S Since
forensics is a high interest subject, I genreally saved this unit for
the end of the year when students are beginning to get restless.
CourtTV's Forensics in the Classroom activities require many
chemicals that should be ordered well in
advance.
Activities
- Court TV has a
multitude of resources. You can begin by taping an episode or
two of "Forensic Files" to show how actual forensic scientists
solve cases and have students fill out this worksheet
 as they
watch the program. Check out their glossary of forensic terms and forensic techniques.
- To
introduce "Protecting the Crime Scene," I had students read the
article and then answer the questions in the "Protecting the Crime
Scene" worksheet.
- After
reading "Crime Scene Processing" on the Forensic Science Web
Page, students can do the "Crime Scene Processing"
worksheet.
- "Fingerprint Identification" is explained here and can
be followed up with the "Fingerprint Identification" worksheet.
- On
this Forensic Science Web Page, "Firearms and Toolmark Identification" is discussed and
can be followed up with the "Firearms and Toolmark
Identification" worksheet.
- "Forensic Science Activities" could be used with middle
school students.
- Initiate class discussions with these "Chemistry Mysteries."
- Have
students do this "Forensic Science" crossword puzzle.
- Or
try this "Forensic Science" wordsearch
puzzle with answers .
- The
NOVA activity, "Hunt for the Serial Arsonist," students use the "At
Your Fingertips"
 handout to determine which fingertip pattern is the
dominant one in the class. They compare their results to the
genereal population.
- Have
students watch the NOVA program "Vanished" and fill out the evidence chart in the "What
Happened to Stardust?" classroom activity.
- And my favorite--have
students use stoichiometry to solve a murder mystery in
ChemCollective's program, "Mixed
Reception." The program is free and can be run from a
CD. With my class, it took 2 1/2 blocks in our computer
lab. Since our lab doesn't have speakers for every computer, I
showed all the videos to the whole group using a projector like the
Boxlight.
Mike Katz provided these forensic labs:
"Fingerprinting" , "Fiber Analysis" , "Handwriting Analysis" , and "Ink Analysis" .
Labs
- "Who
Dunnit?" is a middle school forensic mystery that uses
fingerprinting, a white powders lab, correlation of foot size to
height, and do teeth impressions to identify the
culprit.
- After
readingt the "Biosphere II" chemistry mystery, have students do this
"Testing for Calcium Carbonate"
lab.
- Court TV's Forensics in the Classroom unit 1, "The
Celebration" , has students do a gunshot residue test and bullet type
determination. I had students do this student worksheet after
reading the mystery synopsis and about the suspects.
This was my lesson plan for the week.
- Court TV's Forensics in the Classroom unit 3,"Renters
Beware" , has students do a Kastle-Meyer test for blood, a flame
test, and a figerprint identification activity. I had students
do this student worksheet after
reading the mystery synopsis and about the suspects.
This was my lesson plan for the week. As you can see
from the similarity to "The Celebration" lesson, I used these in two
separate years.
- NOVA's "The Viking Deception" lab has students extract colors from onions and
berries.
- The
"Case of the Christmas Cookie Mystery" is white
powders lab with a holiday twist and includes teacher
directions .
- Try
this Schenley High School "Forensic Science in High School
Chemistry" unit of study.
- "Molarity Lab: Murder Investigation"
is a take-off on the ClueTM
game that was contributed by Sam Falk of Arlington High
School, NY.
Links
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