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forensic science: activity ideas

Activity Ideas | Related Resources

  1. Examining Physical Evidence

    Grade Level: 3-5; 6-8
    Subject: Science & Technology

    Ask students if they know what a forensic scientist does. Forensic scientists analyze physical evidence left from a crime or from a medical mystery using the tools of science. What are some of these "tools"? How are they used to solve crimes?

    Have students visit DragonFly TV for a fun activity about how two kids used fingerprint, fiber and saliva samples to solve a "crime." You might also want students to visit "Public Enemy #1" at American Experience for a fun interactive on using fingerprints to solve a crime.

    Using the handout at NOVA: "Hunt for the Serial Arsonist," have students create their own latex fingerprints.

    For a class activity, divide the students into teams. Each team should secretly choose one member to be the culprit of a fictional crime. Then have each team construct a crime scene in one corner of the classroom for the rest of the class to investigate. Students can use fingerprints, footprints, handwriting samples, hair samples, and fiber samples as evidence that can be collected and analyzed. By analyzing the physical evidence, other teams can determine who in the group "committed the crime."

    Online Resources

    ZOOM!: Fingerprints:
    http://pbskids.org/zoom/activities/sci/fingerprints.html

    DragonFly TV: Forensics:
    http://pbskids.org/dragonflytv/show/forensics.html

    Wikipedia:Fingerprints:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingerprint

    Fingerprints.tk
    http://www.fingerprints.tk/

    Print Resources

    Crime Scene: How Investigators Use Science to Track Down the Bad Guys by Vivien Bowers and Martha Newbigging

    More Recommended Resources

  2. DNA "Fingerprints"

    Grade Levels: 6-8; 9-12
    Subjects: Science & Technology; Social Studies

    For many years, detectives trying to solve criminal cases relied, among other things, upon fingerprints as a means of placing someone at the scene of a crime. To learn more about the history of fingerprint evidence and to try an online game, visit American Experience "Public Enemy #1" Web site.

    Students may learn more about distinctive fingerprint patterns and analyze their own fingerprints using this handout from A Science Odyssey Web site.

    Decades later, scientists developed a more precise tool for convicting criminals and freeing the wrongly accused: the DNA fingerprint. To learn what DNA fingerprints are and how they are used in criminal investigations, visit the NOVA: "Killers Trail" Web site to play the online DNA fingerprint game.

    Many nations, and states within the U.S., are creating computer databases of DNA records. To learn why such databases are controversial, read this The New Atlantis report. How is your state handling DNA evidence and records? Find out what policies exist.

    Online Resources

    NOVA: "Killer's Trail":
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sheppard/

    American Experience: "Public Enemy #1":
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/dillinger/sfeature/sf_whodunit.html

    A Science Odyssey:
    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/resources/campcurr/patterns.html

    How Stuff Works: DNA Evidence:
    http://www.howstuffworks.com/dna-evidence.htm

    Crime Library: The DNA Revolution:
    http://www.crimelibrary.com/forensics/dna/

    PBS Lesson Plans/Activities

    Secrets of the Dead: For Educators:
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/secrets/lessons/index.html

    Print Resources

    Calculated Risks: How to Know When Numbers Deceive You by Gerd Gigerenzer

    More Recommended Resources

  3. Forensic Anthropology: Evidence in the Remains

    Grade Level: 6-8; 9-12
    Subjects: Social Studies; Science & Technology

    Ask students the following questions: What is anthropology? How does anthropology teach us about ancient cultures? Artifacts, or recovered objects, can show us how people lived. In addition to ancient cultures, what else do anthropologists study?

    Tell students that anthropologists are like detectives, particularly those involved in forensic anthropology -- a relatively new field of study focusing on bones and body fragments to identify a victim and to determine the cause of death.

    Have students read about forensic anthropology and the important work being conducted by these scientists:

    Visit Secrets of the Dead web site for a wide selection of lesson plans, computer interactives, and video clips from episodes focusing on forensic anthropology.

    Online Resources

    Forensic Anthropology:
    http://medlib.med.utah.edu/kw/osteo/forensics/

    Minnesota State University:
    http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/biology/forensics/

    Print Resources

    Talking Bones: The Science of Forensic Anthropology by Peggy Thomas

    More Recommended Resources

  4. Handwriting Analysis

    Grade Level: 6-8; 9-12
    Subject: Science & Technology; Reading & Language Arts; Health & Fitness

    Discuss with the class different uses for handwriting analysis. Ask the students to give their ideas of what handwriting can mean.

    Graphologists analyze handwriting to interpret personality traits. The shape, size and style of the writing is often said to reflect personality.

    Ask students to get out an unlined sheet of paper and write their own signatures three separate times; first normally, then a second time as they're holding their pen in a fist moving only the wrist and arm, and then finally with the pen clenched by their elbow. The students should notice that, while their signature might have gotten somewhat sloppier each time, the basic form of the signature stayed the same. This proves that handwriting comes not from trained muscles but the individual's perception of words within the brain.

    By finding out who wrote a document and when, detectives can come closer to solving certain crimes. Analyzing handwriting and documents is another example of forensic science.

    Tell students to get into groups of five or six and use a magnifying glass to analyze another group's handwriting samples. They will pick out distinct characteristics from each of the handwriting samples and record them for later use. Each of the students will then supply an anonymous writing sample. The groups will trade the samples with the same group as before. Each of the groups will try to determine who each handwriting sample belongs to.

    Online Resources

    Scientific American Frontiers: Ask the Scientists:
    http://www.pbs.org/safarchive/3_ask/archive/qna/3282_bbeyerstein.html

    History Detectives: Investigative Techniques:
    http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/techniques/document.html

    Court TV: Literary Forensics:
    http://www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/literary/1.html

    More Recommended Resources

Published: May 2006