Slide 1

The Accident

8th Grade Forensic Science

T. Trimpe 2006 http://sciencespot.net/

Case #1

There was nothing Leon, thedriver, could do about theimpending crash of the car hewas driving. Leon knew the carwould be completely demolishedin the crash. After the crashLeon didn’t have a scratch onhim. How can that be?

Leon was driving a remote control car.

He was playing a video game.

Trash Tosser

8th Grade Forensic Science

T. Trimpe 2006 http://sciencespot.net/

Case #2

Hint: Notice the bones in the trash.

An inconsiderate slob dumped trash on Rachel Rabbit's lawn.

One of these two suspects is guilty. Slylock Fox found

evidence that may identify the loathsome litterbug.

What did Slylock observe to help him identify the trash tosser?

Source: http://www.slylockfox.com/arcade/BrainBogglers/index.html

Slylock found bones in the trash.

The bull is an herbivore and only eats plants.

The raccoon is an omnivore and eats both plants andanimals. The raccoon is the trash tosser.

Snack Shack

8th Grade Forensic Science

T. Trimpe 2006 http://sciencespot.net/

Case #3

Harborville's Beach Snack Shop had been open only an hourwhen Max stopped in and noticed a new poster announcing aprice increase. "I put the sign up this morning," Mr. Levine toldhim. "I had to raise my prices 10% because I have so many newexpenses. Like now I need a new window for my back room.Somebody broke it, trying to get into my store last night."

"Have you called the police?" Max asked. Mr. Levine replied,"No. Nothing was stolen." He led Max to a small storeroom inthe back and said, “I use this space as an office. Sat here andmade my price change poster last night. Soon as I was done, Ileft it on that old desk. I locked the door to the main part of mystore when I left, so whoever got in was stuck in this littlestoreroom. There’s nothing here to steal."

Source: http://kids.mysterynet.com/quicksolve/

When Max left he wandered down to the break wall, whereNathan and Trevor were fishing. "Did you hear that somebodybroke a window at the Shack?" he asked. "Nope," Nathan said."We've been here since dawn and haven't talked to anybody."Trevor gestured to the bucket. "We've caught some big ones."Nathan stood. "But now I'm starving. I've got a dollar left frommy allowance. If Mr. Levine is there now, I'm going up to theShack to get a Big Beach Bun."

"Better get another dime from somewhere," Trevor told him. "Adollar's not enough any more. As for me, I'm going home to geta couple sandwiches for myself."

"You both stay right here," Max said. "I know which one of youbroke that window. You'd better think of a way to pay for it,because I'm telling Mr. Levine."

How did Max figure it out?

Mr. Levine had just put up his poster about the price

increase that morning. Nathan and Trevor said they had

been fishing since dawn and had spoken to no one. Since

Trevor knew that a dollar bun was now a dollar and ten

cents, he must have been the one who broke the window

and got inside the back room, where he read the poster

lying on the old desk.

Mystery Footprints

8th Grade Forensic Science

T. Trimpe 2006 http://sciencespot.net/

Case #4

One Saturday morning Nina saw the three musketeers in the mall.Jenny, Brittany, and Mitzi called themselves by that name becausethey always were together.

"I've been shopping for sandals," Jenny told Nina. "But I have such awide foot nothing seems to fit. We've been looking everywhere."

"And it's been slow going," Mitzi added. "On account of Brittany's-""I know," Nina said looking at Brittany, "I heard you sprained yourankle in gym yesterday. Does it still hurt a lot?"

"It's okay as long as I move really slowly," Brittany told her. "We'regoing to get ice cream at the Just Desserts Shop now. Want to joinus?" "Better not,” Nina said, “ Max is meeting me at home. See youlater."

Source: http://kids.mysterynet.com/quicksolve/

Nina was taking a short cut through Harborville's city park when shesaw Mr. Hansen kneeling beside a new sidewalk. The citymaintenance man frowned as she drew closer. "Somebody jumpedright in the middle here while the cement was still wet," he said,pointing at two narrow footprints embedded in the concrete."Now I'll have to rip out this section and re-do it. Sure can't leavethe sidewalk looking like this!"

"Any idea of who did it?" Nina asked.

"A kid over there on the slide said that girls named Brittany, Mitzi,and Jenny were the only ones near here. But he doesn't knowwhich one ruined my sidewalk."

"I know who did it," Nina declared.

How did Nina figure it out?

The footprints were narrow. Jenny had wide feet.Because of her sprained ankle, Brittany would nothave jumped. Since Mitzi was the only one left, shehad to be the guilty one.

