Crime Scene Investigations

Nomad Press has a couple of fun books out about Forensics. So this week and next I'll be pairing a book review with some hands-on crime scene science that you can do at home.

Forensics: Uncover the science and technology of crime scene investigation
by Carla Mooney; illus. by Samuel Carbaugh
128 pages; ages 12 - 15
Nomad Press, 2013

This is a wonderful book, and I can't believe I let it fall to the bottom of my book review basket. Especially since I enjoy watching Bones and NCIS !

Forensics is the science of finding evidence and analyzing it for clues. Evidence can be anything: blood spatters, carpet fibers, insects, pollen, powders, fingerprints and footprints. Each piece of evidence reveals something about what happened at the scene of the crime.

This book introduces the science of crime scene investigation. There's a chapter on fingerprints: how to find, recover, and identify the patterns. There's a chapter about blood evidence, and one about bones and bodies. There's chapters about impressions (treadmarks), trace evidence, and fakes. Throughout the book are sidebars highlighting forensic careers and plenty of hands-on activities for kids to try. It's a great way to introduce kids to the science they see on the screen.

Try It: Fingerprints

Take a look at your fingers using a magnifying lens. See the whorls and arches? They make your print pattern. Any time you touch something, you leave a fingerprint. That's because your skin has oils in it. Crime scene investigators use powder to coat prints with dust and then lift them or photograph them for identification.

You can do it too. All you need are: a clean drinking glass, cocoa powder, a small, soft brush (camel-hair paintbrush) , transparent tape, and white paper. Now rub your fingers against your nose to make sure they have oils on them - that will make it easier for you to leave prints. Pick up the glass and put it down.  You should have left some prints.

Use the cocoa powder to lightly dust the prints, and brush gently with the brush. The prints should become visible. Place the sticky side of the tape on a print and lift it off the glass. Then tape it to the white paper. Now you've got a print for "the lab".

Now take fingerprints of you and your friends, using washable ink or graphite. Try to pair up the print from the glass with one of the known prints.

Review copy of the book provided by publisher.

Wild Outdoor Wednesday

Mark of a square bit of your yard  - a place you can let go wild for a couple months while you watch it. Measure off a square that is anywhere from one foot to one yard on each side. Pound in a stake or stick at each corner and tie a string around them to mark your square. If you have bright cloth or tape, mark the tops of the stakes so they don’t get mowed.

Now look closely at your square. Write down everything you find. Draw some pictures. Show the colors of what you see.

Remember to take your sketchbook or journal with unlined pages, something to draw and write with, and something to add color ~ watercolors, colored pencils, crayons, or markers.

More "Wet & Wild" books

Ocean animals: Who's Who in the Deep Blue?
by Johnna Rizzo
112 pages; ages 8-12
National Geographic Children's Books, 2016

This is a book that you'll want to dive right into - filled with photos of exotic and not-so-exotic ocean life. There are photos of polar bears and pelicans, penguins and puffins. You'll get to know marine iguanas, dolphins and whales, come face to face with octopuses and sharks. You'll be introduced to some hard-core crustaceans and jumbo jellyfish, plus lots of coral reef dwellers.

There's an introduction to the oceans of the world (can you name all five?) and a section about ocean habitats. And there's a handy list of 20 things everyone can do to protect the oceans, from cleaning up a beach to changing how you get around. Bicycling and walking help reduce the amount of car oil and other chemicals that get into waterways and eventually make their way into the oceans.

Learn how scientists and governments are protecting the oceans at the Pristine Seas website.

Jump into Science: Coral Reefs
by Sylvia Earle; illus. by Bonnie Matthews
32 pages; ages 4-8
National Geographic Children's Books, 2016

 "Coral reefs are like rainbow-colored cities," is how this book opens. Strap on your face mask and snorkel, slip on your flippers, and dive in.

Corals may look like colorful plants, but they are animals. Each coral animal looks like a flower growing from a stony pot, but when they lock together they can form branches and brain-like mounds.

