TEACHER HELPFUL HINTS AND MATERIALS LIST FOR FORENSIC
ACTIVITY
Crime Scene Details
Have a friend lie down on the floor of your classroom and outline the body using duct tape.
Mark off the area using wide yellow tape (Crime Scene--Do Not Cross This Line)
Police Tape if possible)
Evidence:
Use ziplock bags. Put a wide self-stick label on each bag. Label the bag Exhibit---.
If you have 6 groups per class you will need 6 sets of each exhibit.
Hair Analysis Lab:
Source of Hair-your own, friends or family members, go to hair salon and get cuttings
of different colors and types, should match description of deceased and suspects.
Exhibits A, C and X
Animal Hair-cat or dog hair for Exhibit B
Hair of guilty suspect in Exhibit B
Compound microscopes
Tweezers
Slides and Cover slips
Blood Lab
Use ABO Blood Simutype Kit Kemtec No. 3-400 available from Fisher.
CHS 19316, $15.90 has enough simulated blood and antiserum for 50 students.
Label one vial exhibit D (crime scene) and same vial F or G (guilty suspect)
Exhibit E should be type A blood (deceased)
Exhibit F or G will be innocent suspect
Have container to dispose of toothpicks at the station as well as dishpan for used
slides.
Microscope slides--4 per group
Toothpicks, yellow and blue (contained in kit)
Anti-A antiserum and Anti-B antiserum (contained in kit)
Ink Chromatography Lab
3 felt pens of different brands, all black ink-Exhibits J, K and L
4 test tubes per group
test tube rack
wax marking pencil
chromatography paper cut in narrow strips, about 6 inches long
Note from crime scene cut up, written with same pen as found with guilty suspect
DNA Fingerprinting Lab
I use the PCR Forensics Simulation Kit, available from Carolina Biological Supply
for $84.95. Each kit contains enough materials for 6 groups of students or six separate
demonstrations.
Equipment needed but not provided includes gel electrophoresis chamber, power
supply and white light source, hot plate or microwave, beakers, distilled water
Be sure to label "evidence" DNA Exhibit M, suspect 1 Exhibit N and suspect 2
Exhibit O
Exhibit P-wallet and contents of pocket
Old wallet (thrift store), ATM slip (needs to have date and time altered to fit case),
driver's license (I cut out a picture of a man from a newspaper, place on square of
cardboard, type in information like our state license and laminate), keys on ring