SEARCH Visits DNA Learning Center
When Huntington School District SEARCH program students visit the DNA Learning Center in Cold Spring Harbor it isn't to browse around and be observers. The youngsters spend the day engaged in hands-on studies and experiments.
SEARCH sixth graders recently culminated months of forensic science investigations with a set of two two-hour labs on DNA fingerprinting and forensic anthropology at the DNA Learning Center.
"During the forensic anthropology lab session, a skeleton was studied, bone fragments were analyzed and the markings on a skull were investigated to determine age, gender, possible injury, height of the specimen and any other analysis which might indicate foul play was involved," said Maryann Daly, SEARCH program chairperson.
The Huntington students received "gold glove" treatment in Cold Spring Harbor. "The instructor whose specialty is forensic anthropology led the discussion of how many different career choices people have relating to this fascinating science," Mrs. Daly said. "Many were surprised that artists and photographers were listed under this science and they soon realized how broad an area forensic science can be."
During the second lab, a different instructor brought each group of Huntington sixth graders through the technical process of DNA fingerprinting. The youngsters learned how to use micropipettes, pour hot agar into marked trays and carefully label and record their findings. After dents were created in the hardened agar, each student practiced injecting samples of colored liquid into each cavity.
The exquisite preparation laid the foundation for the "real" experiment, which required the students to inject DNA samples into the four middle cavities (one taken from the crime scene and the other DNA samples taken from three suspects.)
"Each table had to work smoothly as team members in order to meet with success and they did," Mrs. Daly said. The young student-scientists then had to hook their containers to electricity which spread the DNA samples into readable bands for each team to compare and contrast with the cs band.
While waiting for the results, the instructor led each group through the meaning of DNA fingerprinting (using gel electrophoresis) and why it is so important in eliminating and/or incriminating a suspect. "They soon realized that careful investigations of many different evidence samples, not just DNA will often lead to the guilty party," Mrs. Daly said.
After a day of science, Mrs. Daly asked her students how many of them were interested in science as their future career choice. Many hands quickly shot up. "If anything, it was a wonderful way to expose young minds to endless possibilities in future years," Mrs. Daly said.
The weekly SEARCH (Scholastic Enrichment and Resource for the Children in Huntington) pull-out program involves the top ten percent of students in both the fifth and sixth grades in the district.