Science Fair Mystery Summer Camp Kit

Science Fair Mystery Summer Camp Kit

• Grades: 6-7
• Number of Students: 30 (in groups of 2-4)
• Number of Lessons: 12
• Hours of Content: 12-15
  

Highlights:

Step into the captivating world of forensic science with The Science Fair Mystery, a thrilling twelve-lesson course tailor-made for sixth and seventh-grade students. Unlock the secrets of crime scene investigation and ignite your student's scientific curiosity while embarking on a journey to crack the case surrounding the annual science fair at Einstein Academy.

Community Learning courses are a dynamic force, igniting the imagination of young minds and nurturing youthful curiosity across the country for countless years. Thematic integration coupled with prolonged, hands-on engagement is the cornerstone of every Community Learning experience. 

Curriculum and Lesson Topics:

The Science Fair Mystery allows your students to delve into the riveting world of forensic science, where biology, chemistry, physics, and cutting-edge technology converge. This educational adventure is an opportunity to explore the practical applications of science within the confines of your classroom. Elevate your students' learning experience by embracing the multifaceted world of forensic science––the perfect addition to any science curriculum.

Course Outline

The Science Fair Mystery comprises 12 lessons, designed each to take approximately one hour, for a class of 30 students. Your class size and ability level will determine the ultimate pace for the materials.

Lesson 1 - Time Will Tell: Creating Timelines and Sketching the Crime Scene
Students will learn to develop timelines and create rough sketches to represent the crime scenes. The lesson concludes by identifying suspects based on motive for ruining classmates' projects.

Lesson 2 - The Magic of Iodine: Unveiling Hidden Palm Prints
This lesson centers around the iodine-fuming method used to reveal hidden palm prints. Students will identify palm print patterns and analyze a print discovered at the crime scene.

Lesson 3 - Impressions Unleashed: Examining the Language of Tool Marks
Students will discover how investigators match impressions to the tools used in a crime. The lesson involves creating clay impressions, allowing students to identify the unique characteristics of tools left at the crime scene.

Lesson 4 - Hot Tips: The Chemistry of Flame Test Powder
Introduce students to the safe and effective use of the flame test method for identifying powders found at the crime scene. Students will learn how to examine the properties of different powder samples and accurately record their findings.

Lesson 5 - Witness Chronicles: Unlocking Clues through Observation
The lesson focuses on proper techniques when interviewing witnesses, such as the difference between open-ended and closed-ended questions. Students will read through witness statements and practice investigative questioning techniques.

Lesson 6 - Skidding Away: Tracking Mysteries in Skid Marks
Students will learn to tell the difference between tire tread and skid marks. The lesson focuses on analyzing skid marks to determine the type of transportation used in a crime, making it easier to unravel mysteries through tire evidence.

Lesson 7 - Glass Puzzles: Assembling Clues from Shattered Fragments
Dive into the science of glass refraction and its forensic applications. Analyze different types of glass and their refractive index while identifying the glass found at a crime scene.

Lesson 8 - The Print Detective: Dusting for Fingerprints and Patterns
Discover an alternative method for revealing latent prints using UV light. Students become print detectives through a hands-on search for fingerprints in their own classroom.

Lesson 9 - Student Stories: Following Hunches in Their Biographies
This lesson focuses on teaching students how to identify clues and relevant information about suspects while also learning that not all evidence immediately points to the correct suspect.

Lesson 10 - Fingerprint Frenzy: The Art of Dusting for Prints
Learn how to extract latent fingerprints from different surfaces and identify three common patterns found in fingerprints. Students will use this knowledge to analyze fingerprints found at the crime scene.

Lesson 11 - Interrogation Investigation: Role-Playing as Suspect Investigators
Students will practice their skills role-playing as suspect investigators and master the art of interrogation while reading body language.

Lesson 12 - Identifying the Culprit: The Thrilling Conclusion
Analyze each suspect's "Means, Motive, and Opportunity” and determine who sabotaged the science fair!

Standards Alignment:

The lessons and activities are meticulously crafted to fulfill the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This course also satisfies the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics, English Language Arts, and Literacy, offering a holistic educational foundation for your students. For an in-depth exploration of these standards, refer to the comprehensive Standards Matrix in the appendix.

What's Included:

Packed and labeled, each supply item and tools needed to solve the mystery in a organized in a way that makes the course easy to teach again and again.

The Science Fair Mystery Summer Camp Kit Includes: