Something criminal is going on at Old Rochester Regional this summer, and a group of junior high students is all mixed up in it.

Jackie Pullo, a paraprofessional who works with special education students during the school year, will be leading a crew of young sleuths through the world of mysteries in her Summer Adventures in Learning class that teaches, “It’s not always the butler.”

Pullo will start the class by staging a crime scene that the kids will solve over the course of three weeks.

Using the disciplines of science, math, English and history, Pullo hopes to create a whodunit experience that will help the kids beyond the course.

“When they’re in the classroom, they don’t make a connection between what they learn in social studies and what they learn in English,” said Pullo. “I want them to learn to transfer their skills.”

Using basic forensics in the style of CSI, the students will do finger printing at the crime scene, draw maps and evaluate evidence with the help of local police and detectives.

“I really love the idea of expeditionary learning. It’s all about getting the kids involved in real life situations,” said Pullo.

Creative and critical thinking will be crucial to solving the mystery as Pullo encourages her students to examine details.

“I want them to think critically about what they see and question, question, question—is this true?” said Pullo. With the ability to doctor any picture using Photoshop, it is important to look at the evidence, she said.

The class will also look at hoaxes and legends like the Loch Ness monster, the Piltdown Man and Bigfoot along with red herrings in their own case.

In addition to piecing together the details of the crime, the kids will read several mystery stories.

Taking their new investigative skills, each student will finish the class by penning their own story.

Sherlock Holmes, look out.