creativeminds Investigate!
Fingerprint Fun!
In order to identify who has touched an object it is useful for
a secret agent to become skilled in fingerprint analysis.
In this activity you must learn how to find and identify fingerprints.
Find out which is the best powder to show fingerprints.
You have
Clear plastic cups Rulers
Ink pad Sticky tape
Clean brushes Magnifying lenses
White and black paper
Selection of powders such as cornflour, custard, cocoa, talcum, chalk, or gravy
Glasses or mirrors which have been thoroughly washed in hot soapy water
Activity
1. Make a set of your fingerprints by pressing your fingers on the ink pad then onto
the white paper. Wash the ink off your hands and then label your prints.
2. Use the lens to examine them closely. Experts use words like 'whorls, loops and
arches' to identify the patterns. How would you describe them? Compare your
prints with a partner, are there any similarities?
3. Everybody has unique fingerprints, even identical twins, which cannot be removed
or changed unless the skin is severely damaged.
4. Now make a fingerprint on one of the clean objects provided and brush a little of
one of the powders over it. The fingerprint should become more visible. Try to
remove the print by covering it with sticky tape and then putting the tape on white
or black paper. (The colour of the powder will determine the colour of the paper
used!) Can you match the print taken with one of yours?
5. Get everyone in the group to touch a clean object. Can you collect all the prints
and can you match them?
6. You could then hold a mystery competition where everyone touches one glass
each and then you have to find your own glass using fingerprint revelation.
7. See where you can collect fingerprints from in your class room. How many
different ones can you collect?
(You will get much better prints if you rub your nose first!)
creativeminds Investigate!
Useful Questions
• Why do fingerprints leave a mark?
• And why does rubbing your nose make the print stronger?
• Why does the powder reveal the print?
• Which powder proved the most effective at revealing fingerprints?
• Which type of surface can you collect the prints from most easily? Which are not
so good?
• Why do the police use fingerprints as part of their crime solving strategies'?
• What other signs do people leave behind? ( footprints, material fibres, lip prints
etc.)
• What materials are good for tracing footprints'? Is that the same as for
fingerprints?
• Why are footprints not as accurate identification tools as fingerprints?
Research Opportunities
• Sherlock Holmes is one of the most famous detectives in literature, find out as
much as you can about the London based detective.
• He was a master of disguise, can you think of ways to disguise yourself so
that you look different but not unusual? (This is another useful skill for a
secret agent!)
• Write a short fact sheet on Holmes, detailing his famous cases as if you were
writing a report for a newspaper.
• Police can now use DNA fingerprinting to identify suspects.
• What is DNA?
• Where do you find it in the body and how is it tested?
• DNA profiling can tell a lot about someone, how many different uses for this
technique can you discover?
• Genetically modified fruit and vegetables are causing some arguments at the
moment. What does 'genetically modified' mean?
• Make a list of all the types of vegetables and fruits which have been
genetically modified.
• Now make a pros and cons chart on genetic modification.
• Why not organise a debate in your school to discuss whether you think GM
foods are safe and good for the environment or not.
creativeminds Investigate!
Useful Websites
This site will introduce you to Sherlock Holmes:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2a2/brunel/A2773415
And this site explains all about DNA
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/sci_tech/2003/dna_at_50/default.stm
This site will explain how genetic modification works:
http://www.food.gov.uk/gmdebate/?view=GM+Microsite
The Creative Minds project works with museums libraries and
archives across the Yorkshire region, to provide young people with
learning opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths
(S.T.E.M.). This ground-breaking project is the first of its
kind in the country and is managed by MLA Yorkshire. This
pack was developed by Creative Minds and Eureka! The
Museum for Children with funding from Yorkshire Forward.