Detectives

We had a change of pace this week and did a fun unit on detectives.  There were many hands on experiments.  This one was easy preparation for me, because I wrote the unit.  :)  We didn't get to do all the components that I wanted to include because we ran out of time, but the boys and I had fun!

We used 3 file folders glued together.  This first folder talks about a detective's job and what a criminal is.

The footprint book was easy this week, because we got about 9-10 inches of snow this week. 

The second folder has a hair analysis book and focuses on fingerprints. 

We learned about the 3 main types of fingerprints - arch,loop and whorl.  They each fingerprinted themselves and labeld what they thought each print was.  These are Nicolas's prints.

We also did a neat experiment to explain how detectives dust for prints.  Rub your fingers on your face to get the oils, put a print on a mirror (we used a hand mirror so it could lay flat).  Then take some cocoa powder and a paintbrush and gently rub over the print.   You could see the print pretty good.  Then take some scotch tape and lift the print and put it on a piece of paper.  This part didn't work the best.  We still have the print in the lapbook, but it's hard to tell what it is.

The last folder focuses on handwriting and pictures.

This is Nicolas's sketch.  Below is Alex's

The back of folder 3 has a pocket for a Bible verse and a certificate for Jr. Detective.  We also made badges, but they didn't want it in their lapbooks.

Next week, we are off to the rainforest of S. America.