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School Year 2019-20
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Prof. Fee: $0
Homework: yes
Hours/Week: 1
Max/Min Students: 12/6
Grade Range: 6-9
Turn your students into super sleuths as they learn scientific principles and techniques from critical thinking and physical science. Students will be solving crimes like vandalism, theft, forgery, murder, to name a few, by observing carefully, thinking critically, performing lab tests and documenting results to try to meet the burden of evidence.
The CSI course is divided into four sections, each one covering a different branch of science. We cover the Critical Thinking and Physical Science in Fall. Section One, "Critical-Thinking Lessons," will reinforce skills of observation, experimentation, and logical thinking. Section Two, "Physical Science Lessons," employs techniques such as analysis of tools, unknown mixtures, blood stains, and fingerprints.
Spring semester course then continues the study with sections 3-4: Life and Earth Science. Section Three, "Life Science Lessons," concentrates on evidence left at crime scenes by living things, and teaches principles of inheritance, DNA analysis, skeletal structure, and characteristics of hair and skin. Section Four, "Earth Science, Archaeology, and Anthropology Lessons," shows how reconstruction of past events and knowledge of the soil's composition can influence the outcome of a criminal investigation. We will work through as many of these lessons as we can in the time allowed so that we can get a complete grasp on the various sciences involved in being a crime scene investigator.
Within each section we will cover several lessons, each of which will be composed of a lecture and a related lab. The lectures will provide information that explains the history and current uses of the topic taught in that lesson, and a true or realistic scenario explaining how science is pivotal in solving the mystery. Our labs will relate to the lecture and will give us the opportunity to work hands-on in solving our crime scene mystery.
For this class there will be periodic homework assignments to complete and prepare for the next week's lab. Each student may be asked to bring in some simple, on-hand supplies for future labs.
CSI is a serious, but fun, hands-on application of learned science, but those who are just beginning their science studies are also welcome.
Teacher Provides: Experiment/Lab supplies, Text
Students Provide: Inquisitive minds, folder for handouts, lined paper for notes, pencil, ruler.
Prerequisites: none
** This ID is assigned to classes not on the current class schedule. The codes and descriptions are available then to revive to offer again. **
Details:Class meets on Monday from 7:30 PM to 8:25 PM