News

Year 5 CSI

16.06.2011

The Mystery Case of Professor Sutton

Imagine the scene: a darkened room(our Academy Drama Studio); a dead body (identified as Professor Sutton, played by Mr Albrecht); a heavy paper-weight abandoned on the floor next to the corpse; obvious signs of a fight around the room; a 'threat-note' suggesting that Professor Sutton would be killed; muddy footprints at the door presumed to be that of the murderer!

'Who Dunnit?'... that was the mystery challenge given to the Y5 Gifted and Talented students who had been nominated to participate in our first collaborative enhancement programme for partner primary schools.  The motive 'To steal Professor Sutton's Super Brainy potion' a potential way to secure giftedness for all students involved in the Academy. The budding CSI scientists were faced with the task of using scientific investigative skills to identify the criminal by working with evidence taken from the scene. Each week they worked to come closer to the answer to the big question.

Two teams were identified. Each team worked in the science laboratories with specialist CSI Officers: Miss Jackson (Forensic Science Degree), Mr Mainey & Mr McWean. The suspects were teachers from the local schools participating in the project: Miss Neave, Miss Hill, Mr O’Brien & Miss Bennett. Clearly they all
shared the same motive ... 'Who wouldn’t want to know the secret to how to make all students Super Brainy???'  But our clever CSI trainees worked like sleuths for four sessions to identify, beyond any doubt, that Mr O’Brien was the culprit!

The programme came to a close with a dramatic crime scene reconstruction, directed by Miss Holker. The story/reconstruction unfolded based entirely on the evidence highlighted by the Y5 Gifted and Talented students: analysis of finger-prints, footprints, fibres & ink all found at the scene. Students' reconstruction showed that Mr O’Brien (played by Mr Hughes) was disturbed by Professor Sutton whilst writing the threat-note in Professor Sutton's office. A fight broke out when Professor Sutton tried to prevent his Academy Potion from being stolen! Mr O’Brien grabbed a paper-weight and hit the Professor before fleeing the scene in haste.... without the secret potion!!!

The Academy Super Brainy potion remains a secret!!!

Thanks to all involved including our Y7 Ambassadors

Mr Mainey KS3 Curriculum Coordinator