TEACHER NOTES

OnTheJobSet2TeachingGuide©2009BlakePublishingPtyLtd4

Eyes for EvidenceFORENSIC SCIENTIST

This book might appeal to students who•enjoyscience,especiallychemistryandbiology

•canpersevereandpatientlysolveproblems

•havegoodobservationskillsandclear,logicalthinking.

Instant expertBooksynopsis‘EyesforEvidence’looksattheworkofAlex,aforensicscientist,andbeginswithacalltoahomeinvasioncrimescene.Adefinitionofthetermforensic,anoverviewofthemanyfieldsaforensicscientistcanspecialiseinandapersonalreflectiononwhyAlexbecameaforensicscientistthenfollow.Thesecondsectiondetailsthehistoryofforensicsciencewithreferencetoancientforensics,thebeginning(anddevelopment)offingerprintingandthefictionalSherlockHolmes.

Thebookthenmovesontoanexaminationofcrimescenes,thecollectionofevidenceandthechainofcustodythatensuresevidenceisnottamperedwith.Therefollowsanexaminationofthedifferentformsofforensicevidence—includingfingerprints,blood,DNA,insects,handwritingandtoolmarks—andthewaystheycanprovidecluesastohow,whenandbywhomacrimewascommitted.

Thelastpagesprovidealookathowthecollectedevidenceisanalysedbackatthelaboratoryandasummaryofwhattheevidencesuggests.Careerinformationandjobopportunitiescompletethebook.

AlextheforensicscientistAlexworksinacrimelaboratoryasaforensicscientist.Shesaysshedevelopedapassionforscienceatschoolandreallyenjoyedtheprocessofproblemsolvinginthelab.Afterschool,shewenttouniversitytostudybiologyandchemistrythengotworkexperienceinacrimelab,whichledtoafull-timejobthere.

FocusprojectThebookdetailsacaseinvolvingahomeinvasionandrobberywhereavictimwasbashed.Evidencecollectedatthecrimesceneisbroughtbacktothelabforanalysis.Fingerprints,toolmarkings,documentsandDNAareallanalysedtocreatealikelyscenario.Theprojectconcludeswithareviewofwhattheevidencesuggestsandthewaythepoliceusethefindingstosuccessfullyidentify,trackdownandarrestthecriminals.

BecomingaforensicscientistSuggestedschoolsubjectsforaspiringCSIscientistsincludechemistry,biologyandphysics.Valuedskillsincludeattentiontodetail,logicalthinking,teamwork,initiative,perseveranceandgoodobservationskills.

IntegrationArts drawingandobservationskillsEnglish writtenandspokencommunicationskills, SherlockHolmesandothercrimestoriesHealth humanphysiologyMaths logicskills,measuring,observationskillsScience laboratoryskills,followingexperimental procedures,useoflaboratoryequipment, developingobservationskills,biology, chemistry

WebsitesWho Did It? A TeachersFirst work unit www.teachersfirst.com/lessons/forensics

Aterrific,hands-onforensicsunitformiddleschoolstudents.Twentylessonsincludesoilandinkanalysis,fingerprintingandtoolcasting.Itisclear,fullyresourcedandlotsoffun.

River of Venom www.accessexcellence.org/AE/mspot/rov

Thoughnotstrictlyforensicscience,thisonlineactivityputsyouintheAmazonwith10000killerbeesandamysterytosolve.Thereislotsofscienceinvolvedandgoodobservationandproblem-solvingskillswillwintheday.

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FORENSIC SCIENTIST

FORENSIC SCIENTIST

Eyes for Evidence WORk SHEET 1

Date

OnTheJobSet2TeachingGuide©2009BlakePublishingPtyLtd 5

Name

DYKUsetheDid You know?boxestoanswerthesequestions.

