Crystal Malinowski

EDUC3700G – Science for Non-Majors

July 27, 2018
Introduction to Forensic Science –
Evidence and Investigation!
A: Introducing the question and curriculum map
Inquiry Question: In what ways are we detectives of the world?
Grade Level: Grade 6

Curriculum map:
1. Curriculum connections to younger grades: Science 1D, Science 4A, Grades 1-5: Skills of Science Inquiry (Focus, Explore &
Investigate, Reflect & Interpret)
2. Curriculum connections to older grades: Science 7A, 7C, 8B
3. Cross-curriculum connections (same grade): ELA 6, CTF, Health (personal health)
4. Relation to the life world of science & everyday life:
-Career connections -Fostering personal interests (forensic science and mystery-solving)
-Understanding we can make sense of past events by studying remaining evidence and “reading” one’s environment
-Fostering curiosity about the world of science -Connection to popular culture - “mystery/drama/crime” TV shows (Law
& Order, CSI, etc.)

B: Focusing questions and rationale

Rationale:
 The inquiry question (“In what ways are we detectives of the world?”) is open-ended and provides opportunity for
exploration and engagement.
 Personal interests and curiosities will be encouraged
 Multiple opportunities for hands-on learning activities
 Encourages questioning and curiosity about shared experiences (for example, we all have fingerprints – what makes them
different?)

Guiding questions:
 What are clues?
 What skills do detectives need to have? Can anyone be a detective?
 Crystal Malinowski
EDUC3700G – Science for Non-Majors
July 27, 2018
 How can we find evidence and clues in the environment around us?
 How is our environment showing us history?
 How unique are we, really? What makes us uniquely similar?
 What kinds of evidence do we leave behind in our daily lives?

Knowledge/Skills in place:
 Students should have basic reading, writing, speaking, listening, and math skills (addition, subtraction, division and
multiplication)
 Students should have skills in place to work both independently and cooperatively.
 Students should have the basic understanding of the exploratory nature of investigation
 Students should be able to understand and demonstrate the skills of predicting, observing, recording, and reflecting.

Potential for a cross-curricular project:

This unit may be paired with cross-curricular outcomes from the following areas:
 Art: Visually representing (drawing, painting, sketching, etc.) images or concepts such as fingerprints, shoe prints, hairs and
fibres seen under microscope, etc.
 Health: Students could work together cooperatively as part of a team, building healthy interpersonal relationships. In
addition, they could engage in metacognition/self-analysis of their personal skills, strengths, and areas for improvement.

C: Resource List

1. Scientific Resources
 http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/aswt/index.html: This professional educational website offers First Nations,
Metis, and Inuit perspectives and knowledge through a variety of curricular areas. This interactive resource would be
useful in connecting Aboriginal peoples’ knowledge of the natural environment when engaging students in
“investigating” the natural environment.
 Book: Who can solve the crime?: science projects using detective skills by Robert Gardner.
 Crystal Malinowski
EDUC3700G – Science for Non-Majors
July 27, 2018
2. Teaching Resources
 https://learning-center.homesciencetools.com/article/forensic-science-projects/: This useful website offers a
variety of interactive activities and mini-labs that can be done either within the classroom or at home. All
suggested activities use inexpensive household items, making these activities easy to incorporate.
 Book: Be your own detective: how to conduct investigations and make basic equipment by Richard Cummings.
 Book: Batman’s Guide to crime and detection by Michael Teitelbaum.
 Book: The Poisoner’s Handbook by Deborah Blum.

3. Activities/Apps
 http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/wonckc/html/index.html: This interactive “detective work” introduces students to
the types of fingerprints and allows them to work at their own pace.
 Www.coggle.it is a useful tool to create online Mind Maps and Concept Maps. These maps can be created by myself or
students, AND can also be done collaboratively online where an entire class can view and contribute to a single map.
 http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/sgc-cms/expositions-exhibitions/detective-investigator/en/game/ is a virtual forensic
investigation that students may engage in to pique their interest and identify skills of detectives.

