Case of the Missing Music
Imagine this…Tuesday morning you arrive at school and notice yellow crime scene tape sealing off the Sound Sanctuary (music room). You are curious, you look through the narrow window and are shocked to see precious music materials thrown on the floor! That afternoon your Chief Detective invites you and the Acton forensics team to explore the scene in hopes of solving the Case of the Missing Music. The Chief shares, “This morning the Sound Sanctuary was found in disarray. Suspicious fingerprints are all over the piano, materials have been thrown on the floor, and important piano practice books for the Piano 1 & 2 badges are missing!” The Chief asks for your expert deductive skills to help solve the case. So, you and your partner put on your blue gloves, grab your magnify glass, pencil and notebook, and carefully get to work exploring every inch of the crime scene.
This week, the Case of the Missing Music was thrilling, chilling, and still remains unsolved! The start of the Detective Quest journey has proven to be a success as evidence shows learners remaining engaged, suspicious, and deeply committed to their new role of detective. Learners shared “Everyone is a suspect until proven innocent.” This statement was after learners carefully questioned and examined learner and Guide fingerprints, hair strands, and asked for alibis. Guides urged learners to be detailed in their findings. Many found the handwritten ripped to-do list left under the piano bench and quickly went into deductive mode. “It’s got to be an adult, only adults drink coffee.” “These fingerprints are way too big to be a kids.” “Maybe the criminal is here at school or maybe someone broke in!” “There’s no sign of broken glass so I think a robber is out of the question.” As learners continued the search they even gave the postal worker delivering a package quite accusatory looks and one announced “Another suspect!”
This Quest is fun and a little playful mystery goes a long way! Quests are designed with sequencing in mind. Learning isn’t just a drive through it is a long road trip with memories that hopefully retain. What’s special is that we’ve designed this Quest to follow Session 2’s Debate Quest which was full of reasoning and evidence. If you remember, learners explored logic and critical thinking not only as they built their arguments but also their court case defense and prosecution. With this Session 4 forensics journey learners now build on Session 2’s knowledge and add biology! This is the beauty of our learning design. Memorized facts and tests are not important, experiences are essential. Learning to do paves the way for learning to know.
Our hope is that after learners master their deductive reasoning and lab skills in this Quest they will lay the ground work for further science exploration in Session 6’s Marine Science Quest. Think water testing, dissection, and more!
For now, as you support your learner’s detective journey I encourage you to pose clues or perhaps approach home life, especially those pet or sibling messes, with Sherlock Holmes energy. Perhaps pose to your child “I observe there are clothes on the floor. What clues do these clothes tell us?”
Curious clues are everywhere! If your learner is a bit more tight-lipped about their Acton daily experience, put on your imaginary tweed deerstalker hat and look for clues. Or, make it a game and try asking your learner for 3 clues to their daily case of happenings. The thrill of you deducing their day might be all they need to share. In the words of fictional hero Sherlock Holmes “The game is afoot!”