“Great products...one of the best curriculum's out there, great help for teaching our video class" -Christine R., Principal, Trinity Lutheran School, Kalispell, MT
"Screenwriting was awesome, our kids really loved these activities. It was also really nice to provide such a creative curriculum that addresses the standards in such a fun way." - Heather S., Director, After School, City of Fairfield, CA
“Having taught at the high school and college level, I was impressed with this curriculum. The materials and guidance were well put together and very thoughtful." - Michael L., Artist, Shea After School, Syracuse, NY
“This amazing program has enabled my students to comprehend the process of forensic science as well as the sophisticated vocabulary encompassed in the program's lessons.” - Erica T., Freehold Public Schools, Freehold, NJ
“This is a well organized course that I would highly recommend to other programs.” - Chad S., Teacher, School #18, Buffalo, NY
“The program is awesome! I’m doing it as part of an after school enrichment time. Our kids really enjoy the projects and it’s wonderful to use as everything is provided.” - Karen S.,Teacher, Olympic Middle School, WA
“This is the perfect kind of activity for afterschool. It’s fun; students learn by getting involved. Everybody wants to be a part of it!” - Kim L., Program Leader, Child and Adolescent Treatment Services, Buffalo NY
“They love it…it’s awesome. Kids are dying to get in it!” - Audrey A., Teacher, Clifford Marshall Elementary School, Quincy, MA
“The Missing Money Mystery was very easy to follow. The children had such a great time at it, we even allowed our group to re-enact the entire mystery. This mystery was fantastic, and we are looking forward to our next exercise!” - Jackie. J., Director/Detective, Hempstead P.A.L., Hempstead, NY
“The students were engaged and enjoyed the experiments. The story keeps the activities meaningful and provided an interested way to connect Florida Standards. The teacher’s manual was easy to follow and materials in the kits made it very convenient for set up. Overall, this is a great thing to do in afterschool and during the summer!” - Betty C., Teacher, Genesis Center, Leesburg FL
“Playing with Percussion offers an exciting doorway to exploring percussion, communication skills and learning about different cultures." - Sheila K., Site Leader, Accord Corp, Youth Services Division, Belfast NY
"Our kids enjoyed making their own instruments, especially sanding. Playing all those grooves at the end was a lot of fun!" - Nina P., Music teacher, Napa, CA
“The Cookie Jar Mystery was such a big hit at the middle school…which has been tough.”
-Charlie E., Teacher, Lexington County Schools, SC
"The Cookie Jar Mystery went really well, the kids talked about it for weeks. They were very excited and intrigued with the hands-on activities and I really enjoyed teaching it!"
-Brook T.,Teacher, Lincoln Middle Schools, TN
This fun, interactive, project-oriented forensic science course is designed to engage students Grades 4-5 in this truly fascinating area of science! Your students will become immersed in roles as crime scene investigators as they work together examining and analyzing evidence needed to solve the mystery of the broken cookie jar!
Crime Scenerio
A crime has occurred in Mrs. Randall’s classroom! Her favorite cookie jar was broken and some of her homemade cookies were eaten. While breaking a cookie jar and snitching a few cookies are hardly serious crimes, they are nevertheless crimes that can be solved using a forensic science approach.
Mrs. Randall turns this misfortune into opportunity and calls in a “Chief Crime Scene Investigator” (your teacher) to lead her “forensics team” (your students) in how to use the tools of forensic science in analyzing clues left at the crime scene. Each student member of this investigative team is tasked with solving the mystery through scientific observation, sample examination, analysis, lab work, testing, interviews, and field work.
How it Works
To draw the students into the mystery, the instructor sets the stage by recounting Mrs. Randall’s intriguing tale. In advance, the instructor creates names for the four student suspects—names that students will find believable. These names replace “Suspects 1 – 4” used throughout the course materials.
To learn more about the lesson activities take a look at the Lessons tab on this page.
What's Included
The Cookie Jar Mystery Summer Camp kit includes a comprehensive 110 page Instructor's Guide, Teacher Resource CD which includes student handouts, supply list and training tutorials, and all supplies needed to conduct experiments with your class.
