Learning Aims:
  • Reflection on which other types of evidence there might be, besides fingerprints.
  • Comparing pros and cons of different types of evidence.
Materials:
Pen and paper
Suggestions for use:
  • At first, students think for themselves which clues there might be.
  • In a classroom discussion students exchange their clues and discuss which are the most valuable.
  • How valuable a clue is, depends on the circumstances (if a crime takes place outside in muddy garden, it can be very useful to look for footprints).
  • The teacher can emphasize that it is not possible that in a crime scene all the things are investigated, depending on the severity of the crime. It is a bit out of balance if the police will take fingerprints, footprints, DNA-profiles, etc. in case of a bicycle theft.
  • Answers of the students (in the classroom discussion) might look like:

Clue

Easy to collect and use?

Unique way to identify criminals?

Fingerprints

+ -

++

Footprints (shoe size)

+ -

-

Footprints (profile)

-

+

DNA from blood

-

++

  • Let the students give valid arguments to decide which five clues are the most powerful
Possible questions:
  • Students can make a flow chart or table, where the evidence to collect depends on the circumstances. Part of this table might look like this:

Yes

No

Is it raining outside or is it muddy?

Look for footprints.

Do not look for footprints.

Was there a struggle on the crime scene?

Look for blood traces.

Do not look for blood traces.