HONORS FORENSICS SCIENCE HONORS FORENSIC SCIENCE HONORS
Teacher:
Email:
Cell:
Website:
COURSE OUTLINE
Jackie Smith
jacquelyna.smith@cms.k12.nc.us
704-619-2121
http://smithscience.cmswiki.wikispaces.net/Honors+Forensic+Science
Course Description: Honors Forensics is a one semester elective course
designed to engage students using a creative, problem-solving and inquirybased approach. This course will incorporate multidisciplinary instruction
using topics from Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth Science. It will
also draw on Civics, History and Math. Students will apply their knowledge
in these areas to the science of forensic investigations. The course will
culminate in a Mock Trial with students as expert witnesses incorporating
all of the course material.
Course Supplies: Required – 2” 3-ring binder with 12 dividers, pencils/pens,
loose leaf paper, graph paper. Optional, but helpful – colored pencils, hand
sanitizer, metric ruler
Grades:
The course Notebook will contain all warm-ups, notes, case
studies, labs, readings quizzes, reflections and other class materials.
Notebooks will be collected and graded every Friday. Three random
assignments from the previous week will be graded. Those grades make up 70%
of the course grade. There are 12 units in this course. Each unit will
culminate in a formal assessment. Formal assessments will make up 30% of
the course grade. There is a midterm (20% of 1st quarter grade) and a final
exam (25% of course grade).
Basic Rules of Classroom Conduct:
1. Be in your seat, ready to begin work when the bell rings.
2. Respect all other people in the classroom, their belongings and
school property.
3. Obey all safety procedures at all times.
Course Expectations: This is an Honors level class. Expect to be doing
Honors-level work. This includes more self-directed work in class, keeping
up with assignments, especially the Notebook, and frequent, if not daily,
homework. It is expected that you have a basic working knowledge of the
principles of biology, chemistry, physics and math. It is expected that if
you find yourself struggling with the material that you will come to me for
help. I will not chase you down. The same goes for work missed due to
absences. It is expected that while you are in class you behave in a mature
manner and actively contribute to the learning taking place.
Course Coverage: Units covered in this course include
Crime Scene Investigation
Forensic Pathology
Forensic Anthropology
Blood and Blood Spatter
Fingerprint Analysis
Hair and Fiber Analysis
Impressions Analysis
Firearms Identification and Ballistics
DNA Analysis
Toxicology
Questioned Documents
Arson and Explosives
Late Work Policy: If you are absent from class for any reason, you can find
the work you missed on the Unit Outline and the website. All work, other
than labs, must be made up by the 2nd day you return to school. All labs
will have to be made up after school within one week of the absence. Due to
space constraints, I cannot keep lab materials for past labs around any
longer. It is your responsibility to make the arrangements.
Tutoring/Office Hours: Office hours will be posted in the classroom and will
be at least one afternoon a week for an hour. Further times can be arranged
individually.
Notebook Set Up: Every unit will start with a labeled divider followed by a
copy of the Unit Outline. Notes will be sequential. You should have an
entry matching each activity on the Unit Outline. See the example below.
Unit: Intro to Forensic Science
IQ: What information can be discovered from a
properly processed crime scene and what can be
determined from that information?
8/25
Warm Up: Filled out info card and read over
syllabus
Discussion: Discussed expectations, lab safety –
absolutely no eating or drinking in the
classroom (except clear water when we are not
doing labs). Any other notes from the
discussion.
Case Study: John Joubert – here you write your
notes about today’s case study.
Notes: ppt Intro to Forensic Science
Write your notes from the power point
Activity: Questions on Intro to Forensic Science
1. answer questions in your notes,
restating the question in your answers so they
are useful to you.
2. etc…
Activity: Historical Timeline - got assignment
– research John Toms and why he’s important to
the history of forensics
Reflection: The area of forensic science that
interests me the most is Forensic Odontology
because my mom is a dentist and I think it's
cool how they can identify bodies from teeth. I
also like how they can reconstruct what a face
looked like from the structure of their bones. I’d
like to learn how to do that.
…
8/29 (Format for last day of Unit)
Warm Up: …
Case Study
Case:
Modus Operandi:
Motivation:
Evidence used against defendant:
Comparisons to previous Case Study:
Contrasts to previous case study:
Specialist:
Lab(s) Results Summary:
Analysis:
Conclusion:
Reflection:
IQ:
Answer to IQ:
Test
Crime Scene Investigation