Forensics Syllabus

Return to The Crime Lab

Intro Evidence Crime Scene Fingerprints Death/Decay Ballistics
Injuries Blood Trace Ev. DNA Forens. Anth. Careers
Final Project/Crime Scene Final Exam

NOTE: Due to the different schedules for each semester, as well as the chimerical nature of the school year (snow days, early dismissals, etc.), the syllabus is divided into days, rather than weeks.  Some of the timing of each of the units may also shift somewhat.  Lab dates not only vary from class to class, but many lessons include a lab component, and many labs will extend over more than one period.  This syllabus is a work in progress; as such, any attempt to squeeze the syllabus below into the traditional lab schedule will be futile at best . . . Yes, resistance is futile . . .

Day # Unit Topic Activity Readings
1 Introduction Importance of Forensics Visual Cognition Videos Chapter 1 & Handout (FS #1)
2 History and Exchange Principle Silent Transfer
3 Evidence Types of Evidence, and where to look & use of a microscope   Chapter 3 & Handout (FS #10) and How to Use a Microscope Site
4 Directional Terms Applying the Terms
5 Body regions and abdominal quadrants Dead T-shirt contest
6 Court Case Proceedings Case Studies
7 Test (Introduction & Evidence) Test
8 Possible Crime Lab Field Trip Field Trip
9 The Crime Scene Isolation and Contamination Ease of contamination Chapter 2 & Handout (FS #10)
10 Discussion of Collecting and Processing  
11 Processing a crime scene Crime Scene / First Glance
12 Discussion of crime scene reconstruction  
13 Crime scene reconstruction Crime Scene / Sketching
14 Bringing it all together: Where does the evidence take you? Case Studies
15 Fingerprints Classification of Fingerprints/ AFIS Sample slides / Microscopy Chapter 14 & Handout (FS #17)
16 Making a set of prints Booking suspects
17 Students classify their own prints Analysis of characteristics of one's own prints
18 Nature of, and detection of, prints Practice Dusting
19 Detection of prints: dusting & lifting Crime Scene / Dusting
20 Detection of prints: Ninhydrin Crime Scene / Ninhydrin
21 Detection of prints: Super Glue Crime Scene / Super Glue
22 Test (Crime Scene & Fingerprints) Test
23 Death & Decomposition Nature of Decay / Time of Death Forensic / Entomology Start Enzymatic and bacterial decay with cubes of beef Handouts (S #3, FS #9)
24 Comparative Analysis Analyze samples: visual, mass, texture, odor
25 Definition of Death Discussion   Handouts (S #8, FS #4)
26 Need for and Nature of Autopsy Case Studies
27 Causes of death: Anatomy  
28 Causes of death: Implications of Anatomy Case Studies
29 Test (Death & Decomposition) Test
30 Ballistics Types of guns and bullets The Cartridge Family Chapter 15 & Handout (S #6, FS #20)
31 Importance of serial numbers / IBIS  
32 Explanation of tool marks Examine ballistic evidence using samples & flash animation (Microscopy)
33 Explanation of trajectories  
34 Trajectory Analysis Crime Scene / Trajectory Analysis
35 Ballistics gel / powder burns
Possible gun range field trip		 Field trip
36 Test (Ballistics) Test
37 Injuries Types of Injuries   Handout (FS #4)
38 Antemortem and postmortem Dead T-shirt, part deux
39 Blood Nature of different blood stains / start spatter   Chapter 12 & Handout (FS #11, FS #15)
40 Continue blood spatter patterns  
41 Blood spatter reconstruction Crime Scene / blood spatter
42 Components of blood Blood slides / Microscopy Handout (FS #13)
43 Latent stains / Luminol Crime Scene / Luminol
44 Toxicology of blood Case Studies (poisons, etc.)
45 Genetics and blood type  
46 Blood type lab Crime Scene / blood type
47 Test (Injuries & Blood) Test
48 Possible morgue field trip Field Trip
49 Trace Evidence Anatomy of hair (humans & other mammals) Practice known samples Chapter 8 & Handout (FS #16)
50 Hair analysis Crime Scene / Unknown hair samples / Microscopy
51 Types of fibers Practice known samples
52 Fiber analysis Crime Scene / Unknown fiber samples / Microscopy
53 The nature of tool marks  
54 Tool mark analysis Crime Scene / Comparison of tool marks
55 Test (Trace Evidence) Test
56 DNA

 

 DNA Structure, Replication and Markers   Chapter 13 & Handout (FS #15)
57 DNA Collection, Extraction, & Amplification - I  
58 DNA Collection, Extraction, & Amplification - II PCR Lab
59 Gel Electrophoresis / DNA Fingerprinting Gel Electrophoresis Lab
60 Analysis of Student Gels / DNA Crime Scene Lab Crime Scene / DNA
61 DNA Analysis (Fingerprinting) DNA Comparison
62 Test (DNA) Test
63 Forensic Anthropology

 The use of skeletons in forensics   Handout (FS #7)
64 Skeleton Exploration Finding all 206 bones
65 Left and Right - I Identify types of bones and placement on a skeleton
66 Left and Right - II Continued from above, & practicum
67 Identification of gender, age, and race from remains - I  
68 Identification of gender, age, and race from remains - II Crime Scene / Identify the gender, age, and race of a victim (including L & R)
69 Forensic Odontology - I   Handout (FS #6)
70 Forensic Odontology - II Crime Scene / Bite mark analysis
71 Test (Forensic Anthropology) Test
72 Careers Other areas of forensic science   Chapter 18  & Handout
73 Possible career paths  
74 Final Project Final Crime Scene - Evidence Collection Crime Scene / Final Project None
75 Crime Scene Reconstruction "
76 Interpretation of Evidence "
77 Analysis of the crime based on the evidence "
78 Final Exam Court Case based on the Final Crime Scene
     1/2 the Students will act as the Prosecution.
     1/2 the Students will act as the Defense.
     A Jury of Teachers will decide whether the defendant is Guilty or Not Guilty.
Exam Week

Spring Semester
&
Senior Internships

 (1) In the SPRING Semester, the Court Case/Final Exam will occur BEFORE the start of the Internships, and ALL Students will be involved.
(2) After the Senior Interns leave, during the last weeks all remaining students will work together in the creation (Writing, Acting, Directing, Filming, Editing, etc.) of the class' own CSI: Staples.

Go to the Forensics Philosophy     Go to the Forensics Outcomes