Curriculum Map for FORENSIC SCIENCE
September
/ October / November / December / JanuaryUnit Name or Theme / Chapter 1
Observation Skills
Chapter 2
Crime-Scene Investigation and Evidence Collection / Chapter 3
The Study of Hair
Chapter 4
A Study of Fibers and Textiles / Chapter 6
Fingerprints / Chapter 7
DNA fingerprinting
NB: Winter Recess / Chapter 8
Blood and Blood Spatter
NB: Regents week / Unit Name or Theme
Enduring Understandings and
Performance Indicators / Describe factors influencing eyewitness accounts of events.
Describe brain functions associated with observation.
Distinguish types of evidence.
Document a crime scene.
Collect trace evidence.
Practice and improve your observation skills.
List historical milestones. / Observe and describe variations in hair structure among groups of humans and non-humans.
Determine if samples of hair are from the same source.
Compare and contrast various types of fibers through physical and chemical analysis.
Prepare slides and use a microscope.
List historical milestones. / Describe fingerprint characteristics.
Collect fingerprint evidence.
Describe identification technologies.
Compare fingerprints to determine match.
List historical milestones. / Describe collection, processing, probing of DNA evidence.
Perform DNA gel electrophoresis.
Interpret relatedness of specimens.
List historical milestones. / Describe composition and function of blood.
Determine blood type.
Determine blood presence.
Conduct blood spatter analysis.
List historical milestones. / Enduring Understandings and
Performance Indicators
Essential
Questions / How is integrity of data preserved?
What skills and instruments are used for scientific data collection and analysis?
How do multiple types of data supplement each other?
How is data presented in order to effectively communicate the solution to a problem?
What is the breadth of knowledge required for a career in science? / Essential
Questions
Assessment Strategies
Formative & Summative / journal / notebook
lab performance
quiz each chapter / journal / notebook
lab performance
quiz each chapter / journal / notebook
lab performance
chapter quiz / journal / notebook
lab performance
chapter / journal / notebook
lab performance
chapter quiz
midterm exam performance task and objective portion / Assessment Strategies
Formative & Summative
Instructional Strategies
(including reading & writing prompts) / vocabulary flashcards
outline notes
case studies (journal) reading with annotation
videos with journal reflection
worksheets for practice and reinforcement
class activity-observation skills
lab activity – evidence collection / vocabulary flashcards
outline notes
case studies (journal) reading with annotation
videos with journal reflection
worksheets for practice and reinforcement
lab activities-hair and fiber analysis / vocabulary flashcards
outline notes
case studies (journal) reading with annotation
videos with journal reflection
worksheets for practice and reinforcement
lab activity - fingerprinting / vocabulary flashcards
outline notes
case studies (journal) reading with annotation
videos with journal reflection worksheets for practice and reinforcement
lab activity – DNA Forensics / vocabulary flashcards
outline notes
case studies (journal) reading with annotation
videos with journal reflection worksheets for practice and reinforcement
lab activities – Blood Typing and Blood Spatter Analysis
Cumulative Review for midterm exam / Instructional Strategies
(including reading & writing prompts)
Primary Sources / textbook
journal
power points
internet with projector
worksheets
lab room
lab sheets
lab kits / textbook
journal
power points
internet with projector
worksheets
lab room
lab sheets
microscopes, slides / textbook
journal
power points
internet with projector
worksheets
lab room
lab sheets
lab kit / textbook
journal
power points
internet with projector
worksheets
lab room
lab sheets
lab kit with DNA samples
electrophoresis equipment / textbook
journal
power points
internet with projector
worksheets
lab room
lab sheets
lab kit
blood pressure cuffs / Primary Sources
February
/ March / April / May / JuneUnit Name or Theme / Chapter 9
Drug Identification and Toxicology
NB: Mid-Winter Recess / Chapter 10
Handwriting Analysis, Forgery, and Counterfeiting / Chapter 11
Death: Meaning, Manner, Mechanism, Cause, and Time
NB: Spring Break / Chapter 12
Soil Examination
Chapter 13
What We Learn from Bones / Final Review
Final Performance Task
Post Test / Unit Name or Theme
Enduring Understandings and
Performance Indicators / Identify classes of controlled substances.
Identify classes of other toxins.
Describe mode of action of toxins in the human body.
Use scientific method to identify unknown substances.
a. Perform Thin Layer Chromatography.
b. Observe Chemical reactions.
List historical milestones. / Describe and demonstrate 12 handwriting exemplars.
Describe technology used in handwriting analysis.
Analyze handwriting.
List historical milestones. / Distinguish cause, manner, mechanism of death.
Use evidence to calculate time of death. (review of cell structure, digestive system, insect development)
Environmental factors that affect estimated time of death.
List historical milestones. / Examine and describe different types of soil and sand.
Describe cases where geologic evidence has linked suspects to crime scenes.
Distinguish between gender, age, race based on bone structure.
Describe mDNA as a means of bone identification.
Describe how bones contain record of injury and disease.
List historical milestones. / What are the scientific fields that cooperate within Forensic Science?
What are the techniques employed by various branches of Forensic Science? / Enduring Understandings and
Performance Indicators
Essential
Questions / How is integrity of data preserved?
What skills and instruments are used for scientific data collection and analysis?
How do multiple types of data supplement each other?
How is data presented in order to effectively communicate the solution to a problem?
What is the breadth of knowledge required for a career in science? / How do new scientific technologies fit into the scope of Forensic Science? / Essential
Questions
Assessment Strategies
Formative & Summative / journal / notebook
lab performance
chapter quiz / journal / notebook
lab performance
chapter quiz / journal / notebook
lab performance
chapter quiz / journal / notebook
lab performance
quiz each chapter / Essay
Objective Post Test / Assessment Strategies
Formative & Summative
Instructional Strategies
(including reading & writing prompts) / vocabulary flashcards
outline notes
case studies (journal) reading with annotation
videos with journal reflection
worksheets for practice and reinforcement
lab activities – Identification of Unknown Substances I and II / vocabulary flashcards
outline notes
case studies (journal) reading with annotation
videos with journal reflection
worksheets for practice and reinforcement
lab activitiy – Handwriting Analysis / vocabulary flashcards
outline notes
case studies (journal) reading with annotation
videos with journal reflection
worksheets for practice and reinforcement / vocabulary flashcards
outline notes
case studies (journal) reading with annotation
videos with journal reflection
measure bone models and calculate height
macro and microscopic soil analysis
worksheets for practice and reinforcement / Essay: Does eDNA analysis qualify as Forensics?
Flashcards for cumulative review of objective information / Instructional Strategies
(including reading & writing prompts)
Primary Sources / textbook
journal
power points
internet with projector
worksheets
lab room
lab sheets
lab kits / textbook
journal
power points
internet with projector
worksheets
lab sheets / textbook
journal
power points
internet with projector
worksheets
lab room
lab sheets
lab kits / textbook
journal
power points
internet with projector
worksheets
lab room
soil samples
microscopes, hand lenses, pH indicator
bones (models), rulers, calculators / newspaper article
planning page
textbook / journal
computer lab
flashcards
final exam / Primary Sources
Lackawanna City School District