Lesson 2: Are Fingerprints Inherited?

Prepare for lesson:

• Review Are Fingerprints Inherited Activity Guide
• Ensure that youth have consent to share their fingerprints
• At least one sibling pair participating for fidelity
• At least one unrelated pair in group
• Supplies for small group:
  • Paper towel
  • Moist towelette
  • White printer paper, tracing paper or parchment paper
  • Pencils
  • Clear tape
  • Scissors
  • Optional: magnifying glass

During the lesson:

• Ask youth what they know about fingerprints. Specific questions:
  • Can people have the same fingerprint? 
  • What can fingerprints tell us?
  • In what jobs would understanding fingerprints be important?
• Share that they’ll be forensic scientists today by studying fingerprints.
• Have youth practice taking reliable fingerprints in their small groups using the steps shared in the activity slide.
• After practicing on each other at least 5 times, have them take fingerprints they’ll be using for their study. 
• Ask them to jot down what they observe. 
  • Does it have a specific pattern? 
  • What is the same for those who are related? What is different? 
  • What about for those who are not related? What is the same? What is different?
• Have them note which fingerprints have a loop, whorl, or arch.
• Have the groups share out. 
  • What would be valuable to know to best study fingerprints? 
  • What would be valuable to have to best study fingerprints? 

  • What skills would someone studying this have?