Joe Loch

Bridget Whitney
Keyera Shaw
Mystery Lesson Plan
10/30/18
Footprint Lesson Plan

Objectives
1.) The students will learn how to make predictions
2.) The students will learn how to measure and record data
3.) The students will learn to interpret the data they have collected

Anticipatory Set
Good morning CSI investigators. We are still overwhelmed at Loras trying to find our missing
Dewey. Can you help us? Our CSI Investigators on campus have found some clues in front of
Dewey the Duhawk’s locker. We need your help to figure out what this information means. The
teacher will then read the background information about footprints to the students. Now, fifth
grade follow along with me. Please listen carefully for important information also record any
information that you think will be helpful to the case.

Background Information
As the CSI investigators scanned the crime scene for clues they noticed some footprints coming
from a side door into the locker room and stopping in front of Dewey Duhawk’s locker. It just
rained the night before, leaving the area outside the side door wet and muddy. The CSI
investigators were not able to get a clear shoe tread pattern but were able to measure the size of
the print of the possible criminal. They noted this information in their log books and took
several pictures of the muddy print. Could the prints belong to the perpetrator of this crime?
Read the background information on footprint analysis and see if your CSI team can gather
additional evidence that may implicate one or more possible suspect(s).

The size of a human's foot is dependent on many factors, including height, weight, sex, and
genetic inheritance. For years, criminal investigators and forensic scientists have used
fingerprints to determine identity. More recently, footprints have been discovered to be an
equally reliable identifier.

Every person’s foot has a unique set of ridges that make up a print unmatched by any other
human being. As with fingerprints, the footprint’s pattern is a unique characteristic that can
pinpoint any one particular person. An actual footprint can be checked and matched to an
existing print on record, such as one from a birth certificate.
While footprints can be used as a method of forensic science, more often the prints at a crime
scene do not come from a bare foot. To compensate, scientists have created methods of
identifying shoe prints. The indentations on the ground made by any shoe can be studied,
recorded, and matched to prints found at other locations. Therefore, if one set of shoeprints is
found at the scene of a crime, it can be compared to another set of prints found at a separate
 Joe Loch
Bridget Whitney
Keyera Shaw
Mystery Lesson Plan
10/30/18
crime scene. A matching print tells investigators that the same person was involved in both
crimes.
To preserve the prints, detectives take detailed photographs that can be scanned into computers
for analysis. In many cases, technicians will make a casting of the print so that a duplicate may
be produced. The casting process involves pouring a dense liquid into the actual shoe imprint and
allowing it to set. After the liquid solidifies, the casting can be picked up as one piece so that an
exact replica will be available for future reference.

Forensic scientists can also make other determinations about a suspect based on their shoe print.
The size of the shoe allows them to estimate the height of the person in question. By comparing
how deep the print is in connection with how solid the soil was and whether or not the ground
was damp at the time, investigators can gain a better idea of the weight of the person. All of
these methods can help determine the criminal’s identity.

Procedures

You will be able to examine some evidence collected at the scene of the crime and additional
evidence physical evidence collected on each suspect. Follow the steps below to gather more
incriminating evidence on the perpetrator of this crime.
1.) After the background information has been read to the class, the teacher will ask the
students to think-pair-share about the information that was read to them
2.) After the students are finished with the think-pair-share activity, the teacher will call on a
few students to share their ideas about the background information they thought was
important
3.) Before we examine the evidence that the CSI team at Loras found, we are going to test
the validity of the footprint analysis by investigating the height and shoe size within our
group. The teacher will then ask if anyone knows what the word “validity” means.

Measurement 1: Height of each person without shoes on.

Take the first measurement using a yardstick. Record findings on the chart provided.
Measurement 2: Length of foot without shoe on. (Both the Loras teachers and students
foot will be measured).
Take the second measurement using a ruler. Record findings on the chart provided.

