Lip Print�s of Each Suspect

A glass with a lip print was found at the crime scene.  

Look at the lip print on the cup and compare it to the lip prints taken from the suspect. 

Use what you find to get another clue!

Suspect A likes music.                        Suspect B likes flowers.

Suspect C likes machines.                            Suspect D likes insects.

Lip Prints Lesson Plan

Materials: Lipstick, Index cards, four sets of lip prints.

Before class make four lip prints on an index card or use the one�s we�ve provided.  Label the back of each card Suspect A, B, C, D.  Make two copies of the guilty suspect�s lip print.  Label the back of the guilty lip print "guilty party."  Have the students compare the lip prints of the suspects to the guilty party.

Background Knowledge

The five basic types of lip prints used by forensic scientists are:

Lip Print Classification

Classify each suspect�s lip prints in the chart below

Which lip prints are the same type of lip print as the crime scene lip print? 

Look closely at each of the lip prints.  Which lip print matches the crime scene lip print?

Additional Lip Print Activities:

Before class, have someone make a lip print on a paper towel.  Have several lipsticks, which are similar in color to use in the experiment.  Students will make chromatograms of the various types of lipsticks to determine which lipstick the guilty party wore.  

Cut the lip print on the paper towel into strips.  Give one strip to each group of students.  Next, give each group 5 plain strips of paper towels.  Have each group make a lipstick smear on one end of each blank paper towel with one of the five suspect lipsticks and label them #1-#5.   Place 1/2 inch of fingernail polish remover (acetone) in 6 different glasses for each group.  Loop the paper towel strip over a pencil.  Place the pencil over the top of the glass with the paper towel strip hanging down the center of the class.  Make sure the lipstick end of the paper towel strip is toward the acetone.  Have the end of the paper towel touch the acetone.  Observe how the lipstick separates into different colors on the paper towel.  Compare the chromatograms of the five suspect lipsticks to the chromatogram of the lip print.  Record your findings.

Resource: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atrium/5924/forensicscienceactivites.htm#lip%20prints