Mystery at the Godley Grove Manor
Fiona Frost was busy organizing a meeting for the Hartford University researchers to discuss a treasure hunt at Godley Grove Manor when she got an urgent call from the police. They told her that an ancient treasure map had been stolen from a display case right there in the manor! Even more shocking, there's evidence suggesting someone from Godley Grove High could be behind the theft!
Being a dedicated forensic science club member, you have stepped up to help solve this mystery. You and the other club members are planning to meet at the manor to start your investigation. This is where your exciting adventure begins!
NEED HELP FINDING A COSTUME?
The character bios include costume suggestions, but feel free to wear whatever costume you wish! The costumes below are in kid-tween-teen sizes, but if you need adult sizes, click here for adult costumes.
GGHS Forensic Club Members:
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FIONA FROST
President and Founder of GGHS Forensic Club
In light of her exceptional sleuthing skills, Fiona Frost founded the Godley Grove High Forensic Science Club last year. The club has grown to become a serious investigative group that works closely with the Godley Grove police. Fiona is the respected leader of the group. Fiona’s best friend and neighbor is Madison Christie.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Sherlock Holmes costume or other detective attire.
MADISON CHRISTIE
Vice President of the GGHS Forensic Club and Varsity Volleyball Player
Madison Christie is Fiona Frost's longtime best friend. She is one of the most talented female athletes at Godley Grove High. She’s a technology guru—if clues involve anything from computers to cell phones, Madison will figure it out. When she’s not building computers or solving riddles and crimes, she spends her free time planning hilarious pranks on her family.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Athletic attire. A cellular phone, post-it notes, and a pen as optional props.
LAUREN HOPE
Secretary of the GGHS Forensic Club and President of the Math Club
Originally hailing from the UK, the serious-minded Lauren Hope is the reigning champion of the National Mathematics League. Lauren can crack any numeric code. This math genius usually wears her signature military-inspired cap. Lauren Hope is Doc’s best friend!
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual teen attire. A calculator, ‘chewed’ straw, and a military-inspired cap as optional props.
WILLOW ‘DOC’ WALKER
Treasurer of the GGHS Forensic Club and Aspiring Physician
Willow Walker was nicknamed Doc by her friends since she aspired to be a physician since the age of three. She spends her free time training with doctors at the local family clinic. Doc is Lauren Hope’s best friend. A loud-talker, she’s the most outgoing club member who loves to dance and put together puzzles.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: A lab coat and examination gloves as optional props.
ELLA QUEEN
Member of the GGHS Forensic Club and Head Cheerleader
The most popular girl at Godley Grove High is Ella Queen. An effective communicator and social networker, Ella knows everything about everyone in the town of Godley Grove! If you need to reveal anyone’s secrets, Ella’s your spy; she has the brains, ability, and popularity to pull it off!
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Wear any cheerleading uniform or warm-ups. Alternatively, wear any attire that shows Godley Grove High School's ‘school spirit’. A megaphone and pom-poms are optional props.
SAMANTHA (SAMMY) SPADE
Member of the GGHS Forensic Club and Vice President of the Chemistry Club
The cheery Samantha Spade is Godley Grove High's top chemistry mastermind and National Academic League champion in science. As a hobby, she writes rap songs about the periodic table. Sometimes, she teaches the freshman chemistry class for her teacher. Samantha is always seen in proper business attire, as she believes you never know when you’ll meet someone you need to impress!
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Business attire. A fake microphone as an optional prop.
ADRO MONK
Member of the GGHS Forensic Club and Editor of the School Newspaper
The drama queen of the group is Adro Monk. She’s the spunky editor of the Godley Grove High Newspaper. Adro’s the school gossip, so never confide in her to keep a secret! Adro is a notorious note-writer and has become an adept handwriting analyst. She’s created a database of handwriting samples from everyone in the school!
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual teen attire. Notepad, pen, magnifying glass and a digital camera as optional props.
PET COLUMBO
Member of the GGHS Forensic Club and Aspiring Forensic Profiler
Pet Colombo is an aspiring forensic psychological profiler. She’s so awesome at profiling – she can guess what you’re thinking by your mannerisms. A tad wild and hyperactive, this energy hoarder is the most mechanically inclined member of the club.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Very trendy teen attire.
DOLLY SAYERS
Member of the GGHS Forensic Club and Future Valedictorian
Dolly Sayers is the most hard-working academic in the group. She is at the top of the class at Godley Grove High. When stressed, she sings instead of talking! She is an avid animal lover and works part-time as an animal groomer at Godley Grove Pet Depot.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual teen attire. A stack of educational books as optional props.
MARGO ELLINGHAM
Member of the GGHS Forensic Club and Debate Club Champion
The newest student at Godley Grove High is Margo Ellingham. She recently moved to town from South Africa and landed a part-time job at Ozzies - a local burger joint. She’s a bit argumentative and can be a one-upper. Therefore, whatever you tell Margo, she’s likely to have done it more, faster, and better.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual teen attire. It is optional to wear a fast food uniform.
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MASON PERRIMAN
Member of the GGHS Forensic Club and Varsity Soccer Player
Mason Perriman is the leading goal scorer on the varsity soccer team. Mason’s a bit neurotic at times, so stay on his good side if you know what’s good for you. Mason is one of the best field investigators, so allowing him to be first on the scene is best.
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Any athletic attire. Soccer ball as an optional prop.
EDWARD HARDY
Member of the GGHS Forensic Club and President of the Foreign Nations Club
Edward Hardy is one of the most popular boys at Godley Grove High. Everyone else will follow if he is wearing it, saying it, or doing it. Edward is a super sleuth when it comes to evidence from a foreign nation. He’s from Australia and can speak five different languages!
