Forensic Friday: CCSI -- Classroom Crime Scene Investigation (Grades 9-12)

An examiner is conducting DNA analysis using a special computer program called CODIS (Combined DNA Index System). State and local laboratories can use CODIS to exchange and compare DNA profiles electronically. The FBI provides the software and the training to use it. [Courtesy of the FBI]

The end of the school year was fast approaching, and as a first-year AP chemistry teacher I wondered, what should I do during the last two weeks of school? By then, the AP exam would be done and we would've covered all of the content we needed to! Plus we worked hard all year, and it just didn't seem right to end our time together with meaningless "fillers." So I thought and thought and then it came to me--why not stage a crime scene and have the students use their chemistry knowledge to investigate? We could tour the local police DNA laboratory and meet real-life criminologists. We could watch episodes from The New Detectives and learn how to character-sketch. We could analyze hair and fingerprint samples and simulate blood-typing. And maybe other teachers could be on the suspect list! I had a plan, but would it work? Armed with some microscopes, a box of rubber gloves, and a few chemicals from the lab, I was ready to find out.

The idea grew like wildfire. Teachers were eager to be on the suspect list (which worried me a little because I was the victim), the police department was more than helpful, and the students couldn't wait to get started. They kept asking, "When do we get to see the crime scene?" "When do we get to interrogate and fingerprint the teachers?" "When are we going on the field trip?" "Patience, patience," I kept telling them. "There is more to crime scene investigation than you think." We practiced with samples in the lab. We researched how evidence should be collected and analyzed. We learned how to ask the right questions, and yes, we did go on that field trip. The day came for the "actual crime," and they were prepped and ready. Duties were assigned and carried out, and surprisingly, the students came pretty darn close to describing the "actual events." The planting of dog hair among the human hair spurred discussion, but the students handled it beautifully!

So I thought, that was it. The lesson was successful, and I survived my first year of a challenging class. Little did I know what I had started. The newly graduated investigators wanted to plan the crime scene for next year's class. It had to be harder they said, with more people involved and plot twists. I wrote a grant and acquired better materials, and our school gave each classroom a computer, which opened a whole new arena for us. Years later we would use virtual DNA fingerprinting CD-ROMs and perform forensic anthropology labs. We would learn about retinal scanning and peruse the FBI web site. The technology changed, but the idea didn't--students need to feel that their learning is meaningful. But then again, don't we all want to feel that way?

Connections

"Patience, patience," I kept telling them. "There is more to crime scene investigation than you think." Good forensic scientists integrate a variety of skills to catch the perpetrators. They must be critical thinkers, must know how to analyze data, and must learn from crimes in the past. They must be able to research on their own, write technically for their colleagues, and communicate clearly to jurors and judges. They must be organized, careful, and willing to collaborate with others. Science, math, reading comprehension, and writing--these are all fundamental components of successful crime solving.

An excellent art application is the process that forensic anthropologists use to reconstruct the faces of victims. Using the given bone structure, artists shape clay to produce a visual representation of the person, hoping that someone can provide information about the victim's identity. This is also a great time to emphasize the critical role of sketch artists in the reconstruction process. A technology extension could explore the ways in which computer graphic designers and programmers create new systems of personal identification, evidence collection, and security.

A study of ballistics provides an exemplary confluence of math and science. Students can use their knowledge of velocity, projectile motion, and gravity to learn how experts calculate the location of the weapon relative to the victim. Ratios of the weight of the propellant charge to the weight of the projectile, the length of bore, and the density of propellant grains are all necessary considerations along with muzzle pressures and spatial distribution of fragments. Another technology extension could be introduced with a discussion of how high-speed photography has developed with the use of a stroboscope to capture the various stages of a projectile's flight.

Often, some of the best integrations are the ones that are commonly overlooked. Forensic entomology is a prime example. An understanding of insect life cycles provides clues about when a person died, if the person was moved away from the crime scene, and who may be responsible for the act. Handwriting analysis is another example. The more in-depth the study, the greater the possibilities for pulling in resources.

Remember, forensic investigation is an inquiry process. Therefore, no two classroom outcomes will be alike. In the CCSI, it's really the method that counts, although catching the criminal isn't that bad of a goal either. So gather your gear and get sleuthing. You'll be amazed at what you'll uncover!

Web Resources

1. Consulting and Education in Forensic Science: Forensic Science Timeline
   
   http://www.forensicdna.com/
   The timeline on this site is a good place to start a forensics unit. The timeline traces the development of forensic science as we know it, from prehistoric fingerprint evidence to mitochondrial DNA typing. To get to the timeline, click on Forensic Science Timeline in the left-hand column of the box. You are asked to give your name and email address as a means of agreeing with the copyright terms.
   
   
2. NOVA: The Killer's Trail
   
   http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sheppard/
   This is the companion site to the NOVA program of the same title, which investigates the Sam Sheppard case. Students can read a detailed account of key events in the case, listen to a Massachusetts Superior Court judge explain why knowledge of DNA is crucial, and catch a glimpse of cutting-edge laser imaging techniques that identify criminals.
   
