Did you know that there was a CSI Investigation going on? The week of September 8th the upstairs lab turned into a CSI lab! The goal of this unit was to learn process skills which are part of the scientific method.  As the students first walked into the lab they were surprised to see a crime lab laid out before them.  The fifth graders saw caution tape surrounding the stations. The students also saw footprints hanging on the white board and fingerprints on the counter. Next to the lip print station, microsopes were used to  investigate hair samples. On the other side of the room, there were teeth impressions near the dusting for fingerprints station. The students were divided into groups and they rotated through the 6 evidence stations.

The students were handed a piece of paper with about ten suspects, who were various teachers that work at Chickering School. The students were brought to the lab and compared evidence from the crime scene to samples from suspects. Each student was asked to write a conclusion for each evidence station based on their observations. Then as a class they compared differences and similarities. Following this discussion, they  had discovered that there was not one conclusive suspect.

There was a buzz in the fifth grade classrooms because the students were surprised that the evidence was inconclusive.

EVIDENCE

Thank you to Connor C., Madeline S., Luke T., Sean D., and A.J. R.

Here are some student thoughts about the new CSI Unit.

ENJOY

Thank you to Isabelle W., Zoe O., Hayden S., Annie G., and Isobel M.

Since the CSI Unit was new this year, we decided to ask the fifth grade students if we should keep it or not.

KEEP

Thank you to Lauren B., Jacquelyn P., Hannah L., Sadie H., and Eric F.

Finally, we asked the teachers the purpose for teaching the new CSI Unit.

TEACHER

Thank you to Ms Varley, Mrs. Lowenstein, Ms Yorston, Ms Dionisio, and Mrs. Chiavarini.

reported by:

Virginia D., Dana R., Winnie M., Alex D., and Adam B.