Fingerprints

Biology Volunteer Activities
Biology Volunteer Activities
Created by
University of Ottawa and Carleton University
Activity Language
Bilingual
English
French
Grade
Grades 1-3,  Grades 4-6,  Grades 7-8
Time Needed for Activity
Less than 1 hour
Subjects
Biology,  Health Science
Good for Virtual Delivery

Make a hand stencil, then record your fingerprints with graphite and examine them up close to learn about your unique fingerprints.

What You Need

For each child:

  • White paper
  • Pencil
  • Magnifying glass or a clear/transparent plastic baggie, or clear plastic sheet cover (from "Water as a Magnifying Glass") (you provide)
  • Tools: Tape

Instructions:

What To Do

  1. Trace one of your hands and remember if you've traced your left or right hand.
  2. Rub your pencil into the corner of your paper until a black patch of graphite black from the pencil is made. 
  3. Gently rub the pad the soft part on the end of one finger from the hand you traced in the graphite patch don't rub too hard or the ridges of your fingerprint will flatten out. 
  4. Take a piece of tape and stick it on your finger and rub the tape so the graphite on your finger gets stuck on the tape.
  5. Gently pull the tape off your finger
  6. Place the tape sticky side down on the paper on top of the same traced finger in the outline of your hand. Repeat for all fingers.
  7. Take a magnifying glass or use a Ziplock or plastic sheet cover, place the paper in it, and carefully put a few drops of water on top OR carefully put a few drops of water directly on the tape to magnify your fingerprints, and examine your fingerprints. Which pattern do you see on each finger? Are they the same for every finger?
  8. Wash your hands with soap and water to remove graphite from your fingers.

Discovery

We all have DNA that contains pairs of genes for different traits - like hair colour, and eye colour and fingerprints! We all have different/unique fingerprints - even twins have different fingerprints! There are three main patterns found in fingerprints: loop, arch, and whorl. Each finger might have a different pattern. Can you see any of these patterns in your fingerprints?

What's Happening?

We all have DNA that contains pairs of genes for different traits - like hair colour, and eye colour and fingerprints! We all have different/unique fingerprints - even twins have different fingerprints! There are three main patterns found in fingerprints: loop, arch, and whorl. Each finger might have a different pattern. Can you see any of these patterns in your fingerprints?

Resources