   
3. Crime Scene Investigation
   
   http://www.crime-scene-investigator.net/index.html
   Packed with information, this site offers background information on crime scene response guidelines, evidence photography, and training institutions. There are also links to a multitude of resources.
   
   
4. CSI Factual Inaccuracies
   
   http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/jboze3131/csifacts.htm
   Although it is not the official web site of the popular CBS television show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, this site challenges the factual accuracies of some of the investigative methods portrayed in the show. Terminal velocity, reverse polarization, and electrical conductivity are just a few of the topics explored.
   
   
5. CBS Official CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
   
   http://www.cbs.com/primetime/csi/
   We couldn't offer the unofficial web site without a follow-up from the official version! This site, designed by CBS for its popular show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, provides an overview of the show's most current case, plus descriptions and pictures of different kinds of equipment used in scientific analysis.
   
   
6. Crime Scene Photography
   
   http://www.rcmp-learning.org/docs/ecdd1004.htm
   This web site offers comprehensive coverage of an often overlooked investigative process. Sharpness, lighting, and exposure issues are addressed, as are equipment maintenance and procedure checklists.
   
   
7. Forensic Science Links
   
   http://folk.uio.no/mostarke/forens_ent/fs_links.shtml
   What do bugs have to do with forensics? This web site explains how bugs collected at a crime scene help scientists estimate time of death, identify the presence of contraband, and determine whether the corpse was moved after the crime. A plethora of useful links to other web sites is also offered.
   
   
8. Genetics/DNA/Forensics Curricula
   
   http://www.kumc.edu/gec/forensic.html
   This site offers teachers a list of numerous online resources involving DNA fingerprinting and analysis. Background information, lecture notes, and hands-on activities are provided as well as slides and photographs utilized in the courtroom.
   
   
9. Forensic Science Web Pages
   
   http://home.earthlink.net/~thekeither/Forensic/forsone.htm
   (An ENC Digital Dozen selection, ENC#016552) Developed by a forensic investigator, this site provides viewers with an understanding of the basics of forensic science. Topics include forensic psychology, photography, and fingerprinting as well as firearm and tool identification. There is also a wealth of links to additional resources.
   
   
10. Real Science! Scientists
    
    http://www.realscience.org/student_home/student-series.html
    (Part of an ENC Digital Dozen selection, ENC#014909) This web site provides descriptions of the careers of real scientists. Excerpts offer insight into what a typical working day is like for forensic chemists, anthropologists, and other scientists.
    
    

Ready-to-Go Activities

1. Forensic Science Project
   
   http://www.schoolnet.ca/vp-pv/fscience/e/intro.htm
   DNA fingerprinting, chromatography, soil analysis--this site has it all! Nine hands-on lessons with background information and student worksheets help students work through the various stages of crime investigation.
   
   
2. FBI Youth
   
   http://www.fbi.gov/kids/6th12th/6th12th.htm
   This site, developed by the FBI for grades 6-12, allows students to follow evidence as it progresses through the FBI laboratory, take the special agent challenge (a new one every month), and learn how canines perform specialized search missions.
   
   
3. Crime Science at Northwest Middle School
   
   http://kancrn.kckps.k12.ks.us/northwest/kavaver/crime-sci-main-web.html
   Although it is originally designed for middle grades, this site offers an excellent framework for developing a forensics unit at the high school level. Well-organized teaching notes and hands-on activities are provided as well as an assessment rubric.
   
   
4. Forensic Science
   
   http://renoir.vill.edu/~ysp/Teacher/Webpages/Forensics/forensic.html
   This site offers a set of lessons that explore forensic anthropology. Students learn how to use their knowledge of the human skeletal system to identify the sex, height, and ancestry of human remains. A sample activity uses the TI-82 graphing calculator to analyze the relationship between height and bone length.
   
   
5. The Mystery Spot
   
   http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/mspot/
   This site provides a wealth of online mysteries and teacher-developed crime lessons. From a DNA fingerprinting simulation to a Magnificent Microscopes unit, this is a must in the classroom!
   
   
6. COURTTV.com: Forensics in the Classroom
   
   http://www.courttv.com/forensics_curriculum/index_registered.html
   (ENC#027436) Grades 9-12. This web site offers five stand-alone units that engage students in gathering evidence to solve crimes. I like this site because special care has been taken to ensure that the materials are aligned with the standards and are appropriate for the classroom. Plus it's free!
   
