Solve It

Solve It! KS2 

Duration: 1.5 hour, max capacity: 30 students 

Students learn about and use a range of exciting forensic techniques including fingerprinting, luminol reaction tests, and microscopic hair analysis, before using their new skills to examine evidence from a crime scene and work in teams to decide whodunnit!

Key Words:

Forensic science, Detection, Crime, Evidence, Laboratory, Fingerprinting, Microscopy.

Learning objectives

Understand that forensics is the application of science to the law.

Understand that there are many different types of evidence.

Recognise that evidence can link an individual to a crime.

Gain practical experience of collecting, processing, and interpreting evidence in a laboratory.

Appreciate the important of conducting a fair test and collecting reliable evidence.

Develop problem-solving and interpretative skills.

Content

Consider what forensic evidence is, where it can be found, and its importance to crime investigations.

Examine footprint evidence.

Analyse hair and fibres using microscopes.

Produce their own fingerprint sheets and collect latent prints using specialist dusting powder.

Test evidence with luminol to look for a chemical reaction that produces light.

Use their new skills to gather data from a crime scene in the venue.

Draw well-argued conclusions based on evidence in order to solve a crime.

Curriculum Links:

Science: Working scientifically 

Asking relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them.

Setting up simple practical experiments.

Making careful observations.

Reporting on findings from enquiries.

Using results to draw simple conclusions.

Using scientific evidence to answer questions or support findings.

Potential Hazards and accessibility

Aluminium dusting powder may aggravate asthma (dust masks are available, or activity can be omitted for individual students if preferred).

Students will use chemical solutions.