Using Evidence to Figure Out What Happened

Hi there! I am Justice, and I love figuring out what is true. Here is a big idea: when something happens and we need to decide what really occurred, we cannot just go with our gut feeling or believe whoever talks the loudest. That would not be fair. Instead, we look for **evidence**. Evidence is any fact, object, or clue that helps us understand what actually happened. Think of it like being a detective. If someone says the last piece of cake disappeared, you might look for crumbs on a plate, a chocolate smear on someone's face, or a fork left behind. Those are all pieces of evidence. Evidence is different from a guess. A guess is when we say 'I think Maya took it' just because we feel like it — with nothing to back it up. Evidence is when we say 'There are crumbs on Maya's sleeve and the plate was near her seat.' Now we have real clues! In courts of law — the places where important decisions about fairness are made — nobody is allowed to say someone did something wrong unless there is actual evidence. That rule protects everybody, including you. Without evidence, anyone could accuse anyone of anything, and that would be very unfair to everyone. Here is a helpful hint: ask yourself two questions every time. First, 'What do I actually know for sure?' Second, 'What am I only guessing?' Evidence answers the first question. Guesses only answer the second.