Surprised Visitor

8th Grade Forensic Science

T. Trimpe 2006 http://sciencespot.net/

Case #5

The clock in the courthouse ahead of Max showed six o'clock. As itbegan chiming, he noticed a tall man with a briefcase walkingtowards him. The man turned around, looked at the clock, and thenquickened his steps. He took an envelope and dropped it in a mailboxas he continued on. Max moved faster, too. Miss Fritz had invited himfor dinner. He didn't want to be late.

"I'm glad you could come," Harborville's oldest music teacher said."I've made a lovely salad for us." She gestured Max to a chair. "Goodthing I prepared ahead. A surprise visitor just left."

"Who visited?" Max asked.

"A teacher from Harborville's School for the Deaf,” she replied. “Hewas totally deaf himself; poor man, but he could read lips perfectly.He had the loveliest penmanship when he wanted to tell mesomething."

Source: http://kids.mysterynet.com/quicksolve/

"Why was he here?" he asked.

She said, "Well, evidently the school is low on funds. I was glad tohelp out. I had just cashed my social security check so I was able togive him five hundred dollars."

"Did he just leave?” he asked. “Was he a tall man with a brief case?""Yes," she replied.

"We'd better phone the police. I think that man was a phony. I knowfor sure he wasn't totally deaf."

How did Max figure it out?

The clock was behind the man as he was walking, sohe could not have seen it. He turned around at thesound of the chimes, so he obviously heard them.

The Broken Window

8th Grade Forensic Science

T. Trimpe 2006 http://sciencespot.net/

Case #6

One evening as Max was out walking, Mrs. Zenitt called his name.He hurried across the street. She was standing in her front yard, butshe guided him around to the back. "I was watching TV in the livingroom," she told him, "and I heard a crash. Just look!" She pointed toher back porch window. "Someone threw a rock through it. It's brokeninto a dozen pieces!“

"Do you know who did it?" he asked.

"No,” she replied, “He ran off, but I think maybe it was David Loring.We had a spat the other day because I told his parents he had to stopusing my yard as a short cut. But I wouldn't accuse him of breaking awindow without more proof.“

"I'll talk to him," Max said.

Source: http://kids.mysterynet.com/quicksolve/

He found David panting as he bounced a basketball under the light onhis garage. "Did you just run from Mrs. Zenitt's?" Max asked. "Didyou break her window?"

David shook his head. "No. I'm all out of breath because I've been outhere shooting baskets. I don't know anything about a broken porchwindow."

"You're not telling the truth," Max said.

How did Max figure it out?

Max knew David was not telling the truth because he said"porch window." Max had not mentioned which of Mrs. Zenitt'swindows had been broken. "This case was a real pane, but thesolution was as clear as glass," Max told Nina later.

Stranger Danger

8th Grade Forensic Science

T. Trimpe 2006 http://sciencespot.net/

Case #7

David was sitting in his hotel room reading a book, when he heard aknock at the door, and the sound of someone trying the door handle.He opened the door, where he saw a man whom he had never seenbefore.

The man said, "I'm terribly sorry ... I thought this was my room.Wrong floor, I guess." He then walked off down the hall toward theelevator.

David went back into his room, thought about what had justhappened, and then phoned the front desk, suggesting they call thepolice, since the man at the door had obviously been a thief.

Why was David so sure the man had been a thief?

Source: http://kids.mysterynet.com/quicksolve/

The man had knocked first. He wouldn't havedone that if he'd thought it was his room.

Missing Masterpiece

8th Grade Forensic Science

T. Trimpe 2006 http://sciencespot.net/

Case #8

A painting by a world-renowned artist was stolen from the ForestMuseum. The missing masterpiece is now in Kopy Kat's studio.The feline forger has already painted a copy of the artwork. Whichone does Slylock Fox suspect is the original painting?

Hint: What is different about the owls?

Source: http://www.slylockfox.com/arcade/BrainBogglers/index.html

An owl cannot move its eyes from side to side,but must turn its head to see in other directions.

The painting with the eyes pointed straight ahead is the original.

The Music Hut

8th Grade Forensic Science

T. Trimpe 2006 http://sciencespot.net/

Case #9

Someone stole a CD and a portable CD player from the mallmusic store. Shady Shrew claims he saw the stork unwrapthose items and immediately start listening to music. SlylockFox strongly suspects Shady's account is false. Why?

Hint: What is the power source for the CD player?

Source: http://www.slylockfox.com/arcade/BrainBogglers/index.html

The CD player needed batteries before it could be used.Shady Shrew made up the lie. The stolen items are in his bag.