Crime and Normality
Learning Area: Science
Year Level: 10
Duration: 2 weeks
Content
This unit is designed to introduce ideas of what crime is and distinguish it from normal
behaviour. It explores why societies have legal codes and why individuals may break them.
The role of the forensic psychologist in relation to lawbreakers and other stakeholders in
criminal investigations and trials is examined.
Key Terms:
Crime, criminal, victim, legal, law, moral, dilemma, social, society, attitude, behaviour,
motivation, psychologist, forensic, criminal profiling, dangerousness
Aims and Objectives
SKILLS:
Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to...
 Give an example of a crime, state why it is a crime and identify the criminal(s)
and the victim(s)
 Identify possible reasons why a person chooses to commit a crime
 Identify the roles of a forensic psychologist in criminal investigations and
legal proceedings
KNOWLEDGE:
Upon completion of this unit, students will know...
 That legal and moral codes are not necessarily the same
 Differences between normal and abnormal behaviour and that what is
normal can vary with context
UNDERSTANDING:
Upon completion of this unit, students will understand...
 Why societies have laws and crimes are investigated
 Different societies can have different ideas about what is legally (and morally)
right and wrong
 Forensic psychologists have an increasingly important role in criminal
investigations and associated legal proceedings.
Resources
 Science Alive 6 pp 372 – 3 ‘Forensic Psychology’
 ‘Crime And Punishment’ DVD (BBC) Episode 1 – development of British legal system
 Worksheets: What is Crime? (group discussion tool), Maslow and Personality
worksheet, Crime and Normality worksheet, Moral Dilemma worksheet (use
Kohlberg’s questions)
 Sociocultural Normality ppt.
 Moral Dilemmas website
Activities, Products and Assessment
Learning Activities:
1. Crime and normality
discussion.
2. Discussion groups –
what is crime, why does
it exist, why do we have
laws?
3. View ‘Crime and
Punishment’ part 1
4. View ‘Sociocultural
normality’ ppt.
5. Maslow’s Heirarchy –
discussion and
accompanying
worksheet.
6. Moral Dilemma
(Kohlberg – should
Heinz save his wife?)
7. Read Forensic
Psychology (Science
Alive)
Student Products
1. Completed worksheet
2. Group reports to class
3. Respond to questions on
worksheet for the DVD
4. Students make up own
examples for each type
of normality in ppt.
5. Completed worksheet
6. Complete questions
posed by Kohlberg on
worksheet.
7. Read and respond to set
questions
Assessment
1. Completed
worksheet Folio
2. Formative
3. Completed
worksheet –
Folio
4. Student notes –
formative
5. Formative –
discuss class
results.
Summative –
reflection in
folio
6. Completed
worksheet –
folio
7. Completed
questions - folio
Differentiation
 Extension – moral dilemma ‘Mad bomber’ – finish the story and discuss choices
made in writing the ending.
Risk Assessment
NA