Forensic Science
Content Skills Assessment
Big Ideas
Students will apply the major concepts in biology, chemistry, and physics as the basis for solving crimes
Students will recognize and analyze alternative models and explanations
I. Introduction to Forensic Science A. What is the CSI Effect?
B. History of Forensic Science
C. Locard Exchange Principle
II. Crime Scene Procedure
A. First Responder Technique and Responsibilities
Core Tasks
Students will define and distinguish forensic science and criminalistics. Students will recognize the major contributors to the development of forensic science through history. Students will demonstrate an understanding Locard’s exchange principal through a laboratory setting.
IA. Students will describe the CSI Effect and how it is affecting criminal investigations
IB. Students will be able to put the major scientific discoveries that influenced forensic investigations in chronological order
IC. Students will demonstrate an understanding of Locard's
exchange principle in a laboratory setting by analyzing evidence left on clothing
IIA. Students will demonstrate proper First Responder Techniques in various hypothetical situations
Winter: Mock Trial
Spring: Final Project, cumulative assessment of both trimesters, variety of methods
IA. Class Presentation of news articles relating to the CSI Effect
IB. Slideshow activity
IC. Locard T-shirt Lab IA, IB, IC. Quiz
IIA. First Responder Situation Analysis
IIA. First Responder Hypothetical Situation Response
IIA. Quiz
Content Skills Assessment
Big Ideas
Students will apply the major
Core Concepts
concepts in biology, chemistry, and physics as the basis for solving crimes
Students will recognize and analyze alternative explanations and
models.
Students will design and conduct scientific investigations by
identifying questions and concepts that guide forensic science.
III. Types of Evidence
IV. Murder vs. Suicide
V. Handwriting Analysis
VI. Ink Analysis
the various types of evidence and its use in court, namely physical evidence.
III.A. Students will be able to describe and identify the major classes of evidence
IV.A. Students will be able to describe the major characteristics and statistics relating to suicides and murders in the United States IV.B. Students will use deductive reasoning to determine if a crime scene was a double murder or suicide
V. A. Students will be able to define key terms regarding handwriting analysis such as "subconscious characteristics, letter slant, etc."
V. B. Students will be able to compare and contrast handwriting samples to determine if they were written by the same individual. VI. A. Students will be able to conduct, compare, and contrast ink chromatography samples to identify ink samples
IIIA. Identifying all types of evidence in Forensic Files "True Lies" Episode
IIIA. Identifying all types of evidence in a crime scene report created by another student group. IIIA. Quiz
IV. B. Crime Scene Sketch IV. A, IV. B., Quiz
V.A., V.B., Handwriting Lab V.A., V.B., Handwriting Quiz based on suicide notes from crime scene
VI. A. Ink Chromatography Lab “Suicide Blues” based on a crime scene involving pens, ink, and a possible murder/suicide
VII. A. Quiz
VII. B. Fingerprint Analysis Lab VII. C. Fingerprint Match Challenge
VII. Fingerprint Analysis
VIII. Footprint and Tire Tread Analysis
Trimester 2 Begins
IX. Firearms and Ballistics
X. Bullet Trajectory and Distance
Students will be able to…
VII.A. Know the major fingerprint ridge patterns and their respective subclasses.
VII. B. Know the history and significant contributions to the acceptance and developments of fingerprint technology.
VII. C. Distinguish between visible, plastic, and latent fingerprints. VII. D. Demonstrate various forensic methods used to collect, analyze, and identify fingerprints.
VIII. A. Explain the forensic significance of class and individual characteristics to the comparison of tool mark, footwear, and tire impressions.
IX. A. Understand gun control issues.
IX. B. Describe techniques for rifling a barrel.
IX. C. Recognize the class and individual
characteristics of bullets and cartridge cases. IX. D. Use a comparison
microscope to compare bullets and cartridge cases.