   

Classroom Resources from the ENC Collection

1. Crime scene investigations: real-life science labs for grades 6-12
   Date: 1998 Grade(s): 6 - 12 Cost: $29.95 ENC#: 018280
   This curriculum resource contains more than 30 hands-on activities that integrate subject areas to simulate portions of a crime scene investigation. From document forgery and footprint impressions to glass identification and urinalysis, this book covers it all!
   (For more details see ENC Record)
   
   
   
2. Newton's Apple program 1305
   Date: 1995 Grade(s): K - 12 Cost: Free - $24.95 ENC#: 005994
   Part of a well-known series, this program highlights what DNA fingerprinting is and explains how it is used in the investigation of criminal activity.
   (For more details see ENC Record)
   
   
   
3. Forensic laboratory science and detective mystery writing
   Date: 1994 Grade(s): 8 - 12 Cost: $8.95 - $59.95 ENC#: 011641
   This teacher's guide offers a nine-week curriculum unit of experiments and activities that integrate forensic science and creative writing. Laboratory activities include serology and the genetics of blood typing, as well as fingerprinting, microscopy, chromatography, and toxicology. In a culminating activity, students use the knowledge they have gained to write a mystery story.
   (For more details see ENC Record)
   
   
   
4. Virtual DNA fingerprinting laboratory
   Featured in ENC Focus  
   Date: 2000 Grade(s): 9 - 12 Cost: Free ENC#: 021162
   This CD-ROM is amazing! It involves high school students in solving a forensic mystery using virtual laboratory techniques. Over the course of seven simulation assignments, students work their way around the evidence, freezer, and chemical laboratory rooms to collect and analyze DNA using restriction fragment length polymorphism and polymerase chain reaction procedures.
   (For more details see ENC Record)
   
   
   
5. DNA fingerprinting kit instruction manual
   Date: 1997 Grade(s): 10 - Post-Sec. Cost: $69.50 ENC#: 011406
   This curriculum manual contains a set of guided inquiry activities that introduce the basic concepts of DNA fingerprinting and profiling. Materials can be obtained from a kit produced through the Bio-Rad Biotechnology Explorer series. Information about restriction fragment length polymorphism, restriction digests, and agarose gel electrophoresis is also included.
   (For more details see ENC Record)
   
   
   
6. Classifying fingerprints
   Featured in ENC Focus  
   Date: 1994 Grade(s): 6 - 8 Cost: $22.95 ENC#: 001970
   This learning module integrates pre-algebra skills and forensic science principles to explore fingerprint analysis. Students see the real-world applications of data collection and pattern identification and learn about technology used by the FBI in its Fingerprint Classification file. Hands-on activities are based on the current reform philosophies of NCTM's Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics and the AAAS's Project 2061 Benchmarks for Science Literacy.
   (For more details see ENC Record)
   
   
   
7. Technology and science for a safer tomorrow
   Featured in ENC Focus  
   Date: 1999 Grade(s): 5 - 9 Cost: Free ENC#: 017843
   This videotape with accompanying teacher's guide explores the latest developments in strategies that preserve our safety and security, from surveillance cameras and laser distance finders to data miners and "smart water."
   (For more details see ENC Record)
   
   
   

Teacher Resources from the ENC Collection

1. Threads of evidence: using forensic science to solve crimes
   Date: 1996 Grade(s): 9 - 12 Cost: $27.40 ENC#: 010357
   This book focuses on a series of case histories, including those relating to the Unabomber, the Simpson trial, and the Excedrin product tampering case, to examine ways in which forensic science helps to solve crimes by analyzing physical evidence.
   (For more details see ENC Record)
   
   
   
2. Talking bones: the science of forensic anthropology
   Date: 1995 Grade(s): 7 - 12 Cost: Out of Print ENC#: 017657
   A resource that offers substantive content in a user-friendly format! This book introduces readers to forensic anthropology by discussing the history and technology of the field within the context of actual forensic cases.
   (For more details see ENC Record)
   
   
   
3. The bone detectives: how forensic anthropologists solve crimes and uncover mysteries of the dead
   Date: 1996 Grade(s): 6 - 12 Cost: $6.95 - $16.45 ENC#: 017375
   Another book about forensic anthropology that is worth the read. Readers meet Dr. Michael Charney, who shows how a person's sex, race, age, height, and weight can be determined from studying his or her bones and teeth.
   (For more details see ENC Record)
   
   
   
4. Fingerprints and talking bones: how real life crimes are solved
   Date: 1997 Grade(s): 7 - 12 Cost: $16.95 ENC#: 008907
   This book describes how different types of evidence are scientifically analyzed and used to solve real-life cases. Lists of interesting crime facts and suggestions for field trip sites are also provided.
   (For more details see ENC Record)
   
   
   

Search Strategies

Find more materials by searching Curriculum Resources on ENC Online using these terms: Critical thinking, Data analysis, Data collection, Decision making, DNA, DNA fingerprinting, Forensics, Problem solving, Process skills, Real world applications, or Science as inquiry.

Connections to Standards

Realizing that there are many ways to use this Classroom Calendar entry, we chose these standards because they relate to the entry, in full or in part. If you want to explore the standards further, please use the link(s) provided.

Connections to NSES
Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry: Abilities necessary to do inquiry (9-12)
Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry: Understanding about inquiry (9-12)
Content Standard E: Science and Technology: Understanding about science and technology (9-12)
Content Standard G: History and Nature of Science: Nature of scientific knowledge (9-12)
Unifying Concepts and Processes (K-12): Evidence, models, and explanation