Twin Cities

THIS PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY BEING SCHEDULED.

THIS IS A PARENT-CHILD PROGRAM WHICH MEANS THAT PARENTS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE PROGRAM WITH THEIR KIDS. WE HAVE FOUND THAT PARENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN BOTH ENJOY THE CHANCE TO LEARN ABOUT THIS FASCINATING SUBJECT AND SOLVE MYSTERIES TOGETHER.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE:

Subject 1: Fingerprinting, shoe evidence, tire evidence:

	We will examine fingerprint classification. The students will take their own fingerprints and classify them by type. They will also look for unique marks in their prints which can be used to match prints.
	We will do standard brush and powder fingerprint developing. The students will use fiberglass brushes with a variety of real fingerprint powders to find prints on various surfaces.
	We will work with fingerprints on surfaces where regular powders can't work (i.e. paper, sticky side of tape, etc.).
	We will work with fingerprints on multi-colored surfaces, using fluorescent powders.
	We will look at shoe prints and impressions, using flat surfaces and BioFoam.
	We will look at estimating an individual's height and weight based on shoe size and stride length.
	We will examine gait patterns and track ways to figure out what a person was doing when they left their prints.
	We will examine tire tracks and analyze tread wear.
	We will make reference prints with a tire on strips of paper.
	We will look at tires from various vehicles to see if we can figure out what made the prints.

Subject 2: Blood, Ink and Document Analysis, Geology, Botany, Entomology, Palynology

	We will use synthetic blood to perform blood presence test (phenolphthalein and Blue Star).
	We will look at ink and how it breaks apart in chromatography tests.
	We will look at handwriting analysis. The students will look at their own writing to find reference strokes.
	We will look at notes and see what we can figure out about the person who wrote them.
	We will then look at how various sciences, such as geology, botany, entomology (bugs), and palynology (pollen) are used in forensic science.
	We will look at a vehicle to see how evidence relating to the above sciences is trapped in/on various parts of the vehicle.

Subject 3: Mock crime scenes.

	We will find evidence on the surfaces of a vehicle.
	We will have a complete crime scene set up for the students to solve.
	The students will find evidence and decide how to analyze it. For evidence that would require long tests, I will have pre-made test reports available once the students decide on the tests.
	We will analyze the evidence and solve the crime.
	We will look at possible alternative conclusions.