Manitoba Education and Early Childhood Learning
Forensic Sciences: A Crime Scene Investigation Unit
Mr. Bergman has been murdered and we need you to solve the crime! The cross-curricular unit covers 11 different types of forensic science and includes 17 activities. Scholars perform blood type analysis, blood spatter analysis, height...
Curated OER
Science in the Court Room
Share their opinions on the use of DNA databases in criminal investigations. After reading an article, they evaluate the pros and cons of the databases and work in groups to answer discussion questions. They write a letter to a state...
Oregon State
Using Paper Chromatography
Through the analysis of paper chromatography to separate ink from the pen found at the crime scene, learners analyze the different stains and through calculations determine the thief.
Cornell University
Plant Cell Crime Scene
Use science to solve the mystery of the Poplar murder. Pupils use forensic botany to determine if a suspect could be the killer. By analyzing images from a Transmission Electron Microscope, learners determine if the material found on the...
Curated OER
Using Plant Pigments to Link a Suspect to a Crime
High schoolers use chromatography to separate plant pigments collected from a fictitious crime scene and suspects. They compare the Rf values of the plant pigments to determine whether the plant pigments found on any of the suspects...
Intel
Forensics: Get a Clue
Although the methods are all scientific, forensic science was started by police officers rather than scientists, who relied on observation and common sense. Young detectives use many tools to solve crimes around the school in a...
ConnectED
Crime Scene Investigation
How exactly does a crime scene investigation work? The resource, a unit on criminology, covers everything from the deductive reasoning skills needed for detectives to DNA fingerprinting, all the way to how to gather evidence and bring...
Lesson Snips
Who Killed the Flowers?
This could be really good, or it could be really bad! The crime to be solved is, "Who went pee in the flowerpot?" Given four imitation urine samples, young chemists or crime scene investigators perform pH, glucose, and turbidity tests to...
Curated OER
Crime Scene Investigation - Biology Teaching Thesis
Students explore the different blood types, and are introduced to new knowledge through a crime scene simulated activity. They explore the genetics of blood types, and are introduced to immunology/diseases.
Center for Technology in Teaching and Learning
CSI: The Experience - Family Forensics
Forensic scientists depend on their observation skills to analyze evidence down to the molecular level. Middle and high schoolers practice making observations and predictions with a series of crime scene activities, which includes a...
Curated OER
Solving Imaginary Crimes
Students participate in a forensic science activity. In this crime solving lesson, students investigate fingerprints, and other crime scene evidence to solve an imaginary crime.
Curated OER
Mock Investigation
Students explore detective investigations. In this introduction to mysteries lesson, students role play eye witnesses and investigators related to a "crime" committed in their classroom. Students collect evidence and record information,...
Curated OER
Life Science: DNA Whodunit?
Students role play an honorary detective to assist in solving a crime committed. They investigate by a bank robbery and interview eyewitnesses using their Crime Investigation Notebook and clues from an eyewitness account from the...
Purdue University
The Case of the Pilfered Pin: A Measurement Inquiry Activity
Who pilfered the pin? Scholars practice measurement skills as they solve the mystery of a stolen pin. They measure length, temperature, and mass and determine which of select suspects committed the crime. During the STEM hands-on...
Curated OER
Crime Scene Documentation
Students become forensic investigators. In this crime scene instructional activity, students go to the science lab which is the "scene of the crime." They collect evidence such as fingerprints, "blood" evidence, chromatography,...
Curated OER
Forensics Crime Lab
Students brainstorm ways to look for evidence and investigate suspects. In this investigative lesson students pretend to be investigators and analyze a crime scene.
Curated OER
Fiber Identification
Lab sheets for three different crime scene investigation activities are tucked into this resource. In the first activity, inquisitors examine a variety of fibers, including the fiber found at "the crime scene," under ultraviolet light....
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
DNA Profiling Activity
Everyone loves a good mystery ... can your class actually solve one? Partnered pupils take on the role of forensic investigators during a three-part activity focusing on DNA evidence processing. Learners discover the methods used to...
Gene Jury
DNA Detectives
Police find a man murdered in a local hotel, DNA everywhere, and now they need scholars' help. Budding detectives step into a crime scene playing the roles of victim, suspects, and investigators. They apply knowledge of criminology and...
Curated OER
Cardiac Arrest! Using Forensics to Investigate Cardiovascular Anatomy and Function
Learners identify the different parts and functions of the cardiovascular system. In this forensics lesson, students collect and analyze evidence on a fictional crime. They describe different causes of cardiac arrest.
Curated OER
Lipstick Chromatography/Ink Chromatography
Junior crime scene investigators are instructed in two different chromatography exercises. For female suspects, they separate and compare lipstick pigments. For male suspects, they separate and compare ink samples. A data sheet is...
Curated OER
Hairy Evidence! Hair Identification
Provide a mystery hair and a set of reference hair samples for middle school investigators to place on a slide and examine under a microscope. Materials and procedures are detailed on the first page, while a data table for drawing what...
Curated OER
Lesson One: Lifting Latent Fingerprints
Crime scene investigators practice collecting fingerprints off of surfaces in order to compare them to an imaginary crime suspect's prints. Instructions for using graphite powder and a Zephyr brush to collect the evidence are outlined....
Curated OER
CSI Interdisciplinary Projects
Work across content areas with an engaging project that highlights higher-level thinking, teamwork, and a STEM focus.