Fingerprints Lesson Plan: Structures and Processes

Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

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This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic Fingerprints, and supports the standard of examining structures to determine functions and solve problems. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of creative projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Display an image of fingerprints, like this one: 

Ask students: 

  • What do you notice about the fingerprints? What patterns do you see?
  • When might fingerprints be important? 

Step 2: BUILD BACKGROUND

  • Read aloud the description on the Fingerprints topic page.
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Have students read one of the following Related Reading articles: “Gadgets” or “Real Life.” Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: APPLY
Students synthesize their ideas and express them through one or more of the following creative projects. They can work individually or collaborate. 

  • Make-a-Movie: Create a crime show type of movie that explains how fingerprints are collected, analyzed, and used as evidence. 
  • Make-a-Map: Make a concept map identifying and describing how fingerprints are left, and different ways they are collected. 
  • Creative Coding: Code a meme representing one way fingerprints are used in society. 

Step 4: REFLECT & ASSESS 

Reflect: After sharing creative projects with each other, students reflect on what they’ve learned about fingerprints. Prompt them by asking questions such as: 

  • How has understanding of fingerprints evolved over time? 
  • How has the process of collecting and analyzing fingerprints stayed consistent over time? What has changed? 
  • Why are fingerprints alone not sufficient evidence to prove someone guilty?

Assess: Wrap up the lesson with the Fingerprints Challenge. 

 

 

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments

Related:

    Filed as:  3-5, 6-8, 9-12, BrainPOP, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.3, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.4, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.3.7, CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.4.3