Reminder - Cookie Exchange Friday

Just a reminder that we will be doing a cookie exchange/trade in class on Friday, December 16. Bring some cookies to class with you and try to negotiate a trade with classmates for others. Maybe we can even get Mrs. Claus to provide us with some of her special recipe cookies? More details to come on Friday.

When we return from break on Jan. 3, we will review the test & labs on serology and do a short lab and unit on toxicology that will take several days. We will then move into the crime scene portions of the final exam. We will end the semester by looking at impression evidence, such as shoeprints, tiremarks, & ballistic evidence if time permits.

New feature added to blog

You can now find a video reel with a link to my channel on Youtube. Included in the videos are student made videos from labs that we have done in class. Enjoy.

Lesson for Nov. 17, 2011

Please check out the following video for today's lesson. If the video doesn't play properly, please click here.

Answer Key for the Practice Test / Review

To those of you who check this today, congrats. Here's your bonus - a copy of the answer key to today's assignment. Be ready for the test.

Finishing with Chromatography and Moving into Hair, Fibers, & Paint

We've officially ended our mini unit on chromatography. Your case reports on the "Sealed with a Kiss" letter are due by the end of the school day on Tuesday Nov. 1. Make sure to include the data from the chromatogaphs you ran, an analysis that includes which suspect you believe is guilty, and a conclusion that shows the limitations of our experiments.

Next we are moving into hair, fiber, and nails. Here is the tentative schedule for the unit:

Monday Oct. 31:
* unit pretest
* introduce general structure of hair and features to look for (powerpoint on wiki soon)
* analyze own hair and look at difference between shed and force pulled hairs

Tuesday Nov. 1 (Mr. Landry absent):
* CSI
* time for working on case report from chromatography unit (due today)

Wednesday Nov. 2
* Hair identification lab (finish analyzing own hair and compare to various mammal hair samples)
* Forensic use of hair
* Using hair to identify race

Thursday Nov. 3
* Forensic science uses of hair
* Analyzing other body hairs
* Hair wrapup

Friday Nov. 4
* Begin basics of fibers
* intro analysis of fibers lab

Monday Nov. 7
* Continue analysis of fibers lab

Tuesday Nov. 8
* Wrapup analysis of fibers
* paint analysis

Wednesday Nov. 9
* Catchup day
* Test review

Thursday Nov. 10
* Test

Parent/Teacher Conferences tonight from 5:00-7:30pm

Just a friendly reminder about P/T conferences tonight from 5-7:30. Extra credit will be rewarded to those whose parents attend. Hope to see you there.

Unit 3 - sand, soil, & glass analysis is in full swing & dollhouse crime scene project assigned

Here's the schedule for the unit:

Monday 10-10:

• Begin Soil Notes Day One (see wiki)
• Soil Lab Day One (see wiki)

Tuesday 10-11:

• Unit 2 test (results are in PowerSchool)
• Assign dollhouse crime scenes project (see wiki for requirements or click here)
• Groups of no less than two people and no more than three
• DUE DATE IS OCTOBER 24, 2011 - BRING TO CLASS WITH YOU & BE READY TO PRESENT.
• see the wiki for examples
• Click this link for an example that was featured on the show CSI

Wednesday 10-12:

• Analyze crime scene soil sample from soil lab day one
• Finish sand/soil notes
• Soil lab day 2 - staple to soil lab day one (see wiki)

Thursday 10-13:

• Analyze crime scene soil sample from soil lab day two
• Soil review
• Begin glass & fracture analysis notes (see wiki)

Friday 10-14:

• HOMECOMING ACTIVITIES - no normal class (wear your graduating class shirts - see homecoming blog for more info)

The rest of next week's schedule will be posted soon. Enjoy the remainder of Homecoming Week.

Test Moved & Revised Schedule for week

The unit 2 test has been rescheduled for Tuesday, 10-11-11.  All materials for the test are in the unit 2 folder on the wiki. Also, our decomposition / entomology studies are due on Friday at the end of the block.

Here's the revised schedule for the remainder of the unit:

• Tuesday: processing a crime scene steps 1-3 (PowerPoint on wiki) / practice sketches & photography
• Wednesday: table top crime scenes / recording the crime scene (bring props)
• Thursday: processing a crime scene steps 4-7 / rules of evidence (see PowerPoints on wiki)
• Friday: Finish rules of evidence & Unit two review (Lab Notebooks due)
• Monday: Begin Soil Unit
• Tuesday: Unit Two Test

Lesson Plans for Oct. 3 & schedule for the week (TEST FRI. OCT 7)

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Here's a couple of housekeeping items before setting the plan for today and the week:

1. Pig studies photos: I see several people uploaded pics but I was hoping for many more. We only seem to have one complete set from day one through day twelve (thanks Monica, but I'd like to talk to you about these later today). If you have pics, please upload them to the wiki (http://learn.spartaschools.org/landry) and put them into the forensic science pictures folder. Please make sure you label the date and the location of the pig that you took pics from.
2. Hair samples: Just a reminder that I am seeking hair samples from various organisms for extra credit. Please place each sample into its own baggie (or make an evidence envelope) and label it with your name and the creature it came from. Please take care to ensure that the hair is only from that individual. Deer & small game hunters - I really need your help with this since I don't hunt myself.
3. Toys and Props: Just a reminder about needing toys and props for the mock crime scenes that we will be setting up Tuesday or Wednesday
4. Grades: All grades are updated and in Powerschool. If you have questions, see me at lunch or afterschool in Mrs. Rumsey's room.

