RINGGOLD, Ga. – When Hector the parakeet went missing, it was up to a group of fourth-grade detectives at Ringgold Elementary School to identify the culprit.
To solve the crime, the students first had to figure out who wrote the ransom note demanding money for the bird. They used chromatography, which analyzes mixtures by separating them into their individual chemicals, to figure out what kind of pen was used to write the sinister note.
What resembled serious police work here was actually an exercise as part of Ringgold Elementary’s CSI Week, in which science classes study crime-scene investigation techniques.
Fourth-grade science teacher Mishana Paris said CSI Week is usually a highlight of the year for students and teachers.
“They love hands-on activities,” she said. “So, anything to do with experiments, they love.”