A forensic science unit of learning
Presented By:
Christina Adams
Teacher of Science & Biology
Macleans College
Made at SciCon 2006.Celebrating Science Innovation (The National Conference for Science
Educators) at Waikato University in Hamilton July 2 - 6.
Acknowledgements:
1. Dr Eleanor McNicholas
2. Rosemary Chatfield
The Learning Unit• The crime
• Investigators arrive on scene
• Autopsy and crime scene evidence analysed
• Suspects identified/witnesses interviewed
• Interrogation
• Trial
Making it happen?
• How to create a crime story
• Running a crime scene observation
• Running the laboratory session
• Creating a timeline
• Running an interrogation
• Cross Curricular connections
How to create a crime story
• One victim
• Two scenarios
• Three suspects
Well known
Plausible
With character
• Background
–Evidence preparation
–Body placement
–Side story
• Lesson
–Intro to crime
–Booklet
–Observation instructions
Lesson #1 – Crime Scene Discovery
Lesson #2 – Developing Theories
Possible scenarios
and suspects devised
Autopsy & witness
accounts revealed
Theory Analysis
& evidence
review
Lesson #3 – CSI Lab technicians
• Behind the scenes– Connect with
schemes– Trial each practical– Set the scene– Allow for
interpretation– Get creative with…
•Urine analysis•Fingerprints•Chromatography•Tyre tracks•Breath testing•Blood analysis•Electrophoresis
Lesson #3 continued…
• Skills– Lab write up reinforcement– Practical skill reinforcement– Analysis of results– Presentation of method and results
Lesson #4 – Follow the evidence
Results analysis
Identify suspects and key
witnesses
What questions need to be
asked?
What other evidence might we collect?
Lesson #5 - Interrogation
• Background– Give suspects their brief– Book appropriate venue– Setting the scene
• Interrogation techniques– Divide up questions– Get into character
Lesson #6 9 – Trial Preparation
• Achievement– 2 periods of preparation roles for one class– 1 period – in the auditorium– A not guilty verdict!
• Potential– Social studies to teach court structure– English to teach speech making/questioning– Science for expert testimony
Curriculum links – Integrating Strands
• Making sense of the nature of science and its relationship to technology – Critically evaluate ideas and processes
related to science• L5 – Relate interpretations of the result of their
investigations to their original ideas, questions, and predictions.
– Gain an understanding of personal, community implications of the application of science
• L5 – Investigate how knowledge of science and technology is used by people in their everyday life.
Curriculum links – Integrating Strands
• Developing Scientific Skills and Attitudes– L5&6 Focusing and Planning
• Integrate their scientific ideas and personal observations with the scientific ideas of others to make testable predictions or to identify possible solutions
– L4&5 Information Gathering• Systematically record observations and
measurements• Use information sources purposefully, asking
coherent, directed questions of people.
Curriculum links – Integrating Strands
• Developing Scientific Skills and Attitudes– L4 Processing and Interpreting
• Identify trends and relationships in recorded observations and measurements by making links within organised data
• Use data to suggest an answer to their problem and make an evaluation of their investigation
– L4 Reporting• Present what they did and what they found out in
their investigations in ways appropriate to their peer group.
Resources
• Each other (Teachers and Technicians)• Resources Used (Print):
– Investigations for Life by Meg Bailey - pg 164 (An examination of Urine)
– Solve It! Investigations into analytical chemistry and forensic science for years 7 – 10 Secondary School Science by Helene Hiotis and Annette Rome for ORICA Australia
– Forensic Science – Science at Work by Karen Muskett. ISBN 0582028671
– Fingerprinting by Jeremy John Ahouse. ISBN 0912511214– Macleans College – Forensic Science Booklet– Whodunnit? Education kit from Auckland Museum.– Forensic Science for High Schools (Book 1) by Jeannette Jolley and
John Powrie. Blackline masters. ISBN 1876133767– Forensic Science for High Schools (Book 2) by Jeannette Jolley and
John Powrie. Blackline masters. ISBN 1876133775
Resources (continued)
• Resources Used (Web):– A great help for your creative work
http://www.carolina.com/tips/murder/Murda.htm– A great resource for you and the kids
http://www.fbi.gov/kids/6th12th/6th12th.htm– An online investigation to give an outline of procedure
http://normandcompany.com/SM1GAME/newsplash.html
– A source for great experiments http://www.scienceyear.com/sciteach/start.html