Mystery Festival Mystery Festival
Imagine walking into your classroom, only it has been transformed into a crime scene. Something has happened here, what it is ain't exactly clear, and it is up to your students to come up with conclusions based on the evidence. Students make and test observations, then use speaking and writing skills to make inferences about what may have happened.
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Crime Lab Chemistry
Crime Lab Chemistry is a GEMS (Great Explorations in Math and Science) activity that introduces fourth- through eighth-graders to paper chromatography. If you have never used any of the GEMS materials, you are in for a treat. This is an exceptionally well written activity book featuring two experiments that help students learn the important science concepts of solubility, pigments, and separation of mixtures while solving a mystery.
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Crime-Solving Science Projects:
Forensic Science Experiments
NSTA Recommends
Grades 5–12
The projects in Crime-Solving Science Projects will definitely be intriguing for middle school students. Students work to develop the database necessary to determine “guilt or innocence” in crime scenarios, just like experts would. As students gather physical evidence, examine documents, and search for clues, they master various techniques for acquiring data. Students learn how to handle forensic evidence from initial contact to analysis. Clear instructions teach students how to protect the integrity of samples and prepare them for study.
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Forensic Detectives
NSTA Recommends
Grades 5–12
Video
Discovery Channel School's three-video set Forensic Detectives is a fascinating collection of true stories presented in the style of mysteries. The viewer can follow along as the actual scientists involved in these investigations demonstrate how evidence was collected and evaluated until, finally, the solution was revealed. "Chemical Detectives," " Archaeological Detectives," and "Forensic Detectives" each contain several 10-20 minute scenarios that are ideally suited to supporting active classroom lessons.
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http://www.nsta.org/recommends/product.asp?id=13316