Summer SAVY, Session 1 Day 3, Crime Lab Chemistry (3rd-4th)
With tensions rising and theories evolving, our young detectives launched into Day 3 of the investigation, ready to test their hypotheses and chase down the remaining loose ends. The forensic results and interrogation notes from Day 2 set the stage for critical breakthroughs, but today’s challenge focused on putting all the pieces together.
The morning began with a deep dive into Paul’s Reasoning Wheel, shifting from exploration to analysis. Detectives examined patterns they had previously overlooked, drawing connections between suspects and evidence with renewed scrutiny. Were they missing a crucial link between fibers, or did the footprint analysis mislead them? To push their reasoning further, our detectives debated multiple possibilities, refining their theories into stronger cases against potential culprits.
Experimental tests were conducted to verify evidence, simulating footprints under different conditions, cross-examining ink sources, and revisiting previous fingerprints for clarity. A previously overlooked set of clues unexpectedly gained prominence, forcing a reevaluation of earlier beliefs.
In the final round of interrogations, our detectives sharpened their questioning techniques even further. A suspect who had been on the edge of suspicion now found themselves under intense scrutiny as inconsistencies surfaced. The group worked collaboratively to build a timeline, fitting each piece into a logical sequence.
As our first mystery of the week came to an end, confidence grew—many believed they were closer than ever to uncovering “Who Borrowed Mr. Bear.” Discuss with your child about how we uncovered the surprising twist!
Fresh off their success unraveling clues in *Who Borrowed Mr. Bear, our young detectives faced an entirely new challenge—one that would demand the same reasoning skills, but with higher stakes. From Mr. Bear to Millionaire: Day 3 expands the investigation…. enters Felix: The Case of the Missing Millionaire.
After spending the morning tying up loose ends from the Mr. Bear case—analyzing evidence, refining theories, and building a logical timeline—students discovered that their detective work was far from over. Felix, a renowned businessman, had mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind cryptic clues and scattered traces of evidence. Immediately, detectives recognized familiar patterns from the previous mystery: the importance of analyzing footprints, identifying fabric fibers, and scrutinizing handwritten messages for hidden meaning.
Applying the strategies sharpened during Mr. Bear’s investigation, students approached Felix’s disappearance with practiced precision. They examined alibi inconsistencies, pressed suspects with pointed questions, and revisited forensic techniques like chromatography and DNA fingerprint matching. This time, however, the stakes were higher—was Felix truly missing, or was this an elaborate scheme meant to mislead investigators?
Detectives leaned on Paul’s Reasoning Wheel, shifting from exploration and analysis to inference and contextual awareness. As they pieced together subtle connections between Felix’s last known whereabouts and the evidence found at the scene, they realized that some lessons from Mr. Bear’s mystery held the key to cracking this new case wide open.
With Day 3 concluding, students had grown more confident in their deductive abilities. But Felix’s mystery was only beginning to unfold. Were the same patterns repeating, or was this case setting them up for a surprise twist?
What observations did you make at the crime scene, and how did they guide your investigation?
How did you distinguish between evidence and inference during the mystery?
What assumptions did you make at the beginning, and how did they change as you gathered more evidence?
How does this mystery relate to real-world forensic investigations?
If you were to create your own mystery, what elements would you include to make it engaging and challenging?
Tomorrow brings new discoveries—will Felix’s fate finally be revealed? Stay tuned for Day 4!