Pathfinders Co-Op

A great ending to our semester in forensic science! We learned about spy technology and surveillance through history (hard boiled eggs and a spy cat!?), made maps of a scene from "balloons" just as the American Balloon Corps might have during the Civil War, practiced our critical thinking skills to figure out how to squeeze our bodies through an index card, and lifted fingerprints during a discussion about how they are used in security measures. Next week we tackle an escape room to see if we can put a semester's worth of skills to the test!

What a great week! We talked about chemical analysis in forensics. Our students took 5 white powders and learned just how different they can be after a few tests! Then we learned about the pH scale and used a pH indicator to place different household substances. Finally, we used our sleuthing skills to run tests on a chemical sample to determine which suspect had been at the scene of the crime!

This week at Pathfinders, we explored DNA in forensics! We learned a little bit about DNA, made candy DNA models, practiced matching base pairs of gene sequences for different animals, extracted DNA from strawberries, and completed DNA fingerprinting to determine which suspect committed a jewel heist! This has been a fabulous semester. We'll take next week off before we finish the semester strong.

Better late than never with our weekly update!

We had an AMAZING week learning about evidence collection and the chain of custody. We observed a crime scene, drew scenes of the crime, gathered evidence (and made sure a log was kept of who went in and out!), and reviewed witness statements to determine who had an alibi and, ultimately, who committed the crime. It was so much fun!

Another fabulous week at Pathfinders! We learned all about how tire treads and footprints can be used to understand a crime scene and find a potential suspect. We cast a footprint and cast individual projects, measured our walking and running stride, and used our knowledge to crack a case of stolen goods. We didn't let the suspects' cuteness from figuring out whodunit!

What a fun Tuesday! We had special visits from LPSO Corporal Robin and Bella, K9 team assigned to schools in Lafayette Parish, and six members of the LPSO SWAT team. These guys were amazing! They were all passionate about their work and did a great job giving us a picture into what their work days look like. Bella even gave an amazing demonstration of how she finds narcotics at schools and a tour of her kennel inside the police unit. A super fun day for all!

Another successful Pathfinders class! We studied handwriting, how our writing is unique, how types of paper and pens look different under a microscope, and what our writing reveals about us! We even attempted writing blindfolded!

Another fun Pathfinders lesson! This week we explored trace analysis. We learned about Edmond Locard, a real-life Sherlock Holmes; studied different fabric fibers and conducted a burn analysis to help us identify a mystery fabric; made sample drawings of our hair follicles and then prepared microscope slides of animal and human hair for viewing! It was amazing learning how tiny evidence can make a big difference in a case!

This week at Pathfinders, we explored codes and ciphers (and learned the difference between the two!) We unscrambled and unraveled clue after to clue to discover where the stolen jewels were. What a fun way to stretch our brains!

For week 2, we studied fingerprints! We learned about Franis Galton, fingerprint research pioneer; studied the different types of fingerprints and printed our own; graphed our class results; and solved the case of the missing valentine before ending the day with a sweet party! So much fun.

I spy some friends having fun! This semester we'll be studying forensic science, and our first lesson was in learning how to observe. We created kits full of the tools we'll need over the next few months, practiced recognizing details in scenes, and solved some puzzles to crack a mini mystery. It was a great start to the semester!