Mad Science Camp: CSI, Forensics, and First Responders

My Chem class is going to do this unknown white powder lab this week.  CSI or Crime Scene Investigations are terrific science camp activities.  The last time I did a CSI camp, the kids did this Mystery Powder lab.  (Use this lab for the scientific formulas for common household chemicals.). When we held the CSI camp, we invited a police officer to teach the kids how to map a crime scene and how to test for fingerprints.  Kids can extract DNA,  and test inks with paper chromatography.  If your budget permits, test with simulated blood kit, test for blood types with these cards, or Simulated Hair lab kit.  Our budget for camp is limited.  It is expensive to try to do a week long CSI camp.  Instead, do one morning of CSI as part of a First Responder’s Camp.  Our camp invited EMTs, an ambulance, fire-fighters, nurses, even a doctor from our church. Make suggestions to the first responders.  For example, ask the fire-fighter to demonstrate P.A.S.S. with a fire extinguisher.  Request a tour of the ambulance or fire truck.  Ask them to show how to strap a person to a backboard.  Check to see if the first responder could bring a CPR kit and give basic instructions.  Ask the nurse to explain how to perform a nursing assessment and to administer basic first aid.  Ask what materials are vital in a home first aid kit.  Make simple first aid kits.  Allow plenty of time for each guest.  Make sure to have extra activities on hand.  Some guest speakers need the entire morning; others finish up in thirty minutes.


Here is how I plan a morning with my guest speaker.   When the kids arrive, I have them start two fun anatomy labs: Foot to Height and Wingspan to Height.  How would a crime scene investigator use a foot print to estimate the height of the suspect?  The Wingspan lab is fun, too.  Measure several adults to demonstrate that adult height is related to adult wingspan.  These labs use rulers and meter sticks.  The time period is flexible as you wait for the guest speaker to arrive and set up.  The kids can take their own measurements and those of the other kids and adults.  The labs can take 15--30 minutes.  The lab can be interrupted and continued later in the morning.  Clean-up is quick.

I have several labs and activities planned.  One suggestion is to use a digital microscope with a laptop to look at microscope slides of blood and organs.  Be sure to test the microscope with your laptop and slides in advance.  Give the kids other fun items to look at under the microscope: dollar bill, foreign money, hair microscope slide, bone slide, hair from their arm, skin, etc.  Clean-up is also quick.
 Doesn’t this sound like fun?