Tuesday the 25th of April 2017 seemed like an ordinary day on the Sunnydale Campus, Greenfield Community College. Little did the students know that they would get the chance to form their own Crime Investigation Team.
Thornhill students from Year 5 were handed the job of solving the crimes which included a ‘mock’ celebrity kidnapping, the victim being from a very famous girl band! The day began with a clue hunt, as the students from Group 1 performed various movements on the trampoline they were given clues to decode.
Group 2 found clues whilst orienteering around the school grounds. Both groups ended up in Science where they were dressed in forensic investigator uniforms including gloves (naturally they couldn’t contaminate the crime scene).
In the Science department, the students were faced with three fingerprints, fibres, and an ink test which they analysed. Opinions were divided in regards to the perpetrator and further tests were required. The Science sessions ended with an experiment using potassium and Bunsen burners. Students were left slightly puzzled but had their bag of evidence including the fingerprints and fibres. Art was a quick hit with all students but they were faced with the difficult task of building the fingerprint lifted from the crime scene. In small groups, and then eventually as a whole class, Year 5 had a white frame in which they needed to create/build the print using black sugar paper.
Once completed, the visual analysis left all students with a clear picture of the perpetrator. The afternoon sessions started with a lesson in the history of girl bands. Matching world, historical events with the girl bands popular at the time proved tricky yet fun. Questions such as was JFK assassinated when The Supremes were popular?
were buzzing around the room and the students displayed superb team skills to complete the timeline which included Banarama, Destiny’s Child and of course The Spice Girls. The day ended in English with both groups creating a news broadcast of the crime. Students were also surprised with a visit from a real Crime Scene Investigator who provided information about the solving of crimes.
Thank you to the students of Thornhill Primary School who were very welcome visitors, it proved to be a very enjoyable day for all.