IX. E. Identify the lab tests for determining whether an individual has fired a weapon.
X. Students should be able to
VIII. A. Quiz
VIII. B. Who Did it? Footprint and Tire Tread Lab
VIII. C. Tool mark demo/activity
IX. A. Activity: Bullet Comparison and Firing Pin Impressions
IX. B. Complete the firearm
tutorial
IX. C. Student slideshows of research on assigned firearms IX. D. Quiz
X. A. Bullet Trajectory Lab and Quiz based on Numb3rs episode
XI. Forensic Pathology, Forensic Anthropology, and Time of Death
XII. Forensic Odontology
XIII. DNA Typing
predict and calculate a bullet’s trajectory and distance
XI. A. Students should be able to graphically calculate time of death using accumulated degree hour and hours to maggot development and to calculate the PMI based on environmental conditions XI. B. Learn how an autopsy is performed.
XI. C. Demonstrate techniques to determine the gender, sex, age, and height from bones.
XI. D. Describe differences in skull features among three major racial categories.
XI. E. Identify bones belonging to the human skeleton vs. non-human bones.
XI. F. Understand how forensic anthropologists obtain information from bones.
XI. G Examine the stages of a body’s decomposition.
XII. A. Students should be able to compare and contrast teeth marks by measuring the distances between teeth and using other observational methods
XIII. A. Distinguish between the four organic compounds.
XIII. B. Recall the structure and composition of DNA,
chromosomes, and genes. XIII. C. Explain how genetic information is used in the synthesis of proteins.
X. B. Quiz
XI. A. Lab: Estimating Age,
Gender and Height from Bones at a Crime Scene
XI. B. Autopsy video, decomposition video XI. C. Skeleton puzzle XI. D. Quiz
XII. A. Bite Marks Activity XII. B. Bite Mark Lab XII. C. Quiz
XIII. A. Opinion Paper: Should the US Government establish a DNA Database for all citizens?
XIII. B: PCR lab with DNA fingerprinting
XIV. Hair and Fiber Analysis
XIII. D. Explain how genetic information can be altered (through mutations or genetic engineering) and how such a change may affect and organism.
XIII. E. Contrast DNA strands that code for the production of proteins with strands that contain repeating base sequences.
XIII. F. Explain the technology of polymerase chain reaction and how it applies to forensic DNA typing. XIII. G. Understand the use of DNA databases in criminal investigation.
XIV. A. List and understand the parts of a compound, stereoscopic and comparison microscope.
XIV. B. Define magnification, field of view, working distance, and depth of focus.
XIV. C. Outline forensic applications of the scanning electron microscope.
XIV. D. Recognize and understand the cuticle, cortex, and medulla areas of hair.
XIV. E. List the three phases of hair growth.
XIV. F. Distinguish between human and animal hair.
XIV. G. Assess the probative value of hair and fiber samples.
XIV. H. Describe the role of DNA typing in hair comparisons.
XIV. I. Understand the difference between natural and manufactured fibers.
XIV. A. Lab: Microscopic
Observation of Hair, Fibers, Fabric and Paint
XIV. B. Activity: Test Your Skills as a Forensic Hair Examiner XIV. C. Lab: Thermal
Decomposition and Burn Tests on Fabric
XV. Illicit Drugs/Toxicology
XV. A. Describe how drug
molecules interact with neurons to produce a high.
XV. B. Compare and contrast psychological and physical dependence.
XV. C. Compare and contrast the infrared, ultraviolet and visible spectroscopy test with the gas and mass spectrometry tests normally used to perform a routine drug or poison identification analysis. XV. D. Explain how alcohol is absorbed into the bloodstream, transported through the body, and eliminated by oxidation and secretion.
XV. E. Understand the process by which alcohol is excreted in the breath by the lungs.
XV. F. Understand the concepts of infrared and fuel cell breath-testing devices.
XV. G. List and contrast lab procedures for measuring the concentration of alcohol in the blood
XV. A. Research - prepare a one-page report on a toxin or poison of your choice including description, source, toxicity, symptoms, detection, cure, lasting effects, history, examples, and social impact, if any. (This is one of five topics to choose from. Other are Napoleon’s death, Beethoven’s death, Lincoln and Newton’s supposed mercury poisoning, and the stillborn foal epidemic in Kentucky, 2001)
XV. B. Opinion paper - Write a paper analyzing the arguments about the legalization of drugs in the United States.
