Gather the "usual suspects" among your family and friends to see if you can use fingerprint analysis to determine the guilty party.
What You Will Need:
- Stamp Pad
- Large Index Cards
- Magnifying Glasses
- Lots of Fingers!
- 12 Players (can be played with less people, but more people make this game more challenging)
What You Do:
- Form two teams of at least 6 people on each team.
- Have all players make a fingerprint card. To do this, ink each fingertip one at a time and roll the finger from one side to the other to transfer the print to the card. Try to use just the right pressure to get the best print. Label each print with the appropriate finger and hand, and write each player's name on his or her fingerprint card.
- Let each team secretly choose a "guilty party". Out of sight of the other team, the "guilty party" should leave two fingerprints on a blank card. Make sure one print is as clear as possible, and the other print should be just part of a fingerprint. The card now holds the "crime scene prints".
- Have the teams get back together - it's time to play detective! One at a time, let each player examine the other team's "crime scene prints". Use a magnifying glass to compare the prints to each members fingerprint cards. Each player should write down who they think the "guilty party" is on the opposing team.
- After everyone has had a chance to write down their guesses, have each team's guilty party "confess". How many members on each team correctly identified the "guilty party"? That team wins!
Variations:
Don't have an inkpad? Here is another way you can capture someone's fingerprints. Use a sharp pencil and rub it across a sheet of paper until you get a layer of graphite on the paper. Rub your finger across the graphite on the paper, then tear off about 1 inch of clear tape and stick it across the dark end of your finger. When you remove the tape, you've lifted your fingerprint! Stick the tape onto a sheet of white paper. Repeat this process until all of your fingers are fingerprinted. Use a magnifying glass and have a close look at your fingerprints - the pattern is the same on each print!
The Science:
Fingerprints are impressions created by ridges on the skin. Perspiration, oils, and amino acids on the skin are transferred to objects when we touch them, often times leaving an impression on the ridge pattern - the fingerprint. No two people have the same fingerprints, not even identical twins.
Escapade Et Cetera:
To enhance your learning experience, we've provided links below to educational websites regarding the subject matter of this article - we've done the research for you!
PBS NOVA Online - Here is a DNA Fingerprint game you can play online from PBS NOVA educational website. This website also explains the science of DNA and fingerprint analysis.
The History of Fingerprinting - This website provides information regarding the history of fingerprints.
