End of Course Survey

Please take the time here in the last two weeks of school to complete the end of course survey. The survey will take 5-10 minutes and can be accessed by clicking the link below:

END OF COURSE SURVEY

Pig Studies Data & Picture Links

Please use the following links to complete the data forms so we can have a complete set of school wide data for our decomposition studies:

1. Data Entry Link

2. Picture Uploads (make sure the "day" & location of pig are included in your picture name so we can arrange them accordingly)

Vote Sparta Boy's Track Team as Mlive Team of the Week

Grand Rapids Team of the Week Poll: Vote here, vote now, vote often - http://t.co/BYLt3Qi0nT http://t.co/KWd3b5jEqr
— Matthew Landry (@mrlandryshs) May 5, 2014

Here's the link to vote. You can vote once per hour up until Friday. Go Spartans!

http://highschoolsports.mlive.com/news/article/-365806746464340984/grand-rapids-team-of-the-week-poll-vote-here-vote-now-vote-often/

April 25, 2014 Daily Opener

Please click the following link to view the video for today's opener. Once you are done watching the video, come back and answer the questions on a piece of scrap paper prior to sharing them together as a class:
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/tlc/29325-understanding-using-genes-to-help-solve-crimes-video.htm


Also, if you are having difficulty remembering how to turn in your case reports using Google Drive and the assignment folders that I setup for you, then watch the two minute video at the end of this entry to refresh your memories:



1. When did DNA start to be an important tool in forensics?

2. What type of evidence does the FBI consider its most powerful tool?

3. What program is used to match DNA samples to possible contributors?

4. What is it called when the program makes a match?

Lesson Plans for April 21, 2014

I hope you all have a great start to your week and I look forward to seeing you later this week.Today is the last day that you will have to work on the CSI online case 3 case report. In case you don't remember the instructions for this, they can be found below. Please make sure you again complete the CSI Online daily feedback form individually. Your case reports are due in your Google assignment folders by Friday April 25.

Please take the time to complete the following survey at the end of each class period so I can keep track of your thoughts - CSI ONLINE DAILY FEEDBACK FORM (the survey will take 3-5 minutes per day and should be completed individually, not as a pair and this will be how you earn your participation points for the class period):

VIDEO EXPLAINING THE LESSON (only watch on if you missed class the day that we watched this) All other instructions and links are below the video:


Go to the site listed at the bottom of this entry. Please read all of these directions before preceding.

Today you will be working in PAIRS (not threes or fours) with a website that has you work with various characters from the TV show CSI. I suggest that you setup a username in the upper right hand corner of the site so you can save your work as you'll be using this site again tomorrow. If you don't setup a username, you will not be able to save your work and continue from the same spot at a later time. You will be completing various cases throughout the semester on this site.

You will be working through Case 3: Burning Star. As you complete this case, follow the directions given to you by the characters and take notes on all of your evidence collected and test results. When finished with the case, you will be completing a case report for this case. Please click the following link for a template of the case report: CASE REPORT TEMPLATE (you will need to make a copy of this google doc or download it in order to use it). The parts of the case report are as follows:

PURPOSE:  Explain the purpose of the investigation.  This should include any relevant backstory for the crime collected by the detectives (give the details of the eye witness testimony)

EVIDENCE RECEIVED:  List the pieces of evidence that were found at the scene of the crime, preferably in a table. Do NOT provide results of lab tests in this section.

CLAIM: Based upon analysis of the evidence, who committed the crime and briefly explain why this is the hypothesis.

EXAMINATION AND RESULTS:  provide a detailed description of the results of the examination of the evidence found at the scene of the crime. Tables and/or graphs are recommended when applicable.

INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION:  Explain how each piece of evidence links the suspect to the crime scene and how it can be used to either prove the guilt of the suspect or exonerate other potential suspects.  Essentially, how did the data help lead to the claim made above?

