The Westing Game

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

“Design Your Own Westing Game”

In this activity, students will create a short story or short activity using the elements of mystery from The Westing Game.

Raskin uses suspicion, mystery, red herrings, and other elements to engage the reader in solving the mystery of  Sam Westing’s death. Use the elements of mystery in The Westing Game to create your own version of the Westing game in the form of a short story or board game. Show parallels between Raskin’s use of mystery elements and your own story; use the Westing game as an inspiration and model for your own game. Consider the questions below in your creation.

• How will you use red herrings and clues to further your mystery?
• How will you create characters who are connected to the crime in some way?
• What is your story’s setting? How does it contribute to the mystery?
• How will you draw your reader to the inevitable conclusion?

Present the premise of your story or coach peers in the playing of your game. Allow members to guess at the resolution of the mystery. Explain the elements you used to mirror the Westing game.

Teaching Suggestion: Students may find it beneficial to review the elements used by Raskin in her novel before beginning. After premise presentations or game play, students might discuss in small groups additional elements mystery they noticed in projects .

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who might benefit from inspiration in creating a game idea, it could be helpful to have several popular board games or other games to share as examples.