Food Forensics: A Case of Mistaken Identity

It's a classic case of whodunnit - with a forensic twist! Learners observe a crime scene and compile evidence, along with emergency phone calls, fingerprints, and interview statements to find the criminal and solve the crime.

Crime scene investigators practice collecting fingerprints off of surfaces in order to compare them to an imaginary crime suspect's prints. Instructions for using graphite powder and a Zephyr brush to collect the evidence are outlined....

Someone stole a diamond-making machine. Who done it? Scholars use forensic science at six different stations to determine the culprit. They analyze fingerprints, use their senses, and complete chemistry experiments to determine the...

Why do medical examiners always state the contents of a person's stomach? Scholars learn about the importance of macromolecules through a case study of stomach contents. They perform multiple tests to determine a conclusion before they...

Young scholars develop an experiment to test a hypothesis. They use their knowledge of antigen-antibody specificity to develop a hypothesis. Students articulate that the antibody-antigen specificity is one part of the immune system. They...

Freddy's Friendly Fruit Market is under attack by fruit flies, and it is up to your aspiring biologists to solve the crime! By reading and analyzing the phenotypes, detectives determine which fly is responsible. This memorable assignment...

Ever wonder how they solve those mysterious murders in TV crime dramas? The second of four units in a Biotechnology series introduces scholars to the many methods of DNA analysis. Pupils create and run their own gel electrophoresis...

Students research how mitochondrial DNA is used in determining familial relationships. They complete a worksheet in which they attempt to help solve the identity of bones found in Africa.

Students explain the value of blood in trials.  In this DNA activity students work together to collect and share information and ideas that they come up with after learning how to distinguish blood from other stains.