Forensic Science Mrs. Morgan & Mrs. Wheeler Spring 2012Welcome to Forensic Science for 12th graders! Our study in this course will be a look into topicsrelating to the science of solving crimes. Your previously learned knowledge of Biology, Chemistryand Physics will be applied to topics such as evidence collection, fingerprinting, toxin and poisonanalysis, DNA fingerprinting, blood spatter analysis and much more. Two sections of the class willmeet everyday for 85 minutes. Each class will trade teachers every unit, allowing all students tobenefit from the team teaching approach. Below is an outline of all the relevant information youneed to be successful in this course.The Nature of the Class The class will include, but is not limited to, the following: Lecture, notes and teacher-led instruction Class and group discussions – discussions and participation are an integral part of this class. All students are expected to participate in class and group discussions. Group learning Multimedia learning and research Laboratory activities and reports Tests and quizzes Projects Final Crime Scene ProjectBooks The class will be using the textbook “Forensic Science for High School. Books need to be covered and are to be brought to class on a daily basis.Notebooks Every student must keep a notebook and bring it to class with you everyday. Your notebook should be a 3-ring binder with dividers for the different aspects of the class. This will be your independent record of class notes and activities. You will be given a lot of handouts that will need a home! In addition to your class notebook, each student will need a marble notebook for lab activities. This notebook will serve as a record for the experiments you do in class. The notebook must be kept in chronological order and will be graded every unit.Homework Homework will be assigned for every topic we cover in class. Homework will range from readings, questions, writing assignments and other similar activities. Most homework will be assigned by the chapter or unit. You will be notified of multiple assignments, along with their due dates, in advance. It is your responsibility to be sure homework is finished on time. Because all homework assignments are topic specific, they need to be completed by the
assigned due date. Homework needs to be handwritten on loose-leaf paper and turned in on the due date. Homework will not be accepted late!Vocabulary For every unit we cover, the textbook highlights important vocabulary words. Defining and knowing these terms will make understanding the unit much easier. Each unit will have a vocabulary quiz worth 50 points. Defining each of the words on the list and turning them in will earn you 5 points of extra credit. In addition, each chapter features one or more case studies of real crimes and their forensic analysis. These must be read and studied as there will be several questions about them on the vocabulary quiz.Labs Labs are an important part of the curriculum and are an excellent way to apply and use the knowledge you learn in class. There will be many lab activities you will participate in throughout the semester. For each lab activity, you will be adding information to your lab notebook and may be asked to complete a lab assignment. These assignments can range from answering questions to writing a formal analysis (a specific format will be discussed in class). On some occasions you will be asked to design your own experiments based on the knowledge learned in class. It is a goal of this class for you to increase your proficiency in independent investigation and analysis.Projects There will be several creative projects that will be completed during the course of the semester. These projects will draw upon your talent and training in many of the communication arts. The major project of the semester will be the processing of a crime scene and analysis of the evidence. Specific information, guidelines, and due dates will be given in class.Special Activities: The course will include several special activities to enhance your learning of forensic science. These activities include guest speakers, field trips and distance learning presentations.Grading Grades will be calculated using a point system. Each assignment will be given a point value. At the end of the marking period, the number of points earned by the student will be divided by the total number of points possible, in order to calculate the average. Students will know, prior to evaluation, the value of each assignment. Approximate point values are as follows: Tests 100 points Quizzes 30 – 60 points Lab Reports 50 – 100 points Projects/Presentations 30 – 100 points Homework 10 – 30 pointsLate Work All assignments should be turned in on time. With the exception of homework, late work will be accepted at the penalty of 10 percent of the grade per day.
Extra Help Extra help will be available during lunch/activity period and after school by appointment. Please see us if you would to schedule an appointment for extra help.