Here's the link to the website: http://forensics.rice.edu/

Link to the CSI Experience website

Link to the Case Report Template

Link to the Online Feedback Form

Link to CSI experience explanation blog entry from October

Grades are Updated & Test Tuesday

I just updated grades and MANY of you are missing assignments, especially the fingerprint matching activities. Please get these turned in ASAP (yes, I'm yelling at you :))

Remember, the test on fingerprinting is Tuesday in class (C Day). Please get all of your questions addressed prior to Tuesday as I will not be at school Tuesday. We will review the next time Fri or Mon depending on which day I see you next. Remember, you have access to ALL class materials through your Google folders.

Additionally, you should be getting started on your fingerprint projects. You hopefully have many of your lifted prints at this point and should be getting started on organizing these into either your tabbed flipbook, tabbed binder, or digital presentation (remember, no powerpoints and user beware because you will be putting your prints online for others to access if you go with this style). The final due date for the project is Wednesday March 26 (C Day). If you can't find your project explanation, then please don't ask me for a new one. Instead, get it from your Google folders.

Reichs visit

@BrendanReichs & @KathyReichs coming to @SpartaHS Monday 1:00pm and today @SchulerBooks on 28th St. @ 4:00 #exposure #virals #Incredible
— Matthew Landry (@mrlandryshs) March 9, 2014

Kathy Reich's Visiting Sparta High School

Sparta High School and Schuler Books are excited to announce that Kathy Reichs, forensic anthropologist, best-selling author of the Temperance Brennan series, and producer of the FOX television show “Bones”, will be speaking at Sparta High School on March 10, 2014. Her son Brendan, co-author of the Virals series, will be joining her.  The presentation will take place in the auditorium beginning at 1:00 pm, and all current forensic science, creative writing, anatomy/physiology, and AP biology students are invited to attend. In order for your student to be able to attend, a pre-arranged absence form must be completed to excuse your child from the last 20 minutes of their 4^th block class as well as their 5^th block class. Students who attend the event are expected to make up any class material that they miss on their own time and to communicate with the teachers whose classes they will miss about make-up materials. If the attached form is not completed, then the student will be expected to attend their normal 4^th & 5^th block classes on March 10.

Kathy and Brendan are currently on a book tour for their 4^th release in the young adult book series Virals, titled Exposure (a summary of this book is included below). Therefore, this is a publicity tour for this book and copies of it will be available for purchase the day of the presentation (priced at $17.99 for the hardcover book through Schuler Books). In addition to talking about their book, Kathy will discuss her experiences as a forensic anthropologist, author and creator of the character Temperance Brennan, and producer of the FOX TV show “Bones”. Upon the conclusion of their presentation, the Reichs will be available to sign copies of their books and address any questions that audience members may have.

There is limited seating available for the public on a first come, first serve basis. If you are interested in attending please sign in at the office before making your way to the auditorium. The Reichs will also be presenting at Schuler Books at their 28^th Street location on Sunday, March 9, 2014 at 4:00pm. More information is available on the Schuler’s Books website. More information about Kathy & Brendan Reichs can be found at www.kathyreichs.com

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the high school office or Mr. Landry (matt.landry@spartaschools.org).

Book jacket excerpt from “Exposure”:

When twin classmates are abducted from Bolton Prep, Tory and the Virals decide there's no one better than them to investigate. The gang, however, has other problems to face. Their powers are growing more wild and are becoming harder to control. Chance Claybourne is investigating the disastrous medical experiment that twisted their DNA. The bonds that unite them are weakening, threatening the future of the pack itself.

The Virals must decipher the clues and track down a ruthless criminal before he strikes again, all while protecting their secret from prying eyes. EVERYONE seems to be watching! 

Video explaining Fingerprinting Activities for 1st & 5th Periods 2-25-14

Here's a brief explanation of today's activities

 

If this video doesn't load properly, try this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DGC4qbuemk&feature=youtu.be

 

If it still doesn't load, do the best you can :)

Autopsy Week

Autopsy week has arrived in forensic science class. Please dress appropriately for class this week.