All the supplies included and needed to be acquired locally are listed on the Components tab on this page.
Preparing to Teach
Instructors will find The Cookie Jar Mystery easy and fun to teach. Each lesson provides 1-3 activities that teaches a new but related aspect of scientific reasoning and a particular scientific process. The text is easy to read and understand, the set-ups are detailed and uncomplicated, and the processes and procedures are clearly explained in each lesson plan.
In addition, we've created a series of video tutorials to accompany each lesson located on the Tools for Teaching tab on this page.
The Cookie Jar Mystery is comprised of 12 lessons, designed each to take approximately 1-hour, for a class of 30 students. Your class size and ability level will determine the ultimate pace for the materials.
Lesson 1: Heads Up-Observation Skills
You can't believe your eyes or can you? Budding CSI investigators love to explore the challenge of visual memory and eyewitness testimony in this activity of "Did You See That?"
Lesson 2: Think Ink-Ink Chromatography
The telltale composition of ink can help CSIs identify the perpetrator when students make their own ink chromatographs. Easy-to-follow instructions lead the way in your classroom's forensics laboratory.
Lesson 3: The White Stuff-White Substance and Toxicology
Take a powder, please! Students get a closer look at the differences in white substances (Of course they're all non-toxic!) and at the world of poison science in this riveting research.
Lesson 4: Pull Some Strings-Fiber Analysis
Can scientific analysis of fibers help identify our thief? Students use pocket hand lenses to get up close and personal with fiber analysis, and learn to distinguish between class evidence and direct (conclusive) evidence.
Lesson 5: Hair We Go-Hair Sample
Who knew hair could be so complex? In this activity, can our junior gumshoes match a hair sample to the correct suspect? This absorbing inquiry will have students scratching their heads (and plucking their own hair!) as they delve deeper into the Cookie Jar Mystery.
Lesson 6: Follow the Grain-Pollen Analysis
Achoo! Pollen as evidence? Learners explore another form of trace evidence that often tells where something happened. Students do the legwork in the field as they practice with this essential tool.
Lesson 7: Make an Impression-Bite Marks
Surprisingly simple materials provide all you need for another great lesson in comparing and contrasting for students to "sink their teeth into."
Lesson 8: Bloody Brilliant-Blood Types
Of course, it's not real blood - but we do provide blood evidence substitute that encourages learners to handle evidence just like genuine CSI laboratory technicians. This lesson in blood typing provides a great jump start for future scientists, geneticists and crime scene detectives.
Lesson 9: One of a Kind-Fingerprint Evidence
Oh, the things we leave behind! Everything you always wanted to know about whorls and ridges, fingerprinting technique and more with authentic Ten Cards for each student to make a record of his/her prints.
Lesson 10: Crack the Code-DNA
Learning to unravel the mystery of our genetic code is revealed in this straightforward explanation and lesson helps learners narrow the field of suspects.
Lesson 11: Let's Talk-Questioning Our Suspects
A lie detector isn't the only way of getting at the truth! In this lesson, our junior CSI detectives learn the meaning of the "norm" and how knowing the norm helps sort truth tellers from liars. Students also return to the "scene of the crime" for another look.
Lesson 12: Who Dunnit?-Examining & Analyzing All the Evidence
Means, motive and opportunity all come together in this culminating activity that encourages students to put all of the puzzle pieces together and finally solve the Cookie Jar Mystery!
The Summer Camp version of the Cookie Jar Mystery contains an Instructor Guide, Resource CD. Printed packet of all student handouts, and every supply item necessary to teach a class of up to 30 students. This includes unique items like simulated blood and chromotography paper to scissors and pencils.
Every step is taken to provide an easy-to-follow format and informative, fun-to-read instructions for each lesson. In addition to a brief listing of objectives, materials, and set-up procedures, useful icons point the instructor to a number of key elements:
Notes for the Instructor: Brief instructor notes introduce the subject matter and challenges presented in the particular lesson. They often contain real-life, age-appropriate examples from crime in history or popular culture.
