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.

“Swan Song: Alternate Conclusion”

In this activity, students use clues from And Then There Were None to write an alternate ending and motive for the events that transpire .

Of the ten people in the house, the characters concluded that “Mr. Owens” had to be one of them. Select an alternate character as Mr. Owens and describe the motives and clues in the novel that point to their guilt and how they did it. Use media, such as a slideshow, to present your character as the killer in the novel. The ending does not have to be the same (for example, the final character does not have to commit suicide), but it should be convincing enough that the audience feels your reasoning is justified.

• How is the character connected to the other characters, even though he/she does not know them?
• What is your character’s motive for committing the murders on Soldier Island?
• What clues would lead the reader to believe the character you chose is a legitimate choice?
• How is your character wealthy enough that he/she owns the island?
• Does the poem of the soldiers hold any significance for this character?
• How will you make use of red herrings?
• What is the resolution of the novel?