Forensic Science
A crime has been committed. The class has to solve it.
- Key stages
- KS1 - KS2
- Session length
- 45 - 60 minutes
- Group size
- One class at a time
- Formats
- Up to 6 sessions a day
About this workshop
The context of a scientific investigation brings science to life. In this workshop children practise the skills that matter most - observing, exploring and asking questions - because they need them to get an answer.
A crime has been committed and the class must work together to piece the evidence together. Choose Dognapped, where the prize pooch has vanished on the day of the dog show, or Stolen Money, where someone has broken into the school safe and taken the cake sale takings.
Young investigators tape off the area to protect the scene, then identify, collect, interpret and analyse the evidence: fingerprints, impressions, hairs and fibres, "blood", bones and DNA. Can your class solve the mystery?
How the session runs
What happens in the 45 minutes
- 01
The crime scene
The investigation begins at a safe that has been broken into, with objects left inside it and on the floor nearby. A footprint has been left in the sand beside it. The children observe the scene carefully and decide for themselves which objects could provide useful evidence.
- 02
Collecting evidence
The children learn how forensic investigators collect evidence without damaging or contaminating it. They use tweezers to pick up smaller items and place evidence into separate evidence bags. Magnifying glasses are used to examine objects and identify details that might otherwise be difficult to see, and crime scene tape marks out and protects the area.
- 03
Fingerprints
Fingerprints are unique patterns found on the ends of people's fingers. Investigators can compare fingerprints found at a crime scene with fingerprints belonging to suspects. The children examine the fingerprint evidence on the suspect board and compare it with the fingerprints found during their investigation.
- 04
Footprints and identification
Footprints are useful evidence because the pattern and characteristics of a person's footwear can be compared with prints found at a scene. The children investigate the footprint left in the sand and compare it with the information provided for each suspect. Other identification evidence, such as an ID card, gives them further clues.
- 05
DNA evidence
DNA is genetic material found in the cells of living things, and small amounts can sometimes be recovered from objects a person has touched or used. One item at the scene carries DNA evidence. If the children request a DNA test, they can use the results to eliminate suspects and narrow down who may have committed the crime.
- 06
Solving the crime
The children bring together the evidence they have collected and compare it with the information on the suspect board. They consider the fingerprints, footprints, identification and DNA evidence together rather than relying on one clue, and by eliminating suspects they establish who was responsible.
What pupils will learn
The science they take away
Every session is built backwards from the curriculum objectives your teachers are already working to.
- 01How to observe closely and record what is actually there, not what they expect
- 02That fingerprints are unique, and how they are lifted and compared
- 03How fibres, hairs and impressions place a person at a scene
- 04The difference between evidence and assumption
- 05How to work as a team where each member holds part of the answer
- 06How scientific reasoning is used in real jobs outside school
Curriculum links
What this covers in the National Curriculum
Science - Working scientifically / Forensic science
- Understand that forensic science is used to investigate crimes and identify people responsible for committing them.
- Understand that evidence collected from a crime scene can be used to establish what has happened.
- Recognise that fingerprints are unique and can be used to identify individuals.
- Understand that footprints can provide useful information about a person and can be compared with known footprints.
- Understand that DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) can be found on objects and can be used to identify or eliminate suspects.
- Understand that identification documents and other objects can provide important clues during an investigation.
- Understand why evidence must be collected carefully to prevent contamination or loss.
- Recognise the importance of working systematically when investigating a crime scene.
- Understand how forensic scientists use evidence to reach conclusions rather than simply making guesses.
- Develop observation and attention-to-detail skills by carefully examining a crime scene.
- Use magnifying glasses and tweezers to investigate and collect evidence.
- Understand why evidence should be placed in evidence bags and kept separate from other items.
- Work collaboratively as part of a team to investigate a crime.
- Compare fingerprints, footprints and DNA evidence with information about different suspects.
- Use evidence to eliminate suspects and identify the person responsible for the crime.
- Develop scientific questioning, reasoning and problem-solving skills by making predictions and drawing conclusions from evidence.
- Explain how different pieces of evidence can be combined to provide stronger evidence for a conclusion.
Key vocabulary
The words pupils will use
These are the scientific terms our facilitator uses during the session, so you can introduce them beforehand or pick them up again in follow-up lessons.
- Forensic science
- forensic scientist
- crime
- crime scene
- evidence
- investigation
- investigator
- suspect
- fingerprint
- footprint
- DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acide)
- identification
- contamination
- evidence bag
- tweezers
- magnifying glass
- crime scene tape
- DNA test
- sample
- comparison
- clue
- observation
- conclusion
- eliminate
- analyse
- examine
- collect
- suspect
- thief
- safe
- wallet
- ID card
- tissue
- handkerchief
- moon sand
- contamination
- scientific investigation
- teamwork
- deduction
In your school
Nobody names a suspect until the evidence says so. That is science.
Logistics
What we bring, what you need
We bring
- A complete crime scene, including tape, markers and staged evidence
- Fingerprint kits, casting materials and analysis equipment
- A DBS-checked facilitator to lead every session
- Case files and suspect profiles for the whole class
You provide
- A classroom or hall that can be set up as the scene
- Tables for the analysis stage
- A member of school staff present in each session
Questions schools ask
Before you book
- Is the crime scene frightening for younger children?
- No. The scenarios are deliberately light - a missing show dog or a raided cake-sale tin - and there is never a victim.
- Which storyline should we choose?
- Dognapped suits KS1 and lower KS2, Stolen Money works well with Years 5 and 6. Tell us when you book.
- Is the "blood" going to stain?
- It is a washable substitute and is handled at the bench, not sprayed around the room.
- Can we run it for the whole school?
- Yes. Six sessions in a day covers a one-form-entry school.
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