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Trendy casual teen attire and any books about foreign nations or languages as optional props.
THOMAS SWIFTMAN
Member of the GGHS Forensic Club and President of the Future Farmers of America Club
Thomas Swiftman is the energetic president of the Future Farmers of America Club and paperboy for the Godley Grove Newspaper. Thomas is a true friend to everyone and is knowledgeable about the town of Godley Grove due to his job. Also, a budding stand-up comic, this guy is the life of any party!
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual teen attire. Optional newspapers in a sack as a prop.
WOLFE NERO
Member of the GGHS Forensic Club and Marching Band Drummer
Wolfe Nero is the notorious Godley Grove High class clown. The teachers wince at the semester’s new roll sheets in hopes not to see Wolfe’s name listed! He is one of the best drummers in the marching band and a skilled skateboarder. Wolfe’s the best at determining the underlying cause of e criminal behavior. He seems to be able to creep inside criminal minds!
COSTUME SUGGESTIONS: Casual teen skateboarding attire. Optional drumsticks as a prop.
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A Forensic Science Overview:
Forensic science is like being a detective, but instead of just asking questions and looking for obvious clues, you use science to find hidden answers. Imagine you're a superhero, and your superpower is being able to see things that no one else can. That's kind of what forensic scientists do, but they use special tools and knowledge to see these things.
FINGERPRINTS:
One cool area of forensic science is fingerprint analysis. Everyone has unique fingerprints, not even identical twins have the same ones! Forensic scientists use special powders and lights to find fingerprints left at crime scenes. Then they compare these prints to those of suspects or to prints in a large database to find a match. It’s like playing a super challenging game of matching shapes, but what you're matching can help solve crimes!
DNA:
Another interesting part is DNA analysis. You know how everyone says you've got your mom's eyes or your dad's hair? Well, that's because you inherit parts of your DNA from each of them. Forensic scientists can take tiny samples from a crime scene, like hair or skin cells, and look at the DNA. They use this information to find out who was there, just like piecing together a family tree, but for solving mysteries. It’s like being part of a detective story where your genetic code is a key clue!
IMPRESSIONS:
Shoeprints and impressions are like the footprints animals leave in the mud, but these are the marks your shoes leave behind. Imagine walking through a puddle of paint and then walking around your house – leaving a trail that shows exactly where you went. Forensic scientists use the same idea to solve crimes. They study the patterns, sizes, and wear marks of shoeprints found at crime scenes to figure out who might have been there. It’s like using footprints to tell a story about what happened, kind of like how detectives in cartoons follow clues!
TRACE:
Now, trace analysis is super cool, too. It's like being a treasure hunter, but instead of gold, you're looking for tiny bits of stuff people leave behind, like hair, fibers from clothes, or even bits of dirt. These little things are called "traces." By studying them, scientists can learn a lot about where someone has been or what they've done. It’s like if you made a sandwich and left crumbs, someone could figure out what you ate. In forensic science, finding these tiny clues can help piece together the puzzle of a crime scene.
BALLISTICS:
Ballistics is another fascinating part of forensic science, and it’s all about understanding everything to do with guns and bullets. When a gun is fired, it leaves unique marks on the bullet, kind of like how a marker leaves streaks on paper. Ballistics experts look at these marks to figure out which specific gun fired which bullet, just like you'd match a key to a lock. They can also study the path a bullet traveled, which helps them understand how a shooting happened. It's a bit like being an investigator and a scientist all at once, using clues to solve a puzzle about a moment when everything changed.
TOOLMARKS:
Tool mark analysis is pretty cool, too. It’s like being a detective for things that have been cut, pried, or broken. If someone breaks into a house and uses a crowbar, that crowbar will leave marks behind. Forensic experts can look at those marks and then compare them to tools they think were used in the crime. Like each person’s handwriting, each tool leaves a unique pattern behind. So, by looking at these marks, scientists can help tell the story of what tool did what, almost like reading the tool’s diary!
DIGITAL FORENSICS:
Digital forensics is like being a detective but for computers and electronic gadgets. Imagine your friend telling you that someone took their secret cookie recipe from their computer. As a digital forensic scientist, you would look through the computer to find clues. You'd check for fingerprints, but not the kind you can see with your eyes – these are digital fingerprints, like when the recipe was last opened, who was logged in, or if someone sent the file somewhere else. It's like being a tech wizard, using your powers to uncover secrets hidden in phones, laptops, or even video games!
QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS:
Questioned document examination is like being a detective. Still, instead of looking for clues in a big, mysterious house, you're looking at papers, letters, and any documents you can think of. Imagine your friend gives you a note saying they owe you five cookies, but later, they say they never wrote it. You'd want to find out the truth, right?
This is where questioned document experts come into play. They look super closely at the writing, checking out how the letters are shaped, how hard the pen was pressed onto the paper, and even the type of ink used. They can also see if someone tried to erase or change anything.
But it’s not just about handwriting. These experts can examine old, torn, or damaged documents to figure out what used to be there, like solving a mystery from just a few hints. They can also tell if a specific printer printed a document or if a signature was signed by the person it was supposed to be from. It's like being a language artist and a detective rolled into one, using tiny clues from papers to help uncover big truths!
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So, when detectives combine the above techniques and other methods, such as serology, toxicology, odontology, anthropology, and entomology - they have a much better chance of figuring out the mystery. They can tell if the bad guy was at the place where something bad happened, and sometimes even what they were doing there. It’s like being a super-sleuth who uses science to solve puzzles and catch the bad guys!
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