DNA Crime Scene
Gel Electrophoresis
Capstone Project
Project Phases:
• Phase I: Research and Hands-on
Authentic experiences. (One week)
• Phase II: Students Apply Higher Order
Thinking Skills
(Four weeks)
• Phase III:Outreach and Presentation
(One week)
Detailed Project Timeline:
Week 1:
Research-Students will research on their own
and then share their findings with their teams.
Forensic Scientist Guest Speaker Presentation.
(This took two periods and was an in-school
field trip I provided for all of the Honors Biology
students.)
Week 2:
Crime Scene Simulation: Science in Motion
(This took two double periods.)
Timeline
(continued)
Week 3: Working Model
Students developed ideas the first day on the materials
they used to create and present their working model
of the process of gel electrophoresis and created
them the next class period.
Weeks 4 and 5: Crime Scene Scenario and Data
Construction
Students were given the idea behind the project two
weeks prior to beginning the project and they began
documenting their ideas on their Google Docs site.
Students created gel electrophoresis data, blood
samples, hair analysis and two other forms of
forensic evidence (one with a math component).
Timeline
(continued)
Week 6: Outreach and Presentation.
Students in NJ will collaborate with the teams in
PA to solve each crime. (This will take place
outside of class time using each team’s
Google Docs site.)
All student work will be added to each student’s
Honors Biology Class Laboratory Portfolio.
Phase I:
Research and Hands-on
Authentic Forensics
Experiences:
• Guest Speaker PresentationMs. Regina Porobenski,a forensic
scientist described the career of a
forensic scientist. She also
described the science and math
involved in forensic science that she
uses in the laboratory.
(In-school field trip for two periods on 3/26/10)
Phase I (continued)
Crime Scene Simulation:
Students read the data provided and
developed a hypothesis about who they
thought committed the crime in the case.
Students loaded the gels to collect DNA
fingerprinting data to create a detailed
analysis and appropriate conclusions.
Students completed a formal laboratory
report, including research and a detailed
overview of the scientific method. (Due two
weeks after the experiment was completed.)
Simulation was provided by Mrs. Helene Hartman, Science
in Motion Educator. Cedar Crest College, Allentown, PA
(Two double class periods 3/15/2010 and 3/19/2010)
Phase II. Students
Apply Higher Order
Thinking Skills to:
• Create a Gel Electrophoresis Working Model Tutorial
for other students to use. (One week)
• Act as forensic scientists and construct a crime
scene scenario and corroborating crime scene
evidence.
(Three weeks)
• Rubric for the working model and the crime scene
scenario are posted to the wiki at:
http://www.lkowalskicapstoneproject.wikispaces.com
Phase III: Outreach
and Presentation
• Crime scene overview and data will be reviewed by teams of
detectives-students in NJ-to solve via the Google Docs sites the week
of April 19, 2010. (Collaboration takes place outside of the classroom
on the Google Docs site.)
• All team information was posted to their Google Docs site and was
printed for each student’s formal laboratory portfolio to be reviewed and
self-evaluated by the student and the parent, and ultimately evaluated
by the teacher. (Rubric posted on the wiki.)
• Completion of a formal laboratory report for Science in Motion Case due
April 8, 2010. This will also be put in formal laboratory portfolio.
Learning and Doing:
• Students created a crime scene that included their data
they constructed as clues specific to the crime scene
scenario they created.
• Crime Scene Evidence includes:
-DNA Gel Electrophoresis
-Blood Analysis (Teams chose how to include
this component.)
-Evidence that incorporated a math component
-Any other piece of forensic evidence the team
chose.
Technology fully integrated
into the classroom
Technology was interwoven throughout the project to provide
the means for research, collaboration, collection and
construction of data, analysis and interpretation of data, and
invention and presentation of products. The following is a list
of technology that was used:
Google Docs
Inspiration
iMovie
Power Point
Photo Booth
Garage Band
Digital compound Light Microscope
Interactive Polyvision Board
Class Wiki
Students acting as a
professional in the discipline
• Students took on the role of a forensic scientists
working in the laboratory and constructed data
using real world DNA technology and equipment.
• Students in NJ will serve as CSI detectives that
serve to solve the crime.
• Technology—Technology was infused into the
project in the following ways:
Google docs
Students in PA posted their work on their Google Docs site and the teacher was also
invited into their site to check on progress and address questions and issues that arose.
iMovie and Photo Booth (Vodcast)-Students modeled the processes involved in the key
components of the process of gel electrophoresis using these computer programs to
create simulations/tutorials. This will serve as a review of the process and relate it to
their correct analysis of the data presented to the CSI team in NJ. This will also be
used by other students in biology classes as a tutorial for the process of gel
electrophoresis.
Gel Electrophoresis- (Gel electrophoretic chamber and equipment)-students were able
to run a gel using corn DNA and were assessed on how well they loaded the gel, as
well as how well they explained the processes and the chemical basis of why this
process occurs. The Students also evaluated the use and validity of DNA evidence
used in the court.
Technology—Technology was infused into the
project in the following ways:
Compound light microscope and Interactive Polyvision Board-students projected their hair
samples using the digital projecting compound light microscope and labeled the
components of the hair sample using the write-on feature of the Polyvision Board.
Inspiration-Students used this program to create a sunburst that depicted what it is they
needed to know. Next, they researched the specific information and shared their
research with their team. The teams used this information and created a working model
of the processes involved in DNA fingerprinting, which includes: 1. Harvesting the DNA
sample, 2. The use of restriction enzymes to cut the DNA, and 3. The separation of the
DNA fragments in the electrophoresis chamber: depicting the size and charge of the
fragments and how it affects the outcomes and analysis of the gel.
Computers- Computer laptops for each students were needed for the aforementioned
software related to the project and for the purposes of research.
Class Wiki- Students were encouraged to use the class wiki to ask questions of Ms.
Porobenski, a forensic scientist who came in as a guest speaker.
References
Science in Motion (n.d.). Forensic case
file #24857: Death of Mrs. Lucy Bell.
Science in Motion. Adapted from
http://www.biologyarizona.edu/human_b
io/activities/blackett2/str_description.ht
ml
Special Thanks to:
• Regina Porobenski, Forensic Scientist (personal
communication, March 26, 2010).
• Helene Hartman, Science in Motion Educator,
Cedar Crest College (personal communication
March, 2010).
• Samples of student work and corresponding
rubrics are posted at :
http://www.lkowalskicapstoneproject.wikispaces.com