Fingerprint Lesson Plan

Overview of the Lesson

1. November 11 2020

2. 60 minutes

3. Ms. Irma Chavez

4. Grades 9-12, Forensic Science

5. Big Idea: The patterns of ridges on our finger pads are unique: no two individuals—even identical twins—have fingerprints that are exactly alike. Fingerprints can be classified by pattern types, by the size of those patterns, and by the position of the patterns on the finger.

6. Pennsylvania State Standards/Eligible Content:

7. RST.9-10.3 Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments.

8. WHST.9-10.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question or solve a problem.

9. Essential Question

10. Can a fingerprint be used for conviction of a crime?

11. What is the importance of classifying fingerprints?

12. Targets: Forensic science students will learn how fingerprints are analyzed by collecting and investigating their own and their classmates, sorting them into forensic categories with an accuracy of 75 percent.

13. Concept: Students will be able to describe and distinguish key features of fingerprints found at a crime scene.

14. Competency: Students will be able to identify patterns of their own and other students fingerprints. Students must be able to sort fingerprints into categories.

15. Social: Students will be able to work in groups to identify who was the student who committed the crime by comparing fingerprints gathered at the crime scene to the database of student fingerprints.

16. Vocabulary

17. Whorl

18. Arch

19. Loop

20. Minutiae

21. latent fingerprints

22. Plastic

23. Ridge

24. Delta

25. Instructional Materials

26. Latex gloves

27. Crime scene tape

28. Plastic weapons

29. Chairs

30. Powerpoint

31. Ink

32. Chalk

33. Magnifying glass

34. AFIS

35. Procedure:

    1. Introduction

       1. This lesson’s purpose is to have students investigate a crime scene and to compare peers' fingerprints. Students will compare and contrast the different types of fingerprints and will make a connection to the fingerprints found at the crime scene.

    2. Motivation

       1. Students will be able to investigate a crime scene in the classroom and look for fingerprints. The students will be able to classify fingerprints and compare their own to the crime scene. Students will be able to find out who in the class commited the crime and will be discussed out loud in class.

    3. Development

       1. Before students arrive, teacher will set up crime scene

       2. Teacher will go over the crime story

       3. Teacher will show powerpoint and students will discuss the characteristics of the three fingerprint patterns

       4. Teacher will allow students to examine their own fingerprints with a magnifying glass. Students will be able to identify what kind of fingerprint they each have and key features about them.

       5. Teacher will demonstrate how to do a fingerprint smudge and students will be allowed to smudge their own fingerprints. Students will put their fingerprint (thumb) up on the wall for everyone to see and compare to later in the investigation. Students must make sure that fingerprints are divided into classifying categories discussed during the powerpoint presentation.

       6. Teacher will demonstrate how to lift a latent fingerprint

       7. Teacher will then break students into groups of four to investigate the crime scene

       8. Students will be allowed to dust for fingerprints and lift latent prints found at the crime scene.

       9. Students will compare the fingerprint they found to every other student in the classroom. They will be able to eliminate students by looking at the fingerprints everyone provided and finding key features.

       10. Students will turn at the end of class who they think was the student who committed the crime and how they know based on key features in the fingerprints.

36. Strategies for Diverse Learners:

    1. Students with disabilities

       1. For visual impairment: the teacher must be mindful to explain as much as she can for the student to understand. Student will be grouped with students who will be able to help student smudge their own fingerprints and help identify key features. Teacher will also provide student with a tactile version of the fingerprint types for student to learn the distinguishing features of the fingerprints. Additionally, teacher can also magnify key points to their computers.

    2. English Language Learners

       1. English language learners will be placed with groups that are willing to help them/they are comfortable with through the discussion and investigation.

       2. The teacher will make sure that English language learners are given enough time to finish their work and make sure that they have all their questions answered.

       3. The teacher will make sure that pictures are utilized when introducing the vocabulary.

37. Summary/Closure:

    1. During the last 5 minutes of class, the teacher will ask students to come up with who they think the student who committed the crime was and why. What are the key features that made students think that it was this particular person.

38. Assessment:

    1. Quiz: Students will have a quiz next class period on the key features of fingerprints all relaying back to the lesson done in class.