1 WhatdidAntonvanLeeuwenhoekbuildinaround1670?________________________________________________________

2 Howmanyredbloodcellsarethereinasingledropofblood?_________________________________________________

3 Howlongdoesittakemaggotstoconsume60%ofacorpse?__________________________________________________

Match up4 Matchthesespecialistforensicfieldstotheirjobdescriptions.

a forensicentomology i thestudyofaperson’smind

b forensicbiology ii thestudyofteeth

c forensicodontology iii thestudyoftraceevidencesuchassoilsandminerals

d forensicgeology iv theDNAanalysisoffluids

e forensicpsychology v theexaminationofinsectsonhumanremains

Back at the labTheevidencecollectedatthecrimescenecontainedlotsofinformationabouttherobbery.

Usepages40–41tomatchthefindingstothetypesofevidenceinthelist.

fingerprints,toolmarkings,documentanalysis,bloodandDNAanalysis,traceevidence

5 Theintrudersforcedtheirwayintothehouse._____________________________________________________________________

6 Atleastthreepeoplebrokeintothehouse.________________________________________________________________________

7 Somesignaturesonthethreateningletterswereforged._________________________________________________________

8 Oneintruderhadwornshoesnearsand.__________________________________________________________________________

9 Thebloodatthecrimescenewasfromthevictim.________________________________________________________________

Evidence for a career as a forensic scientist10 Whydoyouthinkaforensicscientistneeds:

a perseverance?_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

b toworkwellinateam?___________________________________________________________________________________________

c goodobservationskills?__________________________________________________________________________________________

d theabilitytoremainunbiased?__________________________________________________________________________________

Your writeAlex’snotesfocusedontheproceduressurroundingarobbery.

11 Whichpartofhisworkdoyouthinkyou’denjoythemost?______________________________________________________

12 Whichpartwouldyouenjoytheleast?_____________________________________________________________________________

13 Didanypartsurpriseyou?___________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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OnTheJobSet2TeachingGuide©2009BlakePublishingPtyLtd6

WORk SHEET 2 Eyes for EvidenceName DateFORENSIC

SCIENTIST

Fingered by the fingerprints1 Whattypeoffingerprintdoeseachcriminalhave?

Usetheinformationonpage21forhelp.

Lenny Arnold Bill

2 Matchthesefingerprintsamplesfoundatthecrimescenewiththethreecriminals.

Whichfingerprintbelongstotheinnocentvictim?_____________________________________

a b c d

Classroom activity1 Usinganinkpad,collectfingerprintsamplesfromthreeotherstudentsintheclass.

Printthemintheboxesbelowandwritetheirnamesunderneath.

2 Askthemtosecretlychooseonepersonbetweenthemtoputtheirfingerprintinthe‘suspect’boxalso.

3 Usetheoriginalfingerprintstoidentifythesuspect.

student 1 student 2 student 3 suspect

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FORENSIC SCIENTIST

Eyes for Evidence WORk SHEET 3

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Name Date

Crime scene — do not cross!Policewerecalledtothebeachhouseat10:45onWednesdayevening.Uponenteringthehouse,theyfound

thevictimlyingdeadonthekitchenfloor.Thecrimescenewassealedandtheforensicteamcalledin.

Tickthecorrectboxforeachquestion.

Blood1 Lookatthepicture.

Whichdirectionhavethedropletscomefrom?(page26)

fromtheleft

fromtheright

fromabove

2 Thebloodwasjustbeginningtoclotwhenthepolice

arrived.Approximatelyhowlongbeforetheyarrivedwas

themurdercommitted?(page27)

5minutes

20minutes

1hour

3 Thebloodwasanalysedasbeingfromtherarestbloodgroup.Whichtypeisthat?(page24).

typeA typeB typeAB typeO

4 Canforensicscientiststellifbloodisfromamaleorfemale? yes no

Document analysis5 Thisthreateningnotewasfoundinthevictim’spocket.

Wasitwrittenbyaleft-handedorright-handedperson?(page36)

left-handed right-handed

ImpressionsTyretrackswerefoundonthebeachoutside.Inwhatorderweretheymade?

6 First___________Second___________Third___________7 Drawthelastcar’strackinthespacebelow.

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