Overview - CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATIONS
Product Type: Book
Authors: Pam Walker, Elaine Wood
Number of Pages: 273 pages
Reproducible: Yes
Reading Level: [unknown]
Age Appropriate Level: Middle School, Secondary, Adult, Special Education
Copyright: 1998
In Crime Scene Investigations, students will enjoy turning into "super sleuths" to learn the scientific principles behind solving crimes ranging from check forgery to murder. A unique and motivating resource, the book gives students in Grades 6 and up the chance to become crime scene investigators and "real-life" forensic scientists. The book is ideal for science teachers who want to supplement and energize their instruction in physical, life, or earth sciences. Students will be eager to learn science concepts and solve mysteries at the same time.
Using a fascinating collection of 68 lessons and labs-including reproducible student worksheets-the 273-page book takes students through exercises in observation, documentation, evidence collection, and deductive reasoning. Students follow the cartoon character Crime Cat as he introduces each new lesson.
Each lesson is composed of two parts:
-Teacher background information that explains the history and current uses of the topic, and a true or realistic scenario explaining how science is pivotal in solving the mystery
-A lab on the same material, in which students are members of criminal investigative teams working on a solution to the mystery
The book is divided into four sections, each one covering a different branch of science:
Section 1-Critical-Thinking Lessons.
The 17 ready-to-use lessons and labs reinforce skills of observation, experimentation, and logical thinking.
Lessons include:
-Who Wrote This? (Document Forgery)
-Did Pete Cheat? (Chromatography of Mixtures)
-In the Scene (Crime Scene Evaluation)
-If the Shoe Fits (Making and Evaluating Shoe Print Impressions)
Section 2-Physical Science Lessons.
The 14 reproducible lessons and labs apply the principles of chemistry and physics to identify unknown substances, recognize patterns, and determine the sequence of events.
Lessons include:
-Glass Can Tell on You (Glass Identification)
-Print Patterns (Identification of Fingerprints)
-Falling Blood Drops (Blood-Drop Analysis)
-Fibers Don't Fib (Fiber Analysis)
Section 3-Life Science Lessons.
The 20 lessons and labs focus on evidence left at crime scenes such as DNA analysis, skeletal structure, and hair and skin samples.
Lessons include:
-Don't Flush the Evidence (Urinalysis)
-The Teeth Will Tell (Dental Forensics)
-Time of Death (Forensic Entomology)
-Red Lips (Lip Print Patterns)
Section 4-Earth Science, Archaeology, and Anthropology Lessons.
The 17 lessons and labs feature unidentified remains, mummies, skeletons, and more. Students learn how the reconstruction of past events can influence the outcome of a criminal investigation.
Lessons include:
-Where Is My Mummy? (Preserving Flesh)
-Digging Up the Past (Investigating an Archaeological Site)
-The Dirt on Crime (Evidence from the Soil)
-Your Bones Have a Message (Forensic Anthropology)
Special Features
The Table of Contents features a column across from each lesson and lab entitled "Subject Tie-in with General Science" that indicates an area of science that corresponds with the lesson. For example, in Lesson 2-1, Making Your Mark, the subject tie-ins are sociology, art, biology, math, and criminology.
About the Authors
Pam Walker received her M.Ed. and Ed.S. from Georgia Southern University. She has 15 years experience in teaching science in grades 9-12. Elaine Wood received her M.S. and Ed.S. from West Georgia College. She has 10 years teaching experience in secondary science.