Huntington SEARCH Visits the DNA Lab
Thirty sixth graders in the Huntington School District's SEARCH program traveled to the nearby DNA Learning Center in Cold Spring Harbor last week for all-day forensic science labs.
"These labs are not your traditional classes," said SEARCH teacher-chairperson Maryann Daly, who collaborated with Amanda McBrien from the center to customize the hands-on sessions to directly relate to a 16-week forensics unit the students had just completed in their weekly classes.
One two-hour lab focused on DNA fingerprinting. The youngsters created gel using liquid agar, which eventually hardened into a square piece of Jell-O like gel. After using a comb to create indentations in the gel, they were given dye in small containers. Using pipettes, students practiced how to place the dye carefully and accurately into the cavities they had created in the gel without allowing the dye to spread onto the surface. It was not an easy assignment.
The youngsters were then given samples of DNA, which had to be placed into the next four cavities. Following this, they hooked the container to electricity and watched the DNA spread into long strips across the surface of the gel itself. Under a black light, each gel sample indicated whether or not the DNA of one of the three suspects matched the evidence sample. "It was a very cool lab which these budding scientists thoroughly enjoyed," Mrs. Daly said.
A second lab included the study of investigating blood spatter at the scene of a crime. Students learned how important using trigonometry, including sine and cosine is in determining the angle of the bloodstain being studied.
Each team of students created its own blood spatter stains at different angles. Groups were then given a board containing many different types of spatter. They had to choose at least three areas to measure and using string and rope, develop a theory as to which direction the victim had been hit from in the room. This was necessary to know, as one student pointed out, because this information enabled the forensic scientists to determine where a suspect had been standing when an alleged crime took place and where to send a forensic team to collect and study trace evidence.
"This was the first time we participated in this lab and witnessing how engrossed the students were, next year's SEARCH students will be participating in blood spatter investigations once again," Mrs. Daly said.
The close proximity of the DNA Learning Center has allowed Mrs. Daly to bring SEARCH fifth graders (for genetics and biology) and sixth graders to Cold Spring Harbor for customized labs for many years.
"We should take advantage of a place like this to expose the students to this important science, which has helped so many people in our world," Mrs. Daly said. "With that being said, the students need background information and experience in these science areas before they participate in these sophisticated labs sessions to benefit the most from them."