Course title

Pre-requisite

Course description

Brief description:
Forensics is a junior/senior level elective that explores principles from Biology; Chemistry; Physics; Earth Science; and Mathematics as they relate to crime scene investigations. Units include:
Introduction to Forensics (basic principles of crime scene investigations)
Trace Evidence (hair; fibers; pollen/spores; soil; sand)
Fingerprints; DNA; & Blood
Lessons from the Body (forensic anthropology & entomology)
At the Scene (accident reconstruction; glass; casts & impressions)
Weapons & Tools (ballistics & toolmarks)

Detailed list of Objectives:
Term One:
Unit: Introduction to Forensics
Estimated Topic Length: 1 week.
State Standards: SCHS-S1; S2; S3
Objectives:
1. Define observation and describe what changes occur in the brain
2. Describe examples of factors influencing eyewitness accounts of events.
3. Compare reliability of eyewitness testimony to what actually happened.
4. Relate observation skills to their use in forensic science.
5. Define ?forensic science?.
6. Practice and improve your own observation skills.
7. Summarize Locard?s exchange principle.
8. Identify four examples of trace evidence.
9. Distinguish between direct and circumstantial evidence.
10. Identify the types of professionals who are at a crime scene.
11. Summarize the seven steps of a crime scene investigation.
12. Explain the importance of securing a crime scene.
13. Identify the methods by which a crime scene is documented.
14. Demonstrate the proper technique in collecting and packaging trace evidence.
15. Describe how evidence from a crime scene is analyzed.
16. Discuss the careers related to forensics. (Objective may be incorporated throughout course.)
Textbook Chapters: 1 (Observational Skills and the Scientific Method); 2 (CSI & Evidence Examination)

Unit: Common Trace Evidence: Hair; Fibers; Fabrics; Pollen; Spores & Soil
Estimated Topic Length: 3 weeks.
State Standards: SCHS-S1; SCHS-S2C1; SCHS-S4C2-PO3; SCHS-S4C5; SCHS-S5C1
Objectives:
1. Identify the various parts of hair.
2. Describe variations in the structure of the medulla; cortex; and cuticle.
3. Distinguish between human and nonhuman hair.
4. Determine if two examples of hair are likely to come from the same person.
5. Explain how hair can be used in a forensic investigation.
6. Distinguish hairs from individuals belonging to the broad racial categories.
7. Identify and describe common weave patterns of textile samples.
8. Compare and contrast various types of fibers through physical and chemical analysis.
9. Describe principal characteristics of common fibers used in their identification.
10. Apply forensic science techniques to analyze fibers.
11. Distinguish between pollen and spores.
12. Define a pollen ?fingerprint?.
13. Classify the different organisms that produce pollen and spores.
14. Summarize the different methods of pollination in plants and the relevance in solving crimes.
15. Identify the different ways that spores are dispersed.
16. State characteristics of pollen and spores that are important for identification in forensic studies.
17. Summarize how pollen and spore evidence is collected at a crime scene.
18. Describe how pollen and spore samples are analyzed and evaluated.
19. Recognize various soil types and describe some methods for examining soil samples.
20. Distinguish sand samples by size; color; and composition.
21. Explain how soil analysis can link suspects to crime scenes.
Textbook Chapters: 3 (Hair); 4 (Fibers & Fabrics); 5 (Pollen & Spores); 12 (Soil)

Unit: Fingerprints; DNA; and Blood
Estimated Topic Length: 3 weeks.
State Standards: SCHS-S1; SCHS-S2C1; SCHS-S4C1; SCHS-S4C2; SCHS-S5C1-PO1; SCHS-S5C2
Objectives:
1. Discuss the history of fingerprinting.
2. Describe the characteristics of fingerprints.
3. Identify the basic types of fingerprints.
4. Describe how criminals attempt to alter their fingerprints.
5. Determine the reliability of fingerprints as a means of identification.
6. Explain how fingerprint evidence is collected.
7. Describe the latest identification technologies.
8. Determine if a fingerprint matches a fingerprint on record.
9. Use the process of lifting a latent print.
10. Explain how crime-scene evidence is collected for DNA analysis.
11. Describe how crime-scene evidence is processed to obtain DNA.
12. Describe how radioactive probes are used in DNA fingerprinting.
13. Explain how DNA evidence is compared for matching.
14. Explain how DNA fingerprinting is used to determine if specimens come from related or unrelated individuals.
15. Explain how to use DNA fingerprinting to identify DNA from a parent; child; or relative of another person.
16. Explain the composition of blood.
17. Describe the functions of blood cells.
18. Describe a brief history of the use of blood and blood-spatter analysis in forensics.
19. Describe how to determine the blood type of a sample of blood.
20. Describe how to screen for the presence of human blood.
21. Calculate the probability of certain blood types within a population.
22. Conduct a blood-spatter analysis.
23. Examine stab wounds and describe the nature of the weapon.
24. Use blood-spatter evidence to recreate the events at a crime scene.
Textbook Chapters: 6 (Fingerprints); 7 (DNA Profiling); 8 (Blood & Spatter)

