Student Crime Lesson at Fantastic Caverns

Fantastic Caverns is calling on local classrooms to help solve a crime.

It's not actually a real crime, but it helps set the stage for the caverns' new "C.S.I" program.

The TV show was the inspiration for Fantastic Caverns' extended education program during the winter off-season.

Tuesday it tested the upcoming series on some very excited Weaver Elementary third graders. In this made-up scenario, vandals broke into Fantastic Caverns and spray-painted the ancient rock formations. This is actually a run-through for the 2009 "C.S.I. Fantastic Caverns".

It's a specialty program for regional schools based off the popular crime show.

"We don't use the cave a lot in the winter time so it was a good opportunity," said cavern manager Kirk Hansen. "It stays warm down here." The cavern staff sets up a mock crime scene. Then students use the math and reasoning skills they learned in school to try and figure out what happened.

"I have several of these students that have never even been inside of a cave, feeling what a cave is, doing these experiences where they're actually pretending to be a detective and using their detective and using their investigation type techniques, it's great," said third grade teacher Shari Hamm. "The hands-on activities are how the students are going to learn the most anyway."

Kids like Christian Williams match up evidence like fingerprints to try and figure out 'whodunit'.

"I checked it on the first one, the second one, and then the third, and they all match," said Williams.

Teachers say the program is a way to keep their field trips educational and also memorable for the students.

"They're going to be able to come back to school and they'll be able to write about this, they'll be able to talk with other friends about it."

The program runs from January to March and is open to any local schools. Reservations are still available. Just call the caverns of go on their website for more information.