Science Fair Mystery: A Deceitful Display Adventure Summer Camp Kit

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.

Crime Scenario

The course is centered around a crime that unfolds in Mr. Phillips's science classroom just weeks before the much-anticipated annual science fair at Einstein Academy. Every year, a first-, second-, and third-place winner is named, and Mr. Philips will give a letter grade increase to the student who wins first place. The mystery begins when Mr. Phillips arrives at school one fateful morning and discovers a classroom infested with fruit flies. Sofia's science fair project has been sabotaged! Mysterious events keep happening throughout the week as more student projects are targeted, and the need to solve the mystery becomes more dire. Your students are about to become forensic investigators as they meticulously analyze evidence, conduct interviews, sharpen their observational skills, and narrow the list of suspects using their newfound expertise. 

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!

Review a Lesson Sample!

What's Included?

Instructor’s Guide 

Every step is taken to provide an easy-to-follow format and informative, fun-to-read instructions for each lesson. In addition to a brief listing of objectives, materials, and set-up procedures, useful icons point the instructor to a number of key elements:

Notes for the Instructor: Brief instructor notes introduce the subject matter and challenges presented in the particular lesson. They often contain real-life, age-appropriate examples from crime in history or popular culture. 

Notes for the Students: These notes “set the stage” for each lesson by presenting brief material to read, listen to, and discuss.

Vocabulary: New and relevant terms are defined here. Note, too, the comprehensive “Glossary” at the end of the Instructor’s Guide and Student Books.

Activity Description: Here, step-by-step procedures are provided for both the instructor’s demonstration and the student’s immersion in the activity.

Wrap-up: Discussion-provoking questions and summary-type activities are designed to revisit the day’s learning and help students investigate further.

Clean-up: Clear instruction on preserving and storing materials is provided to ensure kit longevity and cost-effectiveness.

Other Destinations: To extend lessons and deepen understanding across disciplinary and cultural divides, relevant links to multimedia, web resources, and fun at-home or extension activities are provided here.

Supplies

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:

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