I. Title of Module:

• Forensic Chemistry

II. Author(s):

• Zoraida Colon
• Pam Walker & Elaine Wood. (1998)  Crime Scene Investigations.
• Lisa Carloye (May 2003).  Of Maggots and Murder:  Forensic Entomology in the Classroom.  The American Biology Teacher.
• WARD’S Natural Science

III. Grade Level:

• High School 9-12

IV. Nature of The Students:

• Urban Minority

V. Purposes (Course Objectives):

1. Students will measure length in millimeters.
2. Students will be able to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret data obtained from charts and reference tables.
3. Students will be able to explain the use of indicators to identify the presence of substances.
4. Students will be able to dissect flowers and use a dichotomous key to identify them.
5. Students will use forensic techniques of fingerprint identification, handwriting analysis, and chemical (urine) analysis to solve a crime.
6. Students will be able to distinguish between chromatography and electrophoresis.
7. Students will use deductive reasoning in order to direct a murder investigation.
8. Students will be able to use blood typing to solve a crime.

VI. Overview: (Course Description):

• This course offers high school students the challenges and opportunity to investigate biological and chemical concepts that are applicable to the field of forensic science. The activities include determining time of death using insects, detection of saliva, matching lip prints and fingerprints, handwriting analysis, chromatography, dissection, analysis of paints, blood typing, and DNA fingerprint analysis.

Crime scenes were presented while students practiced actual investigative skills used in a crime lab. In addition, students were forced to use critical and reasoning skills in order to reach valid conclusions. 

The schedule of activities is outlined below:

SCHEDULE

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Last Updated July 22, 2003 by Roz Krakowsky
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