified in Lesson 1 in order to make a prediction about their solutions. We will answer the question, “Who is the bomber?” To make a prediction about who the bomber is, we will review clues noted on our Clue Tracker (from Lesson 3) and we will find the character motivations we identified and recorded on our Suspects Chart (from Lesson 2). For example, Turtle sells candles. She could have used the candles to create a bomb. Her motive to create the bombs could have been to throw the other heirs off the trail of the real suspect. We will match the clues with the suspects and their motives. We will then make a prediction for the outcome of the mystery and record our prediction on the Predictions Chart that we started during the Direct Teaching. We will return to our prediction when we are finished reading the book to check if it was correct. Note: Keep the Predictions Chart for use with Lesson 5.

will use your Clue Tracker Worksheet (from Lesson 3) and Suspects Chart (from Lesson 2) to answer the questions on the Predictions Worksheet. (See page 27 in the Student Packet.)

will discuss our predictions. Encourage students to ask questions about the predictions. For example, "Why did you choose this person? What led you to make this conclusion? Which clues or motivations were strongest in predicting the solution?" We will vote as a class for our one final prediction by writing our final prediction on our Predictions Chart that we started in the Direct Teaching, and raising our hands when our prediction is called out. The prediction with the most votes will be the final prediction for the class, and we will write the class final prediction on chart paper. When we are finished reading The Westing Game, we will return to this prediction to see if it matches up with the final outcome of the story.