Activity 1.1 - How can fingerprints be categorized?

Learning Aims:

Introduction to fingerprints.
Develop a system to categorize fingerprints.
Learn more about the different properties of fingerprints.
Learn that an incomplete fingerprint is still very worthwhile evidence.

Materials:

PC with internet connection:
http://www.trutv.com/shows/forensic_files/games/fingerprint/index.html

Suggestions for use:

This introductory activity can be done without any pre-knowledge. In a playful and attractive way the students get introduced to the subject. However, it is more then just an appetizer, students have to reflect on the way they recognize the fingerprints. It might be that they discover some of he rules of the system to categorize fingerprints.

Introduce the problem with the use of the fingerprint game.
In the game, let students motivate why they choose the specific fingerprint.
Let the students write down which properties of the fingerprint they use during the game.

After playing the game, students do further research on how to categorize (and recognize) fingerprints.

Possible questions:

Write down three properties that you might use to recognize (categorize) a fingerprint (see http://www.fun-science-project-ideas.com/The-science-of-fingerprints.html for a suggestion)
After doing the research, play the game once more. Is it more easy now?