Forensics for Kids!

 Are you planning some elective, summer classes?  Many families do.  Consider forensics.  How can you devise your own class?

1.  Contact the local police station.  Explain you are a teaching a summer forensics class.  Does the local police station have any resources?  For example, could an officer show the kiddos how to fingerprint or map a crime scene?  See if there is information about tours?  Does the station have a simulated crime scene or forensics lab?  Schedule a field trip.  

2. View some videos: Inside the Crime Lab, Kid Science Forensics Lab, 

3.  HST has Learn About Forensics Science, which is a project.  The Science Spot has Forensics Science Lesson Plans, with an outline, slide decks—a year’s worth of materials.  Crime Scene Basics has a good overview.

4.  Fingerprints: Fingerprint Evidence slides have students roll their fingers over a stamp pad on to an index card to examine their fingerprints.  The slide deck explains whorls, loops, and ridge characteristics, too. Here are more fingerprint activities.  

5.  Do the Strawberry DNA Extraction.  DNA Detective has a lesson and video and a Tomato DNA Extraction..

6. Teach Besides Me has Crime Scene Science with handwriting, footprint, and  blood-splatter analysis.  You Be the Crime Scene Investigator has a series of activities.

7. Create your own Blood Typing Lab.  HST’s Blood Typing Science for Kids has good instruction and a simple Blood Compatibility activity with food coloring.

8.  If you teach Chemistry, you may have the materials for CSI Live, which was a family show.  Regardless scroll down to Print Castings; it requires Plaster of Paris.  

9. Host a Mock Crime Scene is a great culminating project.  Have your kiddos plan a crime scene and go through the tests, labs, and investigations.  Study a room and do Forensics Science Experiments with photos. Here are a DIY Crime Scene, How To Set Up A Crime Scene, and The Ultimate Guide.

10.  Have your kiddos keep records, take photos, and create a slide deck summarizing the whole process.  Be sure to add this to your digital portfolio.