The Case of the Crown Jewels has two parts:A classroom activity that allows students to explore how the unique sequence of bases in DNA can be used to identify individuals.A laboratory activity that allows students to use DNA restriction analysis to determine if one of the two suspects were at a fictitious crime scene.If you do not have electrophoresis lab equipment, you can just do the paper activity in Part 1 and still teach students about the different concepts related to DNA Fingerprinting.  

In this lab, gel electrophoresis will be used to separate the dyes present in different flavors of Kool-Aid. In a normal research setting, samples of various DNA, RNA, or proteins would be run on this type of system. However, in this lab, we will be substituting various flavors of Kool-Aid for the DNA samples.This experiment will introduce you to the basics of gel electrophoresis, introduction to color theory, and how the eye perceives color.Also a virtual lab has been included to allow students to perform electrophoresis online.  This can be a great introductory activity before doing the Kool-aid Lab or can be a substitution if you do not have electrophoresis equipment.You will need gel electrophoresis equipment to conduct the Kool Aid lab.

Students use DNA profiling to determine who robbed a bank. After they learn how the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) is used to match crime scene DNA with tissue sample DNA, students use CODIS principles and sample DNA fragments to determine which of three suspects matches evidence obtain at a crime location. They communicate their results as if they were biomedical engineers reporting to a police crime scene investigation.