A murder scene can be set up using an old sheet to draw the body on, with items of evidence placed around it. White body suits, shoe coverings and masks can be bought cheaply from the local DIY supermarket.
* Check for risk assessment with any chemicals you use.
Fingerprints
Ask students to think about situations where fingerprinting can be useful. Take prints with aluminium powder (and goggles), cocoa powder and brushes, or Sellotape. Use magnifying glasses to look at detail. Ask your local police about classification systems of loops, arches and whirls, and how to interpret fingerprints.
Blood spatter
The formation of spatter from blood depends on what has been done to cause it - as Tina French of CSI Workshops says: “The bigger the bash the smaller the splash,” (eg from a gun). Buy fake blood, or mix golden syrup, food colouring, cornflour and water. Drop the “blood” from various heights and angles, and measure the diameter of the spatter to determine the height of the drop.
Footprints
Use washing up bowls full of flour or soil, press the footprint in and pour plaster of Paris onto the indentation. Once set (exothermic reaction), match prints with shoes. (See pic below.) Fibres
Use Sellotape and school microscopes for more detailed comparisons.
* With thanks to Sarah Stokes
