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.
On The Job Set 2 TG pp.indd 4 29/06/11 11:29 AM
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?___________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On The Job Set 2 TG pp.indd 5 29/06/11 11:29 AM
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
On The Job Set 2 TG pp.indd 6 29/06/11 11:29 AM
FORENSIC SCIENTIST
Eyes for Evidence WORk SHEET 3
OnTheJobSet2TeachingGuide©2009BlakePublishingPtyLtd 7
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.
On The Job Set 2 TG pp.indd 7 29/06/11 11:29 AM
