Matter and mystery are combined when 6th-grade science students at Hornsby Middle School investigated a “crime scene.” To explore the matter unit in science, students explored the case of missing pearls with their teacher and school resource officer, a member of the James City County School Resource Unit. Students tested their science and crime-solving skills by making observations and inferences at the crime scene, interviewing witnesses and testing DNA and other substances to solve the mystery. What did students like about this lesson? One student said, “I liked wearing the safety glasses,” and another added, “It made me want to come to school.” In addition to mastering science, lessons like this one help students hone life skills such as critical thinking, reading, comprehension, and writing.