This year, as you may have read in previous issues, Linwood College at Ōtākaro has been running an exciting Integrated Learning programme with our Year 9 students.

One of the units of learning is “Forensic Investigation” where students are able to combine aspects of the Science and English curriculum to set their minds to solving a crime. Throughout the term, students learn observation skills, how to hunt through articles to find information, how to carry out a range of forensic testing on evidence from a crime scene and eventually identifying a suspect that they believe did it.

They then compile all they have learned into a court presentation where they present their findings to a jury of their peers from another class, having learned some oration language skills along the way.

The students throughout the year have produced some amazing reports and presentations and have worked really well within teams to put all of the pieces together.

We asked Matai and Kordell Faataape what they thought of their experience with Forensic Investigation. 

What have you been learning in Integrated Studies this term?

We have been learning about crime-solving, how to match up footprints, use ink pads to take fingerprints, looking at soil properties and how to test soil acidity to find matches with the evidence from the crime scene.

What is the crime you have been solving?

Grand Theft Shakespeare - We are solving the case of Mr Edmunson’s framed picture of Shakespeare, a famous writer.

What have you enjoyed learning about this term?

I like that we get to learn about detective stuff and when we learned about Sherlock Holmes. We work well in a team and it has been good to be able to work together. I really enjoyed looking at dead cells and ripped paper and the little fibers in the microscopes when we were learning the skills. Once we learned them we matched up the fibre from the crime scene to fabric from the suspect’s shirt. I also liked reading and learning about fingerprints and taking the fingerprints.