Walmsley FS 15
Welcome to Forensic ScienceForensic science is the application of scientific disciplines to law. You will finally apply the science you have been learning over the last several years in a unique and enjoyable way. Aspects of chemistry, physics, biology and physiology, to name a few, will be included in the course. As an applied science, this course will be lab-based. The projects you do in lab and the assignments given will constitute the major part of your grade. Although the work is not difficult, there is a lot of it and it must be done on time. This course should prove to be fascinating, thought provoking, and have a gross-factor that will keep you entertained!
Forensic science meets 4 times per week for 55 minutes with an additional lab period of 25 minutes once a week. Lab periods for class blocks 1-3 run from 9:57-11:18am. Labs for blocks 4-6 run from 11:18-12:39pm.
Keep this document so you can refer to it in the future.
STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES:· TARDINESS TO CLASS –Refer to your student handbook at the LHS website.
· Food is NOT allowed in class. Water bottles must be capped and held in backpacks or purses. No food is allowed at lab tables. Those are the dissecting tables! Clean-up with H2Orange is mandatory.
· Cell phones, iPads and other devices will be confiscated as necessary. Intelligence and logic prevails here. Use of electronics during lectures and labs is accepted if OK’d by the teacher. Any student who uses a cell phone during a class lecture or a special presentation will have their phone confiscated. Ask first or you will lose it.
· Materials you will find helpful:
a. Printing capabilities at home or in the library. You will be responsible for printing out materials homework projects on your own. No printing is allowed in this classroom.
b. A 3 ring binder to store notes and assignments. I give you lots of handouts!
c. Several fine line black pens. Black ink gives your project or paper a more professional air
and it is best for legal documents. Assignments not submitted in black ink (unless directed
otherwise) will earn a zero.
· Grades will be based on the following:
a. Homework assignments and Choice Assignments (must be typed unless otherwise directed).
b. Unit projects composed of lab activities. Worth more points than home works or tests.
c. Assessments: Quizzes and tests.
d. The final assessment consists of a crime scene project. There is NO midterm.
e. As such, your final grade calculation will be based 22.5% for each marking period and
10% for the final grade.
Due dates for assignments:
a. Assignments late by one day will be penalized 20% of the total grade. Later assignments will lose and additional 10% per day. Assignments handed in after peer assignments have handed back will be graded but no points will be awarded. Choice Assignments must be on time to earn credit. Some projects require a longer grading time. In those cases, I will post in Genesis if you have submitted the project.
b. Unless otherwise noted, assignments are NOT accepted by e-mail.
c. If you are in school on the day the assignment is due, but miss class, you must hand it to
me during the day or after school in S11.
d. If you are absent, you must hand in the assignment the next day. I will not remind you. Students
who have been absent for one or two days are expected to make up work/tests within two class
days of returning to school. If the absence is three days or longer, the missed work must be made
up within five class days after the student returns to school
e. I WILL help any student who is finding it difficult to hand in an assignment. You must
contact me before the assignment due date.
· Grading Scale:
A / 93%A- / 90
B+ / 87
B / 83
B- / 80
C+ / 77
C / 73%
C- / 70
D+ / 67
D / 63
D- / 60
E / < 60
The grading scale is strict with no negotiation. You must earn your grade. Since all assignments are graded on a point scale, you should know your grade at all times.
Words of Wisdom: The homework, written assignments and lab activities will be graded on content, effort and overall presentation. Get into the habit of doing more than the minimum on all assignments! Ask for help before it is too late! Be prepared with questions to ask in class or e-mail them to my Internet address.
· Academic Honesty—Honesty is a requirement at Livingston High School. As such, you will be required to earn your own grade in this class. Plagiarism is not tolerated. Many assignments are done with a partner. Most projects must be typed. You and your partner may hand in the same data but you may not hand in the same answers to short questions. All answers must be in your own words. A single sentence that is identical to your partner’s will constitute copying. You, and your partner, will receive a zero for the assignment. I have had students in the past who have dropped an entire letter grade due to cheating. Consider that before you give someone else your work.
· Cheating is defined as:
ü Use of notes, books, notebooks, I-pads or cell phones during a test or quiz.
ü Speaking with anyone other than the teacher during a test/quiz.
ü Copying or stealing homework, labs or any other assignments. If you work with someone, put your answers into your own words. If you are foolish enough to let someone borrow your materials, check to make sure they did not copy your answers directly. I have had at least one episode of misconduct per year—don’t be this year’s example.
· Class Conduct: Students are expected to show respect for other students, teachers and substitutes. This must be a safe learning environment in which students can express opinions and ask questions without concern. Any misbehavior on the part of any student will be strictly dealt with according to the circumstance. Students who display unacceptable conduct during labs will be removed from the class and points will be deducted from their lab.
· If you need help: My office is in S11!!!
a. Some of the projects and activities can be a bit difficult for students. Be proactive and do
the project well in advance of the due date. If you have questions, e-mail me and I will set
up a time to work with you. If you wait until the last minute, I cannot guarantee that I will be
available.
b. Questions can be sent via e-mail to:
· Class Information, due dates, activities and Calendar:
Go to: http://www.livingston.org à Teacher Pages à Walmsley, Mary à Forensic
ScienceàQuick Topic Site: http://www.quicktopic.com/51/H/dYVdFpdWQVbg
COURSE CONTENTS: (Subject to Change)1
The following are some of the questions you should be able to answer in each unit:
Unit I – Introduction to Forensic Science
What does a forensic scientist do? Is CSI TV realistic?
What is the best kind of evidence?
Unit II – Forensic Entomology
How can you use insects to determine the time of death?
How do bodies decompose?
Unit III – Print Analysis
What do my own fingerprints look like?
Do identical twins have identical fingerprints?
How do you use one of those twirly brushes?
Unit IV – DNA
How do you make a DNA fingerprint? What are STR’s?
Can you convict a defendant if the DNA evidence is negative?
Unit V – Blood Spatters The OJ Simpson Case
Unit VI – Trace Evidence
What does my hair look like under a microscope?
Does animal hair look the same as human hair?
Is hair evidence good evidence? How do you
identify different fibers?
Unit VII – Document Analysis
What is the difference between hand writing
analysis (graphology) and document analysis?
Is document analysis a science or an art?
Unit VIII – The Crime Scene
How do you process a crime scene?
Why did Amelia Donaghy (played by Angelina Jolie) put a dollar bill on the ground before
photographing evidence in the movie, “The Bone Collector?”
Unit IX – Case Studies/Crime Scene Project
Can we build our own crime scene? YES! This final project will be done in groups. You will
carefully build a crime scene and turn it over to another group for them to process and solve.
In turn, you will process and solve their crime. May the best forensic team earn the best grade!
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