Over the many centuries, the study of blood has certainly given invaluable insights into human health, genetics, and disease, making it a prominent subject in our educational systems today.
Not only is the study of blood incredibly fascinating, but it’s also a critical component of our human biology. Our unique blood types play a pivotal role in the understanding of immunology and of course, medical transfusion practices.
Even more so, blood found at a crime scene can be a critical piece of forensic evidence, as it’s rich with DNA, offering a wide range of clues when trying to solve criminal cases.
This is why The Cookie Jar Mystery: A Study in Forensic Science was brought to life!
The Bloody Brilliant: Blood Types is not only an enjoyable lesson for kids, but it also dives deep into the fundamentals surrounding blood, making it a scientifically enriching curriculum as well.
In this lesson, students will learn about the ABO-blood-type system, the four main blood groups, and the eight blood types associated with it. They’ll analyze and determine a blood type using a simple lab test. Lastly, students will compare the blood type results of the suspects with the blood found at the crime scene.
What makes this lesson so unique is that students will be working with simulated blood and a variety of other serums that resemble the evidence found at a crime scene. Using their specialized blood trays, students will closely examine the blood to further conclude their findings, all while mirroring the same necessary steps and precautions as a forensic scientist would.
Students will also be asked to discuss their findings in small groups as they answer questions like; using this piece of evidence alone, do you feel comfortable accusing someone of the crime? How does this evidence line up with other evidence collected in the case so far? This will help strengthen their critical thinking skills as they bring this exciting mystery to an end.
Without a doubt, this lesson will help students understand the different blood types and how they play a vital role in various medical, forensic, scientific, and healthcare contexts.
We’ve also included some additional activities, discussions, and resources below that will help take this lesson to the next level!
- It is important for the doctor to check your blood type before an operation. If it is necessary to give you blood (a transfusion), it must be of the correct type. Otherwise, your blood would clump (stick together) and you could die as a result. This results because foreign proteins from the wrong type of blood have been introduced into your body. How many students know their blood type? Do any of them or their parents have an unusual blood type?
- Some societies have dealt with sickness and fever by bloodletting. Research how and why this was done.
- Research the blood type distribution of different races. Sickle cell anemia and beta-thalassemia are blood disorders associated with certain ethnic groups. Why are they more prevalent in these groups?
- Blood types classify blood so healthcare providers can determine whether one person’s blood is compatible with another’s. This article by the Cleveland Clinic is a great introduction to blood groups, blood typing, and blood transfusions.
- You can also head over to Colossal Cranium’s YouTube Channel to learn even more about the different blood types, and why people have different blood types.
- Here is an article written by Louise Carter that discusses the different careers surrounding blood work. Click here to read, A Comprehensive Guide to the Different Careers in Blood Work.
This Bloody Brilliant: Blood Types lesson is just one of the many fun, hands-on activities that are included in The Cookie Jar Mystery course. To get an even better understanding of this course, you can read through the complete overview by visiting our website and clicking here!
Or to get a visual understanding of the complete Cookie Jar Mystery course, you can watch our introductory video here.
If you found these links helpful, keep a lookout for more discussions and resources to come in the near future. You can also click here to browse through a variety of our other free resources!
We’d love to hear your feedback or any questions that you might have. You can email us at any time by sending a message to info@commlearning.com and together, we can bring this Cookie Jar Mystery to life!