D: Timeline/Structure of unit:

Lesson and Program of SLO’s Activities Assessment Differentiation/

Topic Studies [For/As/Of]
Considerations
(1 Lesson = 1 Day)
Skills Attitudes

1) Unit Opener – Word Wall
creation
2) Investigate the classroom
and playground activity
Crystal Malinowski
EDUC3700G – Science for Non-Majors
July 27, 2018
ask questions curiosity - Exploration of Central Exit slip: What do you know about Group work (student-selected
that lead to Inquiry Question being a detective? groups) to create comfortable
exploration learning environment and provide
and Group Concept Map support to students who may need
investigation creation to identify prior encouragement from peers.
knowledge, current
understandings. Interests Students may choose to use to create
(which may also illuminate their mind maps using pen and
misconceptions) paper, or using technology such as a
tablet or laptop on www.coggle.it.
Students will browse Alternatively, voice-to-text software
through the designated may be used if required.
unit in their textbook that
correlates to Evidence and
Investigation. Individually,
they will create a “word
card” that identified a word
that they feel is important
when considering Evidence
and Investigation. This
word card will have the
word, the definition, and a
visual representation.
These cards will be
displayed along the
classroom wall to create a
Word Wall of relevant
words as a visual resource
for students.
work inventiveness Recognize *Investigate the classroom Anecdotal notes from observation Alternative recording technology (eg.
individually or and open- evidence of recent and playground of group discussions A scribe or text-to-speech software)
cooperatively mindedness human activity and > Look for fibres, hairs, may be used if required for group
in planning recognize evidence pieces of discussions and to answer key
and carrying of animal activity fabric/paper/plastic. questions.
out in a natural >Collect samples wearing
procedures outdoor setting rubber gloves and put into
small sandwich bags to not
contaminate “evidence”
>Each student will gather at
least five pieces of
 Crystal Malinowski
EDUC3700G – Science for Non-Majors
July 27, 2018
“evidence” from the
classroom and the
playground

>Discussion: What can be

learned through gathering
evidence from our
environment?

*Think-pair-share: What skills

do detectives need to have?
Are WE detectives?

3) Studying and identify one critical- Recognize that *Microscope lab day! Observation record completion: Students may choose to complete
or more mindedness evidence found at Students will study and analyze their evidence observation report
observing the possible in examining the scene of an Demonstration: Microscope their evidence and hypothesize using technology (laptop or tablet
collected evidence answers to evidence activity may have safety and protocol. what could be the source/meaning with a digital version of the handout)
questions by and unique of their evidence. OR with pencil/paper. Alternatively,
stating a determining characteristics that Students will each have their voice-to-text software may be used if
prediction or what the allow an own microscope to study required.
a hypothesis evidence investigator to their evidence collected in
means make inferences the previous lesson. They will
about the record their observations by
participants and writing and drawing what
the nature of the they see on a designated
activity, and give handout.
examples of how
specific evidence
may be used.

4) Fingerprinting record confidence record *Students will fingerprint Exit slip: What are the three types Students may use pencil/paper or
observations in personal observations and themselves (using washable of fingerprints? What was most technology (laptop/tablet) to
identification and and ability to measurements ink) to record all ten of their common in our class? document their observations.
classification measurements learn and accurately, using a fingerprints on pieces of
accurately, develop chart format white paper, making sure to
using a chart problem- where appropriate. label each one.
format where solving skill Computer
 Crystal Malinowski
EDUC3700G – Science for Non-Majors
July 27, 2018
appropriate. resources may be *Students will then study
Computer used for record their fingerprints using an
resources may keeping and for online guide to classify their
be used for display and prints by type.
record interpretation of
keeping and data *Group discussion: What
for display and were your findings?
interpretation classifying *Compare with your
of data fingerprints classmates – How many of
collected from a each print type?
variety of surfaces Students will create chart to
document their own
fingerprint and the results of
comparison with classmates.

5) Mini lab & Reflection work a willingness Observe a set of Mini-lab: Students will be Anecdotal notes of observations Group work (student-selected
individually or to work with footprints, and organized into groups of 4-5. of group work. groups) to create comfortable
cooperatively others in infer the Each group will have a learning environment and provide
in planning shared direction and smooth pen lid, an aluminum Individual student reflection: support to students who may need
and carrying activities and speed of travel. pie plate, and a clear glass What did we observe during the encouragement from peers.
out in sharing of jar. mini-lab? How did it happen?
procedures experiences Each group member will Why is it important to document Students may choose to use to record
have an assigned role our information accurately as we their observations and complete
(leaving their prints on the discover/observe it? reflections using pen and paper, or
pen lid, placing the lid on the using technology such as a tablet or
pie plate, recording the laptop. Alternatively, voice-to-text
group’s hypothesis, and software may be used if required.
recording the group’s
observations). The teacher
will place a small amount of
superglue on the pie plate
near the pen, and the jar will
be placed on top. As time
passes, the fumes from the
superglue will make the
fingerprints on the pen lid
vivid and easy to see.

As students are waiting for

their mini-lab to complete
 Crystal Malinowski
EDUC3700G – Science for Non-Majors
July 27, 2018
(fumes to make prints
appear), they will view a
series of images in a
“mystery envelope.”
Working in groups, they will
record their observations
and clues used to infer the
speed and direction of
travel. They will record their
observations digitally or
using pencil/paper.