Forensic Science Investigation

A who-dunnit circus of activities

Lesson idea. These five lab activities have an investigative slant in a ‘real world’ context and introduce:

• the science topic ’acids and bases’ by measuring the pH of soil found on a crime suspect’s shoe,
• the technique of chromatography, by comparing the ink from a pen at the crime scene with ink owned by a suspect - chromatography is used in work to distinguish between mixtures and compounds,
• human variation by comparing a suspect’s thumbprint with that found at the crime scene - fingerprinting has often been used as a starter, activity for discussing what we inherit from our parents,
• the topic ’acids and bases’ in an activity where pupils measure the acidity of household liquids and classify them accordingly.

Teaching approach. This lesson introduces inquiry^(ta)-based learning through the topic of forensic science. It engages pupils in higher order^(ta) reasoning^(ta) solving a variety of forensic problems.

Resource details
Title	Forensic Science Investigation
Topic
Teaching approach
Learning Objectives	Introducing the idea of acids and bases. Using evidence to support conclusions. Potentially introducing young students to working in a lab with a 'real' purpose.
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Files and resources to view and download	Forensic Science Investigation Lesson Forensic Science Investigation/Lesson Download the lesson here File:Forensic Science Investigation - SC0004.doc
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