Activity

DNA Detectives

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Police find a man murdered in a local hotel, DNA everywhere, and now they need scholars' help. Budding detectives step into a crime scene playing the roles of victim, suspects, and investigators. They apply knowledge of criminology and DNA matching to determine the guilty party and make an arrest.

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CCSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Use a doll as the body instead of a pupil, so everyone participates in the science aspect (rather than having one just lying on the floor)
  • Extend the discussion to include the genetic profile databases such as 23&Me, Ancestry.com, and others
Classroom Considerations
  • Relies on prior knowledge of DNA, databases, and forensics
Pros
  • Provides everything needed to complete the simulation without requiring lab materials
  • Includes ethical discussion questions and possible answers
Cons
  • None