Science & Nature
Investigations in Forensic Science
In this middle school science class, learners will be introduced to many of the techniques that forensic scientists use when investigating crime scenes and will practice their analytical skills through mock crime scenes.
Lora Danley, M.S. Science
22 total reviews for this teacher
2 reviews for this class
Completed by 12 learners
11-14
year olds
6-12
learners per class
$270
Charged upfront
$18 per class
Meets 1x per week
Over 15 weeks
60 minutes per class
Available Times
Pacific
Available Times
Pacific
Description
Class Experience
Students will learn the basic techniques of forensics science and will practice thinking in an analytical manner as they examine evidence during each class and use clues to determine the culprit in the mock crime scene.
I have taught forensics science in person to rising sixth grade students through a gifted and talented program, and I have also taught the subject online to a group of middle school students from an independent school.
An optional outside learning activity will be provided for the first 13 classes when we are studying forensics science techniques. Students will complete those projects individually if they so choose. Each activity should take 1-2 hours at most. Students will be working together in class to solve the mock crime scene and to discuss the case studies.
For the second class and beyond students should have copies of the print-outs from the worksheet booklet that I will provide plus a writing instrument. In addition the following materials will be needed for class. It is always best if students are able to do the hands on activities, but if they are missing materials, I will also be doing the activity as a demo while guiding students through it, and thus they can look on while I do the activity. Class 1: sheet of paper plus pen or pencil Class 2: Piece of 8.5" x 11" paper plus a paper clip or other small object Class 3: piece of paper graphite pencil magnifying glass clear tape white notecard or paper mirror or dark, nonporous surface baby powder and tray to brush it into small soft paintbrush or makeup brush (soft camel hair or fiber glass) sheet of dark-colored construction paper Class 4: ruler Class 5: calculator Class 6: calculator Class 8: small clear cup or glass with 2 tablespoons of salt water (made from 1 teaspoon of salt dissolved in 3/4 cup of drinking water, stir to dissolve salt) dishwashing detergent (enough for a few drops) small clear cup or glass with 1/2 cup of 70% isopropanol kept in freezer until needed small spoon cup of plain water (optional) dark colored piece of paper (optional) Class 9: ruler Class 10: sheet of white paper measuring spoons, 1/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda sugar salt cornstarch sheet of black construction paper tray that will fit the black construction paper or can use aluminum foil folded around it white tape that can be written on or white chalk magnifying glass eyedropper water 4 small jars or glasses; a ceramic or glass plate would work as well iodine solution vinegar sunglasses or safety goggles rubber gloves (optional) Class 12: ruler Class 13 coffee filters cut to size according to the worksheet ruler pencil cup with a small amount of water in it tape several black markers or pens; Crayola black markers work well but Sharpies do not
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
1 hour per week in class, and an estimated 1 - 2 hours per week outside of class.
During the class we will be discussing crime scenes and evidence that may include murder and weapons. We will look at blood spatter patterns and entrance and exit wounds, however content will be from drawings and no actual images will be used. Descriptions of the crime will not be overly graphic in detail. We will also be looking at the anatomy of a bullet, how a gun is able to fire a bullet, and how to determine from bullet holes where the shooter was located. We will be discussing how bones can determine the age and sex of a victim. We will look at tool marks from common tools such as a screwdriver and a hammer. We will discuss toxicology including the identification of poisons and illegal drugs and will work with iodine. The final mock crime scene will be of a theft of a valuable object.
I will provide a booklet after the first class with the worksheets for each class as well as instructions for the weekly optional activity. The worksheets should be printed out before each class and any parts of the workbook that were instructed to be cut out, should be already cut by the time class starts.
Teacher
Lora Danley, M.S. ScienceHelping learners find the joy in understanding science.
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Lives in the
United States22 total reviews
22 completed classes
About Me
Hello! I have always loved learning, and when I was small I would often request that my mother play school with me. From there I graduated to playing teacher; I would invent imaginary students and assignments for them which I then graded with...
