SERVICE LEARNING

Through Forensic Science

BACKGROUND

The students at Pattonville High School are required to have 50 hours of community service for graduation. Some of those hours may be in service learning through the various classes. In Forensic Science, students have the opportunity to teach a lesson each semester at the district's elementary schools. The first semester, students use an integrated unit called TOP SECRET ADVENTURES by Highlights Magazine to teach 4th graders. Each adventure involves a treasure stolen from a specific country. Not only do the students develop skills in forensic science and critical thinking, but they learn about the culture of another country.

In the second semester, the high school students develop an original lesson plan based on prints. This time they work with 5th graders with each student taking home a completed set of their fingerprints.

Service learning is a wonderful way for students to show what they have learned in a practical application.

ELEMENTARY, DEAR WATSON, ELEMENTARY!

During the semester you will be teaching integrated forensic science unit at one of the elementary schools. The 5th grade student will solve a mystery involving a particular country. You and a partner will design the lesson, teach it and then assess what you have taught.

• Read and work through the mystery for your particular country.
• Decide how you would use this activity with two or three students
• Determine what you want you students to learn from doing this activity.
• Set the criterion for determining that the students actually learned what you thought they would

LESSON PLAN

• Objective; What is your overall goal?
• Lesson Outline: List what you will do in the order you will do it.
• Equipment and/or Supplies: List what you need and who will bring it.
• Assessment: How will you know what they have learned?

SCORING GUIDE

• Lesson Plan--clear, organized and appropriate to the grade level
• Interest in the Lesson--students were attentive and involved
• Innovation in Teaching-Lesson idea was creative

LET'S PRINT IT!

You and a partner will visit a 5th grade class and teach a less on prints. You will be given one piece of poster board for a visual aid. Your lesson may concern any aspect of prints that you have learned in Forensic Science, but at some point your class of 5th graders will need to be fingerprinted on a card provided by the local police department. You will receive a grade fro the teacher whose class you are visiting using the scoring guide below.

VERY

5

Students were organized