Term Two:
Unit: Lessons from the Body
Estimated Topic Length: 2 Ω weeks.
State Standards: SCHS-S1; SCHS-S4C5
Objectives:
1. Discuss the definition of death.
2. Distinguish between the four manners of death.
3. Distinguish between cause; manner; and mechanisms of death.
4. Explain how the development of rigor; algor; and livor mortis occurs following death.
5. Use evidence of rigor; algor; and livor mortis to calculate the approximate time of death.
6. Describe the stages of decomposition of a corpse.
7. Use evidence from the autopsy?s report on stomach contents to estimate the time of death.
8. Explain how time of death can be estimated using insect evidence.
9. Provide an example of the succession of different types of insects that are found on a body as it decomposes.
10. Given insect evidence; livor; rigor; and algor mortis; be able to estimate time of death.
11. Describe how various environmental factors may influence the estimated time of death.
12. Describe the characteristics of bone.
13. Distinguish between male and female skeletal remains based on skull; jaw; brow ridge; pelvis; and femur.
14. Describe how bones contain a record of injury and disease.
15. Describe how a person?s approximate age could be determined by examining his or her bones.
16. Explain the differences in facial structures among different races.
17. Describe the role of mitochondrial DNA in bone identification.
Textbook Chapters: 11 (Death ? Meaning; Matter; Mechanism; & Time); 13 (Forensic Anthropology: What We Learn From Bones)

Unit: At the Scene
Estimated Topic Length: 2 Ω weeks.
State Standards: SCHS-S1; SCHS- S5C1; SCHS-S5C2
Objectives:
1. Describe the characteristics of glass.
2. Provide examples of different kinds of glass.
3. Calculate the density of glass.
4. Use the refractive index to identify different types of glass.
5. Describe how glass fractures.
6. Analyze glass fracture patterns to determine how glass was broken.
7. Explain how glass is used as evidence.
8. Distinguish between latent; patent; and plastic impressions.
9. Explain how various types of impressions can be used as trace evidence.
10. Describe how to make foot; shoe; and tire impressions.
11. Use track width and wheelbase information to identify vehicles.
12. Prepare dental impressions and match them with bite marks.
13. Apply forensic skills to accident reconstruction.
Textbook Chapter: 14 (Glass); 15 (Casts and Impressions)

Unit: Weapons and Tools
Estimated Topic Length: 2 weeks.
State Standards: SCHS-S1; SCHS-S5C1-PO1; SCHS-S5C3-PO2; SCHS-S5C5-PO1
Objectives:
1. Discuss the significance of tool mark impressions in criminal investigations.
2. Describe three major types of tool mark impressions.
3. Describe variations in tool surface characteristics that are used to identify individual tools.
4. Summarize the steps of a tool mark examination and analysis.
5. Summarize how technology is helping tool experts in criminal investigations.
6. Match tool marks with the instrument that produced them.
7. Describe how tool mark evidence is collected; preserved; and documented.
8. Discuss the differences between a handgun; a rifle; and a shotgun.
9. Distinguish between a bullet and a cartridge.
10. Discuss rifling on a gun barrel and how it affects the flight of the projectile.
11. Explain the relationship between barrel size and caliber.
12. Explain how bullets are test-fired and matched.
13. Discuss the role of ballistics recovery and examination at the crime scene.
14. Determine the position of the shooter based on trajectory.
Textbook Chapter: 16 (Tool Marks); 17 (Ballistics)

Sample Syllabus:
Forensics
Spring; 2010
Textbook: "Forensic Science: Fundamentals & Investigations"; by Bertino & Bertino