This book shows how corals grow and live, and the creatures that live in and among them. There are sponges and mollusks, octopuses and squids, sea stars and fishes. Sometimes visitors come by the reefs: turtles and dolphins may drop by for a quick lunch. Once the sun sets, the reef takes on a nightlife of its own. The book ends with a hands-on activity.

Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. Review copies from publisher.

Wild Outdoor Wednesday

Walk 10 giant steps from your house. Stop and look down. Draw what you see.

Remember to take your sketchbook or journal with unlined pages, something to draw and write with, and something to add color ~ watercolors, colored pencils, crayons, or markers.

First Big Book of How

Little Kids First Big Book of How
by Jill Esbaum
128 pages; ages 4-8
National Geographic Kids, 2016

This book lives up to its name: it has a little bit of everything in it written in small sections in language kids will understand. Want to know how ice cream is made or how microwave ovens work? It's in there. Want to know about bicycle gears? It's in there. Want to learn the best way to make bread moldy? It's in there too.

The section I like best is the one about animals because - there are OCEAN animals in there!
Jellyfish. Octopuses. Humpback whales.

Jellyfish have long, soft tentacles - but beware! They have venom and can shoot that so fast you don't even know you've been stung until it's already happened.

Octopuses are amazing creatures: they have no bones and can squeeze anywhere, and have three hearts. Also, they squirt ink when they're startled or afraid. There's a couple photographs to show where the ink comes out, and what it looks like. And did you know that the smallest octopus can sit on a penny?

The section about humpback whales focuses on how they communicate with each other. They sing. They make bloop-bloop sounds. They groan and moan. They even slap their tails on the surface of the water. All those sounds must mean something - but what?

There's a table of contents listing topics by group: around the home, human body, animals, and more. There's also an index to aid in searches for specific topics. Each section ends with a game and throughout the book there are lots of hands-on investigations. There's even a page of "parent tips" with additional activities - including a recipe for ice cream. 

Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. Review copy from publisher.

Wild Outdoor Wednesday

Look for things under stones. Are there different things under huge stones compared to smaller stones? Show what you find in colors and words.

Remember to take your sketchbook or journal with unlined pages, something to draw and write with, and something to add color ~ watercolors, colored pencils, crayons, or markers.

Sharks & Dolphins

I'm already thinking about summer... and wishing I could hang out at the ocean. So this month I'll be featuring a few books about ocean life, starting with these photograph-rich books.

Sharks and Dolphins: a compare and contrast book
by Kevin Kurtz
32 pages; ages 4-8
Arbordale Press, 2016

 Sharks and dolphins live in the ocean. Their bodies are shaped like torpedoes, and they both have fins and flippers. But there is one huge difference between them: sharks are fish, and dolphins are mammals.

In simple, easy-to-read language the author shows how sharks are like other fish and how dolphins are similar to other mammals. And he shows the diversity of sharks and dolphins. Back matter includes a Venn diagram, word scramble, and additional information about sharks and dolphins.

Explore My World, Dolphins
by Becky Baines
32 pages, ages 3-7
National Geographic Kids, 2016

Splash! A dolphin dives into the water and glides beneath the waves. Using photos and words, the author takes you into the world of a dolphin. Meet the family. Go to school. Whistle hello. Then it's chow time - but way down in the dark ocean, how do dolphins find their lunch?

There's a great section that shows how dolphin babies grow, learn, and play. Then it's time for sleep. There are 43 different species of dolphins, and there's no way this slim book can discuss all of them. But at the back is a page filled with photos of a few of the species of dolphins you might see.

Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. Review copies provided by publisher.

Wild Outdoor Wednesday

Tonight is a good night for sky-watching. There should be meteors. What else do you see? Hear? Smell?

Remember to take your sketchbook or journal with unlined pages, something to draw and write with, and something to add color ~ watercolors, colored pencils, crayons, or markers.

Note: The forecast for tonight is: meteors. Read more about the Eta Aquarid meteor shower (and how you can see it) at EarthSky.