Introduction:

In the past four years twelve people have gone missing in a rural town in Upstate New York. As part of an elite crime investigation team, you are called to a site in the Adirondacks to view a crime scene where a body has just been discovered by a hunter. When you arrive at the crime scene you immediately see a partially decomposed body covered by leaves. It is up to you and the rest of your team to find out who this person is and how they died.

Task:

You will be working in groups of four in which each group will be assigned the role of a forensic scientist. Your first assignment in this case will be to research several topics in forensics. Then your superior expects that each of you will collect and analyze all possible evidence for the missing case and present these findings in the form of a power point presentation. Your findings should lead to a conclusion of who the deceased was.

Process:

1. Your team will research four topics that deal with forensic investigation from the list on the site below. A list of websites you can use for your research has also been included. Use the information on these sites to write a summary for each topic you chose. Be sure to define the topic and that you describe how it is applied in forensic science. Produce this summary as a Microsoft Word document.

Forensics Topic List

2. Your group will now take the role of a forensic scientist (Anthropologist, Dentist, Entomologist, Pathologist, Fingerprints analyst and DNA analyst). Read over the information describing the crime scene and determine what type of evidence you need to inspect. The crime scene will also provide you with the questions that must be answered to complete the fourth step of this assignment. Use the websites available as well as the books, magazines or journals held by your superior to help you analyze the evidence. Record any activity done by your group on the time log sheets found in the laboratory.

Crime Scene and Laboratory

3. Design a flowchart using Inspiration software that maps out the investigative procedure used for your part of the investigation. Each group will come together to make one flow chart that illustrates the complete investigative procedure used during step 4.

4. As a class, you will design a power point presentation that will show all evidence collected and analyzed and how it led you to your conclusion of who the deceased was.

top of page

Evaluation:

	Beginning 1	Developing 2	Accomplished 3	Exemplary 4
Research and Summarize 4 Topics on Forensics	Summary neither defines each topic nor identifies how they are applied to forensic science and/or only one topic discussed.	Summary either defines each topic or just discusses how the topic applies to forensic science and/or only two topics discussed.	Summary of each topic correctly defines the topic and how it applies to forensic science and/or only three topics correctly discussed.	Summary of each topic correctly defines the topic and how it applies to forensic science, providing examples for each.
Recorded Data in Time Logs	Time Logs are incomplete and/or show that the evidence observed was not appropriate for the group and/or only 1 member participated.	Time Logs are incomplete and some evidence observed was appropriate and/or only 2 group members participated.	Time Logs completely filled out and most evidence observed was appropriate and/or only 3 group members participated.	Time Logs are completely filled out, showing proper evidence was observed by the group and that each member contributed.
Flow chart of Investigative Procedure (Group)	Flow Chart does not illustrate the procedure used by the group during the investigation.	Flow Chart illustrates few steps used by group in collecting and analyzing data.	Flow Chart illustrates most of the process used in collecting and analyzing data.	Flow Chart illustrates complete process used by group in collecting and analyzing data. Includes pictures and links to websites used.
Power Point Presentation (Group)	Presentation included 1-4 slides that vaguely illustrated evidence collected and/or described how it was analyzed and/or the conclusion formed by the group.	Presentation included 4-6 slides that illustrated evidence collected and/or described how it was analyzed and/or the conclusion formed by the group.	Presentation included 7-9 slides that illustrated evidence collected and/or described how it was analyzed and/or the conclusion formed by the group.	Presentation included 10 slides that illustrated evidence collected, described how it was analyzed and the conclusion formed by the group.
Power Point Presentation (Class)	Class could not come the same conclusion and presentation inlcuded answers to 0-3 questions from the crime scene and/or class flow chart not included.	Class came to the same conclusion, presentation inlcuded answers to 4-7 of the crime scene questions and/or flow chart only illustrates one to two groups.	Class as a whole came to the same conclusion and presentation included answers to 8-10 of the crime scene questions and/or flow chart only illustrates three to four groups.	Class as a whole came to the same conclusion and presentation included the answers to the 11 questions from the crime scene, including a full flow chart integrating each groups procedure

top of page

Conclusions:

Congratulations! You have solved the mystery of who the body belongs to. You have now learned how to use Biology (genetics and forensics) to identify an individual. The family of the deceased thanks you for doing a thorough job and finally finding their loved one. As your superior I am also pleased with the work that went into this assignment and I am granting you a full week paid vacation. Enjoy!

Want to learn more, check out these sites:

top of page

Credits:
Very Special Thanks to...

Anne Moore (Biology Teacher)

Special Thanks to...

Sabrina Johnson-Taylor (Suny Albany Professor)
Alison Miller (Biology Teacher)
Images taken with permission from:

top of page

"This page is maintained in accordance with Shenendehowa's web publishing guidelines by C. Hood."