Jan. 4 ? Policies & procedures; intro to class.
Jan. 5 ? Observational skills (Ch. 1)(Lab requiring observation & identification of a suspect)
Jan. 6 ? Procedures quiz; ?"The Art of Crime Detection" (virtual lab on suspect sketching software)
Jan. 7 ? Seven S?s of crime scene investigation; Locard's exchange principle; trace evidence (Ch. 2) (Lab involving producing a scaled sketch of a crime scene)
Jan. 8 ? Evaluating a crime scene & handling of evidence; finish computer activities
Jan. 11 ? Mini-Test on Ch. 1 & Ch. 2. Intro to hair; Animal hair lab (Microscopic comparison of human hair and a variety of animal hair)
Jan. 12 - Hair lab (Activity 3-1)((Microscopic comparison and matching of a variety of human hair)
Jan. 13 - Hair lab (Activity 3-2 modified)(Lab - Microscopic calculation of hair width). Case studies if time.
Jan. 14 - Hair testimony essay (Activity 3-3).
Jan. 15 - Hair quiz. Case studies & careers
Jan. 18 - No School ? Martin Luther King; Jr.
Jan. 19 - Intro to fibers; and intro fiber lab. (Microscopic identification of properties of a variety of natural and synthetic fibers)(Ch. 4)
Jan. 20 ? Wayne Williams case study
Jan. 21 - Microscopic fiber & weave pattern analysis lab (Lab - Microscopic comparison of properties of various textiles) (Activities 4-1 & 4-3)
Jan. 22 - Burn analysis of fibers lab (Destructive identification tests of fibers including flammability and solubility in various solvents).(Activity 4-5) DRESS
Jan. 25 - Textile identification lab (Microscopic identification of weave pattern)(Activity 4-3/4-4 modified).
Jan. 26 - Fiber quiz. Intro to pollen & spores; introductory pollen lab (Microscopic examination of collected pollen and spores)(Ch. 5)
Jan. 27 - Case studies & careers - Otzi
Jan. 28 - Pollen Examination (Microscopic comparison and matching of pollen samples)(Activity 5-1).
Jan. 29 - Intro to soil (Ch. 12); begin Soil Profile Examination (Lab determining various properties of soil including density; permeability; particle size; and chemical composition)
Feb. 1 - Finish Soil Profile. Chemical & Physical Analysis of Sand (Activity 12-3) DRESS (Lab determining various properties of sand including percent composition of various minerals and particle size)
Feb. 2 - Catchup/review
Feb. 3 -? Unit Test; case studies & careers
Feb. 4 - Guest speaker from FBI.
Feb. 5 - Intro to fingerprints (Ch. 6); print ten-cards (Activity 6-4)(Lab producing fingerprint ten-cards and analyzing them)
Feb. 8 - Fingerprint lab (Activities 6-5 & 6-6; and additional as time permits). (Lab using a variety of modern techniques to detect; collect; and analyze latent prints)
Feb. 9 - Complete fingerprint lab; case studies & careers. (Activity 6-3 modified)
Feb. 10 - Fingerprint quiz. (very short day - district PLC)
Feb. 11 - Intro to DNA fingerprinting (Ch. 7).
Feb. 12 - Virtual PCR lab; virtual gel electrophoresis lab; web-based activities
Feb. 15 - No School ? President?s Day
Feb. 16 - Gel electrophoresis lab; DNA practice activities (Activities 7-4; 7-5; 7-6)
Feb. 17 - ?The Killer's Trail?
Feb. 18 - DNA quiz. Intro to blood composition and types (Lab - blood typing using simulated blood)(Ch. 8)
Feb. 19 - Presumptive test for blood (Activity 8-1) (Lab using Kastle-Meyer test to detect presence of blood DRESS
Feb. 22 - Begin Blood Spatter Analysis (Activity 8-3) and Blood-Spatter Impact Angle (Activity 8-4) (Inquiry lab using trigonometry to determine height from which blood fell; and angle of impact) DRESS
Feb. 23 - AIMS Writing. Analyze blood spatter results.
Feb. 24 - AIMS Reading. Analyze blood spatter results; case studies & careers
Feb. 25 - Area of Convergence (Activity 8-5) (lab using multiple spatter patterns to determine point of origin of blood spatter); case studies
Feb. 26 - Point of Origin (Activity 8-6) and Crime Scene Investigation (Activity 8-7)?
Mar. 1 - Blood spatter analysis case (comprehensive lab applying all previously learned blood analysis techniques)
Mar. 2 - Discuss case findings. ? Forensic animation.
Mar. 3 - Catchup/review
Mar. 4 - Unit test; discuss test
