The Outcome is Grimm… But Fun!

Use this exciting activity, inspired by elements of the fairy tale Snow White, to step into role and creatively solve a mystery!

1. Step in role as the Mirror. Tell students that they’re all going to engage in a classic whodunit mystery—and it’s gonna be a scream! Tell them that you’re going to reconstruct the scene of the crime, inspired by Snow White, and give the Grimm ending a comedic twist.
2. First, offer students a setup: “It’s lunch period, around 12:15 pm, and over the lunchtime hustle and bustle, a scream echoes from the science lab. Moments later, Mr. Grimmsby, a curmudgeonly old science teacher, stomps down the hallway and shouts, ‘My lab has been robbed! My Bunsen burners and beakers, funnels, goggles, stirring rods and every formaldehyde-soaked froggy ripe for dissection have been pilfered! But the robbers were sloppy. They left clues...and I’m going to use them get to the bottom of this!’ Items found at the scene of the crime, which could lead us all to the robber, were a corset, a comb and an apple! Because nobody knows who committed the robbery, everyone in the room is a suspect.”
3. Place students into three groups, assigning each group a “suspect character,” each one representing the items left at the crime scene. Hand each group a card* with an image of their corresponding item — corset, comb or apple — on one side and their name, a smattering of clues, possible motives and alibis to help them discuss the crime on the other side.
4. Still in role as the Mirror, guide each group through a deeper discussion about their characters, and imagine, given their status and experience with Mr. Grimmsby, how they would reconstruct the day of the crime, moment by moment, and prove that they are innocent. Ask questions like: How did you know the victim? Given your past with Grimmsby, what emotions do you feel knowing he was robbed? Where were you before and after the robbery? Give groups time to plot out their version of the fateful day.
5. Next, let students know that they’re going to create a short theater piece that uses dialogue, dance and music to recreate the day of the robbery, ending in a musical number focused solely on their alibi—they’ve gotta sell it! Everyone in each group must have an active role (acting in character, being observers/bystanders, narrators, directors, or even “props” or creating sound effects).
6. Invite groups to perform their reenactments. After each group (or suspect) has said (or sung) their piece, hold a brief “whodunit” moment—during which each group has 30 seconds to choose the real suspect. Still in role as the Mirror, based on information gathered from their performances, it’s your job to decide who the real robber is!

*Character cards can be found on the second page of the downloadable version of this activity.

Reflection Questions:

• What was interesting or challenging about this activity?
• How did your group come up with your reenactment of the robbery?
• What clues helped you form your group’s theory about the robbery?