Forensic classes have been busy learning about blood as evidence through careful note taking (thinking/learning), a lab class on a missing person (application/acting), practicing how height affects blood spatter (adaptation/experiencing), and a final crime scene analysis (review/reflection). This is Oliverian Experiential Learning at its finest!

We took advantage of the spring outdoors to come up with heights to measure “blood” spatter from. Dropper in hand, measuring stick held up, students took turns dropping blood from chosen heights, and calculating the average diameters of spatter from 3 trials (science!). Students also had a great time creating a crime scene for other classmates to try to determine through observation point of origin, and what, if any, murder weapon had been used (forensics!).

Important aspects students had to consider: trajectory, direction, and velocity (physics!), angle of impact (trigonometry!), and impact spatter. Can you guess what happened at these crime scenes?

Through trial and error we’ve found the best fake blood recipe: water, corn starch (add some corn syrup for thicker blood), red food coloring (add a few drops of green for realistic color), and chocolate syrup! As in all things science… you experiment with and discover the ratios that work best!

Fun fact: blood has a terminal velocity of 25.1ft/second!

Nellie Bashant,
Science Teacher