Lesson Plans for 2-7-14

Good morning everyone. I suspect that you all will have a good day in class today as I am in Lansing trying to learn how to be a better coach. All of your assignments today will be accessible through the Google Drive folders that I shared with you all this week. Here's your tasks:

 

1. Get into your Google Drive account and look in the "Forensic Science - Edit" folder. There you should find a "Good Things" document for your class. Click on the document, share a good thing, and provide positive comments for others. Please don't spend any more than 5 minutes on this activity.

 

 

2. Now look in your "Forensic Science - View" folder and you should find a file called "Fingerprint Basics Online". Open this document, then click "File........Make a Copy" and that will create a worksheet that you can type in. Now follow the directions on the document to complete the assignment. When you are finished, make sure you move your assignment into your personal assignment folder (the one that starts with your name and then says "assignment folder"). All of the activities that you will be working through are linked to the site that is on the top of the fingerprint basics online document.

 

That's it! If the written directions above are not a good enough explanation for you, then watch this video and it will walk you through the process. Have a great weekend!

 

 

 

Welcome to Second Semester

I'd like to welcome you all to Forensic Science "B" at Sparta High School (yes, its several days late but be nice :). At this point you all hopefully are comfortable with the classroom and expectations, even with the three consecutive snow days this week. I have several requests below that will help to better facilitate the communication and learning in our class.

1. Please click this link and complete the brief survey on Google apps (only students should complete this survey). In order for this to work for us, EVERY student needs to do this by the end of the upcoming weekend (no later than Feb. 2) and this will count as a graded assignment.

2. I notice that nearly half of each class did not subscribe to the text alerts thing I showed you in class. This is a requirement for the class, not a choice. I will be doing this as a grade as well. If you are not signed up for this, please follow the directions below for your respective class. You can also subscribe by email and those directions are included as well. If you subscribed to this first semester, you will need to complete this again as I cleared out last semester's classes.

Parents - I invite you to join the texting group as well to keep up to date on what is going on in class. I will use this texting service to send reminders about assignments, projects, tests, etc. If you subscribed to this first semester, you will need to complete this again as I cleared out last semester's classes.

Remind101 is a one way text messaging system that allows for me to text reminders to people. All students in Mr. Landry's classes need to subscribe to this if they have texting abilities and parents are welcome to join as well.

If you are interested in getting these text reminders, then please follow the directions that proceed. This is a free service, but your normal message and data cell carrier fees may apply. You can also join this service through email and those directions follow as well. If you are not interested in this, then I thank you for your time and hope you enjoy the remainder of your day.

To join, you will be sending a text to the following number: 1-810-250-4060. You will then enter a message based upon the class you or your student is in -
1st period forensic science - text "@1stfs" and hit send
2nd period forensic science - text "@2ndfs" and hit send
5th period forensic science - text "@5thfs" and hit send
6th period forensic science - text "@6thfsci" and hit send

To subscribe through email, use the above text line without the @ sign as the email address to _________@mail.remind101.com      For example, if I want to subscribe to 6th period forensic science, I'll send an email to 6thfs@mail.remind101.com

3. Like the Facebook Page for our class to get up to date info on class matters and forensic science news. You can also follow me on Twitter where I will tweet blog updates and retweet forensic science news (@mrlandryshs)

4. Your parent letters should be signed and returned the next time that we meet.

Enjoy your day off and I look forward to seeing you all soon.

Final Exam & End of Course Survey

Just a quick reminder that this is exam week. The final exam for the class has two parts - the multiple choice portion and the canine caper case report. Each part is worth 50 points. Many of you have not turned in your case reports which means the highest you can earn on the exam is a 50%. Please get these to me ASAP as I'm in the process of grading them. Also, please take the time to provide some feedback by completing the survey on the next blog entry. Thank you.

End of Semester Survey

Please take the time to complete the following survey regarding your first semester experiences by the end of exam week. Thanks.