Notes for the Students: These notes “set the stage” for each lesson by presenting brief material to read, listen to, and discuss.
Vocabulary: New and relevant terms are defined here. Note, too, the comprehensive “Glossary” at the end of the Instructor’s Guide and Student Books.
Activity Description: Here, step-by-step procedures are provided for both the instructor’s demonstration and the students’ immersion in the activity.
Wrap-up: Discussion-provoking questions and summary-type activities are designed to revisit the day’s learning and help students take their inquiry further.
Clean-up: Clear instruction on preserving and storing materials is provided to ensure kit longevity and cost effectiveness.
Other Destinations: To extend lessons and deepen understanding across disciplinary and cultural divides, relevant links to multimedia, web resources, and fun at-home or extension activities are provided here.
The Teacher Resource CD for the Cookie Jar Mystery includes all the copy masters for student handouts, activities, lesson extensions like crossword puzzles to reinforce newly learned used vocabulary and learning aides. Links to forensic videos and other multimedia resources provide authentic lesson extensions in addition to teacher tutorials for each hands-on activity.
Packed and labeled, each supply item and tools needed to solve the mystery is organized in a way that makes the course easy to teach again and again. Among some of these materials are: simulated blood serum, hair, fiber, and pollen samples, chromatography paper, suspect pens, tweezers, and hand lenses!
The Cookie Jar Mystery Summer Camp Kit Includes:
1 x Instructor’s Guide | 1 x Teacher Resource CD |
1 x Shrink wrapped packet of handouts | 1 x Simulated blood and anti-sera |
100 x Chromatography paper | 1 x White powder samples (set of 5) |
Starter Set of Transparancies | 3 x Suspect pens (set of 4) |
16 x 250 mL Beakers | 1 x Plastic Bag for Bite Slides |
1 x Hair samples (set of 5) | 100 x Plastic straws |
50 x Blood exam trays | 15 x Hand lenses |
1 x Isopropyl Alcohol | 1 x Box of paper clips |
1 x Packing Tape | 100 x Wooden splints |
1 x Box of toothpicks | 50 x Black paper squares |
36 x Pencils | 50 x Portion cups |
1 x 2,000 mL Beaker | 20 x Dropper bottles with lids |
15 x Permanent markers | 32 x Styrofoam cups |
16 x Rolls of transparent tape | 32 x Ink strips |
15 x Rulers | 50 x Disposable gloves |
15 x Measuring spoon set | 1 x Dish soap |
15 x Tweezers | 1 x Pollen samples (set of 5) |
50 x Coffee Filters | 1 x Plastic Dropper |
16 x Plastic bags and spoons | 130 x Plastic cups |
1 x Vinegar | 32 x Ink towelettes |
1 x Iodine | 1 x Black fiber samples (set of 5) |
12 x Student scissors | 1 x Container of salt |
To help your teachers get off to a great start, we created the following tutorials that demonstrate activity set-ups.
