Crime Scene Investigation Mystery- Teaching the Scientific Method with Inquiry

Included in this lesson is a 9 day unit plan, instructions for all the experiments and activities, and packet for a crime scene investigation. You will receive a PDF download which includes the teacher notes/lessons plans as well as the student packets. This is a highly authentic and engaging unit- it's designed so that you are able to teach the scientific method using real world and inquiry based application. It's easy to follow, and amazingly fun.

Sally Scarecrow has suffered a deadly hiccup attack at the hands of a teacher in the building. Student detectives spent the first day in detective school brushing up on content vocabulary, reviewing our suspect list, making predictions and observing the crime scene from a far. Over the next several days you will ask questions, compose experiments testing the cola from the crime scene for poison with litmus juice, dusting for finger prints, analyzing handwriting and more. We concluded our CSI by drafting a composite sketch of who we thought the culprit was, serving the culprit with an arrest warrant and reading her/him their Miranda Rights. Students will love solving the mystery of Sally Scarecrow! This is a great back to school or end of the year activity. There is not a better or more applicable way to teach students about the Scientific Method. The report portion of the packet can be used as the assessment component of the unit and includes a rubric. It covers everything!

Materials needed:

Iodine

Red Cabbage

Soda

Pitchers

Clear cups

Masking tape

Corn Starch

Baking soda

Cocoa powder