Schedule for today:

• Good things - this should be led by a previous leader in the class.
• Lab notebook worktime (click here or see wiki for handout)
• Video - CSI (click here for episode)
• complete provided worksheet on evidence as you watch (click here for worksheet)

Schedule for the week:
Monday - see above
Tuesday - processing a crime scene & crime scene reconstruction (powerpoint on wiki)
Wednesday - finish Tuesday's work & rules of evidence (powerpoint on wiki)
Thursday - Test review & doll house crime scene project assigned (samples will be posted on wiki soon)
Friday - Unit Two Test (review powerpoint posted on wiki)

Here's to a great Monday and a great week. Just a reminder that homecoming activities start this week so save your pennies, collect your canned goods, and be ready to wear your class colors on Friday.

Pig Studies Update and files on wiki

All files for unit 2 are now on the wiki. If you do not have Microsoft Office, please look at the last two files in the Unit 2 folder and there you will find links to all the unit files in google docs (can be accessed by any computer with an Internet connection.

Here's a video update on the pig studies. Both of these videos were taken at about 1:15pm on Monday 9/26/2011

Pig at the bottom of the hill:


Pig on the hill:

Unit One is in the Books!

We are officially finished with unit one. Your test scores and bone lab grades are done and they will be in Powerschool by the end of the school day on Friday. Your test score averages were great!

Friday we will begin our unit on crime scene reconstruction and law (Miranda rights, chain of evidence, etc.). The powerpoint notes for unit two are posted at the wiki and I will convert them to google docs by the beginning of next week (look for these on the wiki as well in a document called "Unit Two Google Docs". You will be able to load these on any computer (no Microsoft Office needed). We will also continue our fetal pig entomology studies, and I am seeking students who will come in over the weekend to document progress, both in pictures and notes. Yes, extra credit will be given for those who come in and do this. Let me know on Friday if you are interested.

Just a reminder that at the end of this unit I will be assigning the dollhouse crime scene project, so keep your eyes open for any materials you may have at home that could be used in your crime scene construction.

Here's to another great week!

Another great week in the books - TEST ON WED

Its been another great week. You all did a great job with the anthropology lab and it sounds like was learned quite a bit while viewing the autopsy video.

Next week we will begin our entomology & decomposition studies with the donated fetal pigs and our recently acquired frogs (click the following link to read more on one of the frogs: http://landrybiology.blogspot.com/2011/09/rip-stewart-schedule-for-week-of.html)

Remember we will be going outside rain or shine, warm or cold, so please dress accordingly. Tennis shoes are recommended and can be left in the classroom for the next two weeks if you desire.

Our first test will be on Wednesday, Sept. 21. I have uploaded a review ppt to wiki so you can print it off at your convenience. On Thursday we will begin our second unit on physical evidence and crime scene documentation. Click here for the review powerpoint

Have a good weekend.

Notes for the week are posted

The notes for the next week are now posted at the wiki. You will also find a unit one review powerpoint posted that will help in getting prepared for the first test in class sometime during the week of Sept. 19. I will post a schedule for the week soon.

Here's the plan for Monday (rem - student interest inventory due):
1. Review the first week (locard principle, basic services, definition of death, etc.)
2. Discuss the work of a pathologist
     A. Basics
     B. Types of death
     C. Autopsy overview
     D. Rigor Mortis (problem set)
     E. Livor Mortis
     F. Algor Mortis (problem set)

Also, if all goes as plans, we will be viewing an autopsy video on Wednesday. If you have not turned in your parent letter / syllabus signature sheet, then you will NOT be able to view the video.

Welcome to Forensic Science at Sparta High School

After ten long years, the class is finally a reality at Sparta High School. Congratulations on being part of the first group of students to go through the course. This blog will be used to keep both students and parents up to date on the happenings of this great class. I suggest you use the follow by email feature on the upper right side of the screen.

Many of the files used for this class will be available online through either Google docs or through the class wiki.
Here's the schedule for the first week of class:

Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2011

• Intro to class
• CSI on CBS vs. real CSI in-class activity
• Class syllabus (click here for link) & expectations (parent letter due 9-8-11 - file will be on the wiki)

Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011

• Circle map of self opener
• Finish syllabi & expectations
• Intro Locard's exchange principle (see ppt. on wiki)
• Deadly picnic - deductive reasoning activity (due 9-8-11) - (see wiki)

Thursday, Sept. 8, 2011

• Parent letter and rental fee due
• Locard's exchange principle activity
• World of forensic science overview (see ppt on wiki)
• Student interest inventory assigned (due Mon. 9-12-11) (will be on wiki soon)

Friday, Sept. 9, 2011

• Review Thursday
• CSI effect reading and reporting (see wiki)