Mar. 5 - Personal choice project (Activity to produce a webpage on a Forensics-related topic of choice that is not addressed in detail in the course)
Mar. 8 - Personal choice project
Mar. 9 - Projects shared
Mar. 10 - Review for finals.
Mar. 11 - Final exams.
Mar. 12 - Final exams.
Mar. 22 - What is death? Autopsies. (Ch.11) (Lab activity using an actual coroner report to plot injuries and determine whether a person was a passenger or driver in a vehicle)
Mar. 23 - Time of death (Activities 11-1 & 11-2). (Calculation-based lab activities using livor mortis; rigor mortis; and algor mortis data to determine time of death.)
Mar. 24 - Forensic entomology; estimate time of death from insect evidence (Addtl. Activity 11-1) (Calculation-based lab activities using insect life cycles and accumulated degree hours to determine time of death)
Mar. 25 - Conclude remaining activities
Mar. 26 - Forensic Entomology Research
Mar. 29 - Entomology Murder Lesson (Applying learned material to actual lab data collected by the University of Tennessee.
Mar. 30 - Stomach Content lab (Lab analyzing mock stomach contents for composition using basic testing for presence of organic molecules and microscopic examination of larger particles)
Mar. 31 - AIMS Math (No class)
Apr. 1 - AIMS Science. Write up stomach lab.
Apr. 2 ?- Holiday - No School
Apr. 5 - Intro to forensic anthropology (Ch. 13); determining gender & body size (Activities 13-1; 13-2 & 13-4) (Lab using Foam Bones and other printed data to determine gender and height from bones)
Apr. 6 - ?No Bones About It? & ?What the Bones Tell Us? (Activity 13-6 & ?No Bones?)
Apr. 7 - ?The Romanovs? & (Activities 13-3); & facial reconstruction
Apr. 8 - Review/Catchup
Apr. 9 - Unit Test
Apr. 12 - Intro to glass (Ch. 14); calculate density (Activity 14-2 modified) (Lab)
Apr. 13 - The refractive index (Activity 14-4 modified)? (Lab - Using Snell's Law and solvents to determine the refractive index of known and unknown samples of glass)
Apr. 14 - Glass fracture patterns (Activity 14-1)
Apr. 15 - Glass quiz; Shoe prints (Ch. 15); cast shoeprints (lab)
Apr. 16 - Examine casts; Tire prints; (Activity 15-4; part B); demo drag sled
Apr. 19 - Edheads Accident Reconstruction (virtual lab); ?Examining Lamps for On/Off?; begin ?Reconstructing a Murder by Automobile?
Apr. 20 - ?Reconstructing a Murder by Automobile? (Paper-based lab using actual accident report data and Physics equations to reconstruct an accident)
Apr. 21 - Finish automobile collision; Case studies & careers.
Apr. 22 - Dental impressions (Activity 15-5)(Lab creating and comparing dental impressions)
Apr. 23 - Catchup/review
Apr. 26 - Unit test; begin CSI webquest or Nova (bombing/plane crash investigations)
Apr. 27 - CSI webquest (Virtual lab combining a variety of previously discussed techniques)
Apr. 28 ? Finish CSI webquest; Helle Crafts case
Apr. 29 - Tool marks (Ch. 16); identifying tool marks (Activities 16-1 & 16-2)(Lab producing; comparing; and analyzing tool marks using Mikrosil)
Apr. 30 - Finish tool marks
May 3 - Intro to ballistics; firing pin match (Activity 17-2) (lab based on photos)
May 4 - FirearmsID.com activities (virtual labs using comparison microscopes to match casings and firing pin marks)
May 5 - Bullet trajectory case studies (very short day - district PLC) (Lab using fake holes in wall and trajectory rods to determine point of origin)
May 6 - Bullet trajectory; cont. (Activity 17-1). Catchup/review
May 7 - Unit Test
May 10 - Crime Scene Project; initial investigation. (Lab - summative project - students visit a mock crime scene & use all previously learned techniques to collect evidence & request testing)
May 11 - Crime Scene Project; lab analysis (Lab - students make decisions about what lab tests to perform based on evidence collected; and then run and analyze the results of these tests)
May 12 - Discuss test; Case studies & careers if time. Very short day ? Academic Awards Assembly ?
May 13 - Crime Scene Project; computer lab for write up
May 14 - Crime Scene Project Presentations
May 17 - Review for final exams
May 18 ? Senior final exams (review for final exams)
May 19 - Final Exams

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