KS3 Death in the green zone - plant forensics
Become a pollen expert and use your microscope skills to help solve a crime.
Level
Duration
Allocated space
Pupils become a pollen expert (palynologist) in this session, working as part of a forensic team examining evidence and identifying the pollen present. The pollen found on clothing could help in working out where someone has been and help to solve a crime.
Learning Outcomes
We design our sessions to match the learning outcomes in the national curriculum. Our sessions have a cross-curricular approach and are tailored to suit the educational needs of your group. We aim to give pupils opportunities to work scientifically in areas that are difficult or impossible to create in the school environment.
This session offers pupils the opportunity to:
- Learn how to use a microscope with three objective lenses
- Know that pollen structure varies depending on the pollination method
- Identify pollen grains using shape and size
- Record observations from pollen slides
- Draw conclusions from results.
Curriculum Links
This KS3 visit supports and enhances the science curriculum offered in schools
Science
Experimental skills and investigation
- Use appropriate techniques, apparatus, and materials during laboratory work, paying attention to health and safety.
- Make and record observations and measurements.
Analysis and evaluation
- Interpret observations and data, including identifying patterns and using observations, measurements and data to draw conclusions.
Reproduction
- Reproduction in plants, including flower structure, wind and insect pollination, fertilisation, seed and fruit formation and dispersal, including quantitative investigation of some dispersal mechanisms.
