Boston Massacre Crime Scene

Well first of all, it started on Pinterest. That's how it always happens, right? I was so excited to find what I was looking for only to realize it was just that, a great picture from an amazing teacher.      
Nothing else.
Well not entirely.
She had great descriptions of what and how she did it all. But I wanted more! Where were the printables? Where were the cheat sheets? Then it dawned on me... Make them, so I did. Now, when I actually have my computer I will go in length how I elaborated on a relatively limited idea and really developed it into a much bigger two day unit. But until then, you'll have to be happy with a few pictures.

It was absolutely amazing to see all the ideas about the torn blue fabric.  Some students even connected the different weapons saying they were torn from a bayonet and the colonial money fell out. Great detective work kids! 

 In the directions for the colonial money I mentioned to print in black and white and stain in coffee.  My ink was running out and it looked naturally old... what are the chances? I had my amazing daughters crumble up the money and letters really good to give it the old, rumpled up money look.

 I'll have to admit, one of my biggest weaknesses is an antique store.  I just can never pass up a jar of buttons. What's up with that? Anyhow, I was sure I had some gold buttons.  They symbolize all the nice bells and whistles the British Military had apart from the colonists pieced together uniforms.  Students had all kinds of ideas about how these fell off.

 I was caught red handed (I mean blue handed)!  I alternated different fingers to identify the British soldier that fired the first shots and the dead colonist's finger prints.  The kids in all their crime scene work detected my blue fingerprints and asked if I framed the shooter? Haha

 We aren't allowed to have any facsimile of weapons at school (great thing, I'm not complaining) but I really had to improv for this one.  I used a dollar store tip of a plastic butter knife and told the kids this represented a bayonet tip that was broken off in conflict. 

 Wooden Club.  There are two main versions of the Boston Massacre; was it provoked or were the colonists innocent? Would wooden clubs and stones have made the evidence more clear for a trial? Absolutely.

 This is charcoal from an aquarium kit.  I must confess, I am a teacher hoarder.  I'm getting better thanks to my awesome buddies.  However, I can't pass up boxes of stuff that "I might be able to use one day" all stuffed inside going to the trash.  Normally, I'm the teacher who has what you're looking for:)

Goodnight all you fabulous teachers out there!