Curated OER
The Visible Spectroscopy Expert Witness Problem
In a simulated crime science investigation, chemistry or physics sleuths use spectroscopy to analyze solutions. The lesson gives learners practice making salicylate solutions, using spectrophotometers, calculating dilution amounts,...
Curated OER
Whodunnit?
Want to create an exciting mystery activity? Investigators will identify the elements of a mystery, review mystery stories, then write their own mysteries. They engage in forensic science experiments related to mysteries and learn to ask...
Curated OER
Hair
In this forensic science worksheet, students identify the different parts of the hair. They complete 18 short answer questions on how hair evidence is used in forensics.
Curated OER
Close Encounters
High schoolers investigate the cause of death of a fictitious school janitor. They develop hypotheses based on information discovered by examining the labels of household chemicals.
Curated OER
Measurable You!
Conduct guided experiments and discussions while collecting anthropometric measurements. Your class will explore impact of experimental errors in a scientific system, and explain their observations/findings in writing. An introduction to...
Curated OER
CSI, Second Grade Style
Second graders conduct a classroom investigation. In this investigative instructional activity, 2nd graders spend their time observing, measuring, and collecting data. They simulate a forensic science lab by conducting a fingerprint,...
Curated OER
Science: Entomology in Action
Students discover how coroners use insect life cycles to estimate the time of death in cases. they describe how forensic entomologists combine environmental factors with insect life cycles to note the changes. Students examine an...
University of Colorado
Patterns and Fingerprints
Human fingerprint patterns are the result of layers of skin growing at different paces, thus causing the layers to pull on each other forming ridges. Here, groups of learners see how patterns and fingerprints assist scientists in a...
Curated OER
Forensics: Who Killed the Iceman?
Students explore how archaeologist examine mummies. In this research based lesson, students work in groups to research two mummies and report their findings to the class through role-playing and using a model of the mummy.
Curated OER
AP: Chapter 20: DNA Technology
This nine-page biotechnology resource contains six pages of questions regarding DNA technology. Questions cover cloning, restriction enzymes, the polymerase chain reaction, different techniques, the human genome project, and more. The...
Kenan Fellows
Unit 3: How Drugs Enter/Exit the Body
The third of a four-part series on Pharmacology teaches scholars how drugs enter and exit the body, how they act inside the body, how they affect the brain, and more. Over the course of the unit, groups complete two labs and one...
Kenan Fellows
Unit 2: Chemistry Review
What exactly goes into the medications people take every day? Scholars learn about the chemistry of medications in the second of a four-part series on Pharmacology. Over the course of two weeks, class members complete seven experiments,...
Curated OER
Science Lessons that Create the Right Chemistry!
Mix it up in your classroom with some chemistry investigations!
Curated OER
Food Forensics: A Case of Mistaken Identity
Ninth graders explore the specific reaction between an antigen and the antibody that recognizes it. They carry out an exploratory experiment leading to the concept of specificity.
Curated OER
Dead Body Math
Learners solve the mystery of dead Mr. Potato Head using physics and algebra. They discuss Newton's Law of cooling as it applies to the mystery scenario involving a cooling baked potato as the "victim". They manipulate algebraic...
Curated OER
The Mysterious Tragedy at Lake Nyos
Young scholars present a convincing explanation of the Lake Nyos event and propose a solution to prevent future tragedies at central and western African lakes.
Curated OER
Soil Detectives: The Case of the Lost Friends
Students show how soil varies across the landscape, they explain how soil can be used to solve mysteries. Pupils are introduced to techniques that would be used to distinguish soils from different places.
Curated OER
Mystery of the Matching Marks
High schoolers view a Power Point and complete activities related to genetic evidence of human evolution. In this molecular evolution lesson, students view and discuss a provide presentation. They search for the "tell-tale telomere" and...
Curated OER
Biotech in a Bag
Students carry out a series of experiments using self-locking plastic baggies. Each experiment demonstrates a phenomenon or principle of biotechnology.
Curated OER
DNA-a Molecular Identity
Learners explore about what DNA is and several different DNA typing techniques. They examine three different situations where DNA typing was used to carry out justice. Students also identify and evaluate different uses of DNA typing...
Curated OER
Investigating the Uses of Backyard Bacteria
Students discover that the answers to some of society's waste and clean-up problems may be no further than the soil beneath their feet. They perform a Gram stain on the colonies to determine some of their characteristics.
Curated OER
Arsenic Contamination: Water Filtration
Students work in groups to design a filtration process that will separate clean water from polluted water. They organize data in tables or graphs and present their findings to the class. Students identify further safety protocols that...
Curated OER
What Is It?!
Working individually or in groups, 4th graders are presented with unusual or at least unfamiliar objects and are asked to speculate on what they are and/or how they are used. The intention is to get students to make careful observations...
Curated OER
JFK Analysis
Students examine a recent study of the JFK assassination. They review evidence provided by retired atmospheric chemist, Ken Rahn, and ballistics specialist and statistician, Larry Sturdivan, and determine whether or not they believe a...