The F Word

That's right. Forensics. What were you thinking? 

The kids suggested the topic of forensics as a summer "fun" class and I was like, "Oh yes! I've got this." I love forensics! Not the math part of forensics but pretty much all the other parts. So over the summer, we have been learning about forensics. 

We have been working through a high school level book so that Danica can get credit on her transcript. (🤯 She's in high school!) But we've skipped a few paragraphs here and there that weren't necessarily appropriate for the boys' age. We're reading the book, doing labs and learning together. It is so interesting! Did I mention I love forensics? 

Today's lesson was on fingerprints. We learned about the loop, whorl, and arch fingerprints as well as the fact that there were several other types that fell under each of those three main categories. The lab was to print our own ten card. For those of us who've never been arrested, that's the little card that they use to put your fingerprints on. You have 10 fingers, thus the name ten card. It was developed by Iván Vucetich. Anyway. Rabbit trail. 

So I printed the kids' ten cards and I warned them that this should be the ONLY time they have to be fingerprinted. 😉 I pray that it is. 

After we scrubbed our fingers to get the ink off, we took a magnifying glass to inspect our fingerprints. It turns out each of us have arches and loops. Danica has one unique print in that her index finger on one hand has a tented arch. This was definitely one of the more awesome labs we've done thus far in our forensics class.

Elliott printing a ten card