4.) The students will then create a scatter plot with the information they found. The
teacher will then ask the fifth grade students if they know what a scatter plot is. “Today,
we collected two different sets of information. One was how tall you were the other was
how long your foot is. We need to find a correlation between the two. A good way to
graph two sets of information is a scatter plot and that is what we are going to use today.
 Joe Loch
Bridget Whitney
Keyera Shaw
Mystery Lesson Plan
10/30/18
“Now, does anyone know what a scatter plot is?” The entire fifth grade is now going to
make a scatter plot.
The teacher is going to explain to the fifth graders how to label the axis, where to put the
information and how to properly label the graph.
5.) The teacher will give students the opportunity to plot their own information. Explain
how the entire class will make one scatter plot.
The students will each be given a sticker and mark their data on the scatter plot
throughout the lesson
After the students are finished collecting their data, the students will use stickers to mark
their points on the scatter plot (each student will have their own sticker)
6.) The teacher will then have the students gather back together as a group and discuss if
height and foot length are correlated
- “Who is the tallest person in the group? Do they have the longest foot?”
- “Who is the shortest person in the group? Do they have the shortest foot?”
- “Based off the information we collected about our group, is there a
correlation between foot size and height?”
- Based off the information what did you learn from this?
- Did you like using the sticker method for the scatter plot?
- Did you learn more about scatter plots through this activity?
7.) Using what you learned in this lab, collect the evidence from the footprints and draw
some conclusions as to who may have left the footprints.

8.) The teacher will now introduce the footprint that was found (The Norseman)
-Give each group a copy of the footprint
9.) The teacher will have the students measure the footprint handout and make an
inference about which mascot they think left the footprint. Open a discussion about the footprint
handout with the class.
10.) The teacher will explain to the students about the CSI Journal. The teacher will explain
to the students that they are to answer the questions the best to their ability.
Closure
Now, let’s gather back as a group and discuss the conclusions we made about who
left the footprint. The teacher will ask the students to turn to a partner and have them express
their reasoning as to who they think left the footprint. Once the students are finished talking to
their partner, the teacher will have the students come together as a class and have the students
share who they think left the footprint. The teacher will then ask the students to explain their
reasoning. (Talk about who they believe did it with all the evidence as well). The teacher will
then explain to the students what the Final Crime Report is and what they will be doing with it.
The Final Crime Report is a series of questions that the teacher will go through with the students.

Assessment
 Joe Loch
Bridget Whitney
Keyera Shaw
Mystery Lesson Plan
10/30/18
Assessment will be taken from the students data tables and the questions within
their packet as well as the students reasoning for whom they believe the footprint belongs to as
well as their responses in their journal entries. The Final Crime Report will also be used for
assessment.

CSI Group Data Table

NAME Height (in inches) Foot Length (in inches)

Collected evidence from suspects:

Mascot Height

Clarke University Cutlass T. Crusader 6 foot 3 inches (75 inches)

Simpson College Storm 5 foot 10 inches (70 inches)

Central College Dutch (Big Red) 5 foot 3 inches (63 inches)

 Joe Loch
Bridget Whitney
Keyera Shaw
Mystery Lesson Plan
10/30/18
Loras College Dewey Duhawk 6 foot 5 inches (77 inches)

Buena Vista University Buford T. Beavers 6 foot 1 inch (73 inches)

Coe College Charlie Kohawks 5 foot 6 inches (66 inches)

University of Dubuque Sparty 5 foot 9 inches (69 inches)

Wartburg College Sir Victor 6 foot (72 inches)

Luther College The Norseman 5 foot 5 inches (65 inches)

(*May have to make the handout on a separate document*)

 Joe Loch
Bridget Whitney
Keyera Shaw
Mystery Lesson Plan
10/30/18
 Joe Loch
Bridget Whitney
Keyera Shaw
Mystery Lesson Plan
10/30/18

Final Crime Report

Looking at the evidence you collected, which mascot(s) might be the prime
suspect(s) in the disappearance of Dewey?
 Joe Loch
Bridget Whitney
Keyera Shaw
Mystery Lesson Plan
10/30/18

Why do you think so?

How confident are you in this conclusion?

What might be a possible motive?