Progressive Detective

This worksheet engages students in Grades 6, 7, and 8 through historical problem-solving, reading comprehension, evidence analysis, and reform-era reasoning as they investigate Progressive Era “mystery files.” By analyzing short scenarios that describe social, political, or economic problems, learners determine which reformer or reform law addressed each issue, strengthening their understanding of how individuals and government actions shaped change during the Progressive Era.

Skills Reinforced

• Reformers & Reforms (Grades 6-8) – Match key figures and laws, including Upton Sinclair, Ida Tarbell, Jane Addams, and Theodore Roosevelt, to specific reform efforts
• Evidence-Based Reasoning – Analyze clues from short scenarios to identify accurate historical solutions
• Reading Comprehension – Interpret informational text written in a problem-based format
• Historical Understanding – Explain how Progressive Era challenges led to targeted reforms

Instructional Benefits

• Teacher-Created Resource – Designed by educators to align with middle school social studies and ELA standards
• Engaging Mystery Format – Motivates students through investigation and logical deduction
• Critical Thinking Focus – Requires students to connect problems, evidence, and historical responses
• Flexible Use – Ideal for classwork, group activities, review, assessments, or homeschool lessons
• Accessible Structure – Clear scenarios support independent and guided learning

This Progressive Detective worksheet helps students deepen their understanding of the Progressive Era by actively connecting reform problems to the people and laws that addressed them. Through close reading, evidence analysis, and historical reasoning, learners build stronger comprehension of reform efforts and their lasting impact. It’s a no-prep, high-engagement resource for classroom and homeschool settings focused on meaningful exploration of U.S. history.

This worksheet is part of our Progressive Era and Reform Movements Worksheets collection.