Developing Detective Skills

Developing Detective Skills

Science Process Skills

Observing

Communicating

Comparing and measuring

Ordering

Categorizing

Relating

Inferring

Applying

Materials (per group)

2 shelled peanuts for each participant

Doing the Activity

Introduction:
Tell the participants that they are traveling in a foreign country and have just been given an object that they have never seen before. You will give them directions to help them learn more about the object so they can tell their family and friends at home about it.

Give each participant one shelled peanut. Use the following science life skill questions to help them discover more about the object.

Observing:

Look at your object and describe it. (seeing)
Shake it. Does it make any noise? (hearing)
Feel it. Describe how it feels. (touch)
Smell it. How does it smell? Is the smell familiar? (smelling)
Taste it. Is the taste familiar? (tasting)

Communicating:

What are some ways we might share the information we have gained about our object? (silent, written, oral, pictures, graphs) Who might be interested in this information?

Give out a second peanut to each participant.

Comparing and Measuring

Do the objects look the same? Different?
How are they the same and/or different?
Compare your objects with your neighbors objects.
How much do you think your objects weigh? How long is it?

Ordering and Categorizing:

How might you organize the items? (example by size, color, weight, etc.)
What are some other ways to organize things (not necessarily these items)?

Relating:

Where else have you seen something similar? (for example circus, ballgame, kitchen, store)
What do you predict these objects have been used for in the past?
Could you design an experiment to find out what these objects are?

Inferring and Applying:

How might we use these objects?
Where might we use these objects?
Are there other objects similar to these?

Reflecting
What evidence did you collect about your object?
What skills did you use to collect your evidence?(observing, comparing, categorizing, relating, inferring and applying)
Why would these skills be important for a detective? Would any of these skills be more important than others?
What kind of inferences did you make about your object?
How can you develop your detecting skills even further?

Applying

Have the youth participate in other hands-on activities that will help them develop their science skills. Suggested activities include:
Straws and Suction: An Uplifting Experience
What Puts the Fizz in Alka Seltzer
Visit the following internet sites for mysteries to solve:
Forensic Files: http://www.discoverlearning.com/forensic/docs/index.html
The Case.com: www.thecase.com/kids/
Use Science Sleuths software and have youth solve one or more mysteries.

Activity Source

Iowa State University Extension. Extension-Science, Engineering and Technology Initiative.
www.exnet.iastate.edu/Pages/y4h/e-set and Jerry Newman, Washington State University Extension

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
University Extension

Site contact
E-SET ISU Extension Extension Sites Search
Contact information: Sarah McArdell mcard002@umn.edu
Updated: January, 2000

NNST CYFERNet

	Developing Detective Skills
	Science Process Skills Observing Communicating Comparing and measuring Ordering Categorizing Relating Inferring Applying
	Materials (per group) 2 shelled peanuts for each participant
	Doing the Activity Introduction: Tell the participants that they are traveling in a foreign country and have just been given an object that they have never seen before. You will give them directions to help them learn more about the object so they can tell their family and friends at home about it. Give each participant one shelled peanut. Use the following science life skill questions to help them discover more about the object. Observing: Look at your object and describe it. (seeing) Shake it. Does it make any noise? (hearing) Feel it. Describe how it feels. (touch) Smell it. How does it smell? Is the smell familiar? (smelling) Taste it. Is the taste familiar? (tasting) Communicating: What are some ways we might share the information we have gained about our object? (silent, written, oral, pictures, graphs) Who might be interested in this information? Give out a second peanut to each participant. Comparing and Measuring Do the objects look the same? Different? How are they the same and/or different? Compare your objects with your neighbors objects. How much do you think your objects weigh? How long is it? Ordering and Categorizing: How might you organize the items? (example by size, color, weight, etc.) What are some other ways to organize things (not necessarily these items)? Relating: Where else have you seen something similar? (for example circus, ballgame, kitchen, store) What do you predict these objects have been used for in the past? Could you design an experiment to find out what these objects are? Inferring and Applying: How might we use these objects? Where might we use these objects? Are there other objects similar to these?
	Reflecting What evidence did you collect about your object? What skills did you use to collect your evidence?(observing, comparing, categorizing, relating, inferring and applying) Why would these skills be important for a detective? Would any of these skills be more important than others? What kind of inferences did you make about your object? How can you develop your detecting skills even further?
	Applying Have the youth participate in other hands-on activities that will help them develop their science skills. Suggested activities include: Straws and Suction: An Uplifting Experience What Puts the Fizz in Alka Seltzer Visit the following internet sites for mysteries to solve: Forensic Files: http://www.discoverlearning.com/forensic/docs/index.html The Case.com: www.thecase.com/kids/ Use Science Sleuths software and have youth solve one or more mysteries.
	Activity Source Iowa State University Extension. Extension-Science, Engineering and Technology Initiative. www.exnet.iastate.edu/Pages/y4h/e-set and Jerry Newman, Washington State University Extension