This past week at Island Christian Academy, a group of 14 students learned the basics of how to catch a crook.
Crime scene investigation (CSI) is just one of 15 options students in grades 3-12 had to choose from during the school’s annual Electives Week. From Jan. 27-30, students had the opportunity to select four classes out of a total of 23 options. The choices were narrowed down to 15 based upon students’ interest. Selected classes included remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV), zentangle drawing, model bridge building, knitting, Lego with stop animation, theater, science of cookies, coding for kids, DIY beauty, bottle rockets, gymnastics and self defense.
Students still took their usual math class at 9 a.m.; but after 10 a.m., they attended four hour-long elective sessions taught by teachers, parents and community volunteers.
For children in preschool, kindergarten, first or second grades, special classes were selected by faculty and the students were instructed as one group.
The objective of Electives Week, according to academy director Brenda Chittim and a letter sent to prospective volunteer instructors, is to expose students to opportunities and information they may not experience during a standard day of classes. Through this exposure, the academy hopes that students may demonstrate an “affinity or aptitude” for one or more of the subjects and become inspired to pursue it further on their own. In addition, the school’s annual spring fairs in art, history and science require students to conduct independent research and demonstrate creativity. Electives Week often provides a source of inspiration for the fair projects.
During the crime scene investigation class on Thursday afternoon, students hunted for clues in photos, took and studied their finger prints and examined tire tread marks using toy cars in order to determine the offending vehicle in an imaginary crime.
The class contained students of mixed grades and ages ranging from third grade to 11th. It is the first year crime scene investigation was offered.
Student Melody Wilkie jokingly surmised that the skills she was learning may help her to catch her brother in acts of mischief.
Ninth grader Josh McClellan said he was enjoying pretty much every aspect of the class and learning how to catch criminals.
“Or how to be a criminal,” his classmate Kieran Birchfield interjected with a grin. “I’m a ‘Bones’ fanatic,” he added, explaining that when he grows up he would like to be a professional detective.
Birchfield said that he was also interested in the history of crime scene investigation, which he was studying independently. A hundred or more years ago, he said, it was far more difficult for law enforcement officers to nab the guilty party. “Now they’re bound to leave something behind,” Birchfield said.
Students displayed their creations and gave presentations at the academy’s quarterly awards dinner and Electives Week showcase at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 3.
