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the evidence lab · unit 02 · Case File 02

Follow the Evidence

Watergate and “Paul is dead” begin with clues. Only one builds a chain of proof.

essential question

What separates a real investigation from a pile of interesting coincidences?

mission 01 · +40 XP

The 4-minute briefing

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The textbook-sized gap, closed without the textbook-sized reading.

The Watergate burglary looked small until reporters, investigators, judges, and Congress followed money, testimony, records, and attempts to obstruct the case. Anonymous source “Deep Throat” helped guide reporting, but the published case did not rest on his authority alone. Court filings, public testimony, financial records, and finally White House tapes corroborated the core story.

The “Paul is dead” rumor also invited people to collect clues: reversed sounds, album art, license plates, and ambiguous lyrics. The more fans searched, the more patterns they found, but the theory never developed reliable evidence for its central claim. Comparing the cases reveals the difference between a chain—where evidence connects and independently confirms—and a collage, where clues accumulate without becoming proof.

3 ideas that unlock the unit

01

Follow the chain

Strong investigations document how one fact leads to the next. Weak ones leap from suggestive details to a predetermined conclusion.

02

Anonymous does not mean uncheckable

Responsible reporters verify access, seek documents, use multiple sources, and publish what can be supported rather than asking readers to trust a secret name.

03

Patterns are invitations, not verdicts

Humans are excellent at finding meaning. A pattern matters only when it predicts or explains evidence better than coincidence does.

mission 02 · +60 XP

Chronology scramble

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Put all 4 events in order. Choose 1 for earliest and 4 for latest.

review the completed timeline
  1. 1969 · “Paul is dead” rumor spreadsCollege newspapers and radio amplify a fan theory built from supposed clues.
  2. 1972 · Watergate burglaryFive men are arrested inside Democratic Party offices in Washington.
  3. 1973 · Senate hearings and tapesPublic testimony reveals a White House recording system and a wider cover-up.
  4. 1974 · Nixon resignsTape evidence destroys remaining support and the president leaves office.
mission 03 · +40 XP

Flip deck

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Tap each term to reveal the plain-English meaning. Review all 4 cards to clear the mission.

mission 04 · +50 XP

You make the call

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scenario

A confidential source makes a serious accusation against a powerful official but provides no document you can publish yet.

When is the story ready?

Choose a move to see what it reveals. Historical decisions rarely come with perfect options.
mission 05 · +100 XP

Boss battle

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Three open-practice questions. Score 2 out of 3 to clear the boss. You can retry; graded work stays in Google Classroom.

1Which event happened first?

2Which term matches this definition: “A source whose identity is withheld from the audience, though responsible reporters still know and evaluate it.”

3Which claim best captures this unit?

mission 06 · +30 XP

Exit ticket

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What separates a real investigation from a pile of interesting coincidences?
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