Description
Project Based Learning: Solve a Mystery with Scientific Inquiry
This is a science inquiry project where students use the concepts of the scientific method to solve a theft. I created this as a project based learning unit for my third grade students. I would suggest using it with third or fourth grade students. It is a great extension to a scientific inquiry unit!
If you work on the mystery every day, and spend about 45-60 minutes each day, the unit will take you approximately 2 weeks.
INCLUDED:
1. Directions on how to prepare the crime scene and set up the evidence. Pictures are included.
2. Two possible theft scenarios and scripts for the people playing roles in each scenario. For each scenario there are 12 roles (3 suspects and 3 witnesses per suspect). One is called The Case of the Missing Pet(s) and the second is called The Case of the Missing Technology. You can choose to either have your class pet go missing or a piece of technology such as a laptop. (14 pages each)
2. Lesson plans for the following 8 lessons. (26 pages)
Lesson 1: Crime Scene Observations
Lesson 2: Motives
Lesson 3: Suspect Interviews
Lesson 4: Witness Interviews
Lesson 5: Ink Chromatography Lab
Lesson 6: Classifying Shoe prints
Lesson 7: Classifying Fingerprints
Lesson 8: Final Report
3. Student Crime Scene Investigation Journal. This is 18 pages and includes all the student pages that follow the lessons.
*All the files are included as PDFs and also as word documents in the case you want to adjust any of them.
Highlights
Description
Project Based Learning: Solve a Mystery with Scientific Inquiry
This is a science inquiry project where students use the concepts of the scientific method to solve a theft. I created this as a project based learning unit for my third grade students. I would suggest using it with third or fourth grade students. It is a great extension to a scientific inquiry unit!
If you work on the mystery every day, and spend about 45-60 minutes each day, the unit will take you approximately 2 weeks.
INCLUDED:
1. Directions on how to prepare the crime scene and set up the evidence. Pictures are included.
2. Two possible theft scenarios and scripts for the people playing roles in each scenario. For each scenario there are 12 roles (3 suspects and 3 witnesses per suspect). One is called The Case of the Missing Pet(s) and the second is called The Case of the Missing Technology. You can choose to either have your class pet go missing or a piece of technology such as a laptop. (14 pages each)
2. Lesson plans for the following 8 lessons. (26 pages)
Lesson 1: Crime Scene Observations
Lesson 2: Motives
Lesson 3: Suspect Interviews
Lesson 4: Witness Interviews
Lesson 5: Ink Chromatography Lab
Lesson 6: Classifying Shoe prints
Lesson 7: Classifying Fingerprints
Lesson 8: Final Report
3. Student Crime Scene Investigation Journal. This is 18 pages and includes all the student pages that follow the lessons.
*All the files are included as PDFs and also as word documents in the case you want to adjust any of them.
