The minute students walk into CSI camp at Independent Day School-Corbett Campus, their thinking caps are required.
Everything around the students – or anything that happens in the camp – may very well be a clue to solving a crime.
The camp on crime scene investigation or CSI is something Heather Robinson, a sixth- and seventh-grade science teacher, started at the school last year.
"I was inspired by a CSI exhibit at MOSI," she said.
Robinson also knew, thanks to the popularity of television shows such as "Bones" and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," that the camp would be a hit among children.
The open-to-the-public camp offers two one-week sessions for students in grades fifth through eighth.
Robinson starts by teaching students about observing and inferring. Then she teaches them about the different types of evidence and goes through several simulated activities.
"I try to make it fun," Robinson said. "Although it is an academic camp, it's still camp."
Children also get the opportunity to learn other skills necessary in forensics, such as DNA gathering and fingerprinting. This year students visited the Forensics Science Unit at the Tampa Police Department's headquarters. Additionally, they also had a crime scene technician as a guest speaker. But for some campers, only one thing keeps them coming back for more.
"I like figuring out stuff about crime scenes," said Dylan Hair, 10, who also attended the camp last year.
The CSI camp is one of about 60 offered at IDS during summer vacation, ranging in themes from photography to robotics in weekly sessions through July 29. The cost is $80 to $175. For information, call (813) 961-3087.
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