Dear Karin: What! Teens and tweens BORED when there's a chance to do
FORENSICS?????!!!! Or Crime Scene Investigation (CSI)??!

I expect there must have been a British TV show around these very hot
topics, or maybe in the U.K. they watch some U.S. TV shows like "CSI
Miami" or "Forensics Files". IN my experience, nothing has ever come along
which proved as useful to bringing what we do into the public eye as
"forensics". Suddenly the bone studies that fascinate all of use rose from
the dusty coffin of the arcane and the obscure and became interesting and
understandable to millions of people! Suddenly thousands of high schools
all across the U.S. started to reformat their science curricula to include
"forensics" -- when previously you could not get a 16 year old girl to so
much as TOUCH a "yucky" old skeleton!

So this is what I would do: figure out a way to feature something about
each bone that you happen to have -- something they need to notice,
something that would relate to an imaginary crime scene. Got any bones in
a partial state of crumbliness or decomposition? Do they have insect
holes? Is there dirt still adhering? What color is the dirt and is it sand
or clay?

Or -- which bone of the body is it? If all the bones weren't found -- why
possibly not? Scavengers? Peck marks or bite marks? Particularly vicious
criminal who dismembers his victims (oh they'll eat that one up you bet)?!
Cut marks/butchery marks?

YOu get the idea....I don't know what bones you have, but it's 100%
certain that each and every one of them has some kind of story to tell.
That's what we-all do here, when it comes right down to it. Science is
totally engaging and fun, and when it's not that, then there's something
greatly amiss. Half an hour will not be nearly enough time, my dear, and
in that short interval you may very well change a kid's life for the
better forever. That's the biggest reason we're here. Cheers -- Dr. Deb


> Good day
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> On Saturday I have to entertain a small group of 11 - 16 year olds for
> about
> 30 minutes.  Topic: Bones (obviously).
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> I have individual bones from various animals thus not one complete
> skeleton
> of a single animal.
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> My creativity has left me and I have absolutely no idea what to do with
> them.
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> Any and all suggestions will be highly appreciated.  No-tech as it will be
> outside.
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> Thanking you in advance for your help.
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> Greetings
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> Karin
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> Never Argue with a Dragon
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> For thou art crunchy
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> And goes well with cheese
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> I don't make typos. I do, however, periodically disrupt linguistic
> hegemonies by way of unintentionally subversive alternate spellings. - S
> Academics Say
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