Click to quickly access training resources for:
Lesson 1 | Lesson 5 | Lesson 9 |
Lesson 2 | Lesson 6 | Lesson 10 |
Lesson 3 | Lesson 7 | Lesson 11 |
Lesson 4 | Lesson 8 | Lesson 12 |
Lesson 1: Heads Up - Observation Skills You can't believe your eyes or can you? Budding CSI investigators love to explore the challenge of visual memory and eyewitness testimony in this activity of "Did You See That?" Take your time as you work through and discussing the two activities in this lesson. It is important that an adult is prearranged to come help out with activity 1. Make sure that you confirm this in advance. This lesson is a great opportunity to talk with students about being detailed scientific observers. Extensions Watch a crime! Be a witness! Then test your eyewitness skills with a crime scene quiz. Play interactive memory and observation games . Try “Spot the Difference”, “Test Your Memory”, and “Power of Observation”. |
Lesson 2: Think Ink - Ink Chromatography The telltale composition of ink can help CSIs identify the perpetrator when students make their own ink chromatographs. Easy-to-follow instructions lead the way in your classroom's forensics laboratory. Extensions Watch a video demonstration of the paper chromatography experiment. Learn more about how chromatography works. |
Lesson 3: The White Stuff - White Substance and Toxicology Take a powder, please! Students get a closer look at the differences in white substances (Of course they're all non-toxic!) and at the world of poison science in this riveting research. Extensions What do you know about poisons? Learn a poison prevention song! Take a tour to learn about chemicals around your house. |
Lesson 4: Pull Some Strings - Fiber Analysis Can scientific analysis of fibers help identify our thief? Students use hand magnifying lenses to get up close and personal with fiber analysis, and learn to distinguish between class evidence and direct (conclusive) evidence. Extensions Increase your knowledge about types of fibers by looking at microscopic images and diagrams. Learn more about types of cloth and fibers from Science Olympiad. |
Lesson 5: Hair We Go - Hair Samples Who knew hair could be so complex? In this activity, can our junior gumshoes match a hair sample to the correct suspect? This absorbing inquiry will have students scratching their heads (and plucking their own hair!) as they delve deeper into the Cookie Jar Mystery. Extensions Investigate the case of “The Strange Flashlight” with the FBI. Learn more about hair analysis and look at hair structure diagrams from Science Olympiad. |
Lesson 6: Follow the Grain - Pollen Analysis Achoo! Pollen as evidence? Learners explore another form of trace evidence that often tells where something happened. Students do the legwork in the field as they practice with this essential tool. Extensions Find out if you can expect pollen trouble in your state today! See how pollen helps us understand insect migration. See some microscopic pictures of pollen. Learn how pollens are Nature’s Tiny Clues. |
Lesson 7: Make an Impression - Bite Marks Surprisingly simple materials provide all you need for another great lesson in comparing and contrasting for students to "sink their teeth into." Extensions Check out some weird facts about teeth. Learn more about Forensic Dentistry. |
Lesson 8: Bloody Brilliant - Blood Types Of course, it's not real blood - but we do provide blood evidence substitute that encourages learners to handle evidence just like genuine CSI laboratory technicians. This lesson in blood typing provides a great jump start for future scientists, geneticists and crime scene detectives. Extensions Read an introduction to blood groups and blood typing. What is blood? Learn about how your body makes blood and what is really in there. Take a closer look at human blood cells through a microscope. |
Lesson 9: One of a Kind - Fingerprint Evidence Oh, the things we leave behind! Everything you always wanted to know about whorls and ridges, fingerprinting technique and more with authentic Ten Cards for each student to make a record of his/her prints. Extensions See more about fingerprint classification. Watch some videos about developing latent prints. Read more about fingerprint patterns. |
Lesson 10: Crack the Code - DNA Learning to unravel the mystery of our genetic code is revealed in this straightforward explanation and lesson helps learners narrow the field of suspects. Extensions Read how DNA evidence can be used to free people who have been wrongly convicted. Engage in an interactive lab to determine a culprit based on DNA fingerprinting. Learn more about DNA and forensics. See what an actual DNA gel electrophoresis experiment looks like. |
Lesson 11: Let's Talk - Questioning Our Suspects A lie detector isn't the only way of getting at the truth! In this lesson, our junior CSI detectives learn the meaning of the "norm" and how knowing the norm helps sort truth tellers from liars. Students also return to the "scene of the crime" for another look. Extensions Learn about statement analysis skills. Have you ever wondered how a lie detector works? Learn how to tell if someone is being less than truthful. |
Lesson 12: Who Dunnit? - Examining & Analyzing All the Evidence Means, motive and opportunity all come together in this culminating activity that encourages students to put all of the puzzle pieces together and finally solve the Cookie Jar Mystery! Extensions Find some interesting kids mystery book authors. Watch a video about the jobs of forensic scientists. Watch a forensics video about a birthday party mystery. Learn more about the basics of crime scene investigation. Explore other science topics with The Black Hole Gang. Check out many more forensics links. |
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