Background: Forensic Science is the application of science to those criminal and civil laws that are enforced by
police agencies in a criminal justice system. The focus of Forensic Science is the Crime Lab using the principles and
techniques of Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Anthropology and other sciences in order to place physical evidence into
a professional discipline.
Knowledge of skills:
Students should be able to ovserve and draw a crime scene, labeling the evidence.
Fundamental Understanding:
A crime scene investigation is a systematic scientific endeavor.
Essential Question:
What evidence is present at the scene and how can it be analyzed?
National standards (grades 9):
Content Standard E: As a result of their activities in grades 5-12, all students should develop an understanding of
technological design and the relationship between science and technology.
Purpose: to observe and record a crime scene using the scientific method
Materials:
Equipment:
Dirt
White Powder
Ink Pen
Red Food dye on the counter or the note
Note that says, for example, "I know what you did and I will tell."
Set all on a lab table and surround with crime scene tape.
Procedure:
Record crime scene by labeling each piece of evidence with a number.
Write down possible chemical and biological tests that could be done to analyze the evidence.
Questions and Conclusions:
What were the important pieces of evidence?
Design and plan experiments in order to compare the evidence from the crime scene to two suspects.
Teacher Notes:
Keep this first crime scene simple with only 3 or 4 pieces of evidence.
Students investigate this crime scene,and then, I go over introductory notes and explain class rules and procedures.
Optional activity: I sometimes have the students write a mystery story based on the evidence at the crime scene.
They can work together in small groups or do it as homework. They can then present it by reading it to the rest of
the class or act it out as a play.
