Forensic Science Course Syllabus 2012-2013

Forensic Science Course Syllabus 2012-2013 Instructor: Ms. Val Buza Room: 203 Email: valerie.buza@newport.kyschools.us Phone: 859-292-3023 ACADEMIC INFORMATION Textbook An Introduction: Forensic Science copyright 2008 Pearson Prentice Hall Course Description Forensics is the application of scientific methods to those criminal and civil laws that are enforced by police agencies in a criminal justice system. Topics for this course will be in the form of lectures, reading materials, guest speakers, videos, laboratory exercises, and case studies. The Content General Topics of this Course (topics maybe added/deleted and will not necessarily follow this sequence due to weather/material issues): 1. Introduction and History Define Forensic Science and Criminalistics Define expert witness 2. The Crime Scene and Sketching Explain ways to investigate a crime scene Discuss collection, preservation and labeling of evidence Discuss Chain of custody Reconstruct a crime scene 3. Physical Evidence List common examples of physical evidence Identify the purpose and value of physical evidence Understand the value of the light and other microscopes to various classes of evidence Learn the basic parts and theory of light microscopes and microscopy 4. Foot Prints and Tire Impressions Identify the evidence and information that can be obtained from a footwear impression Explain the areas that are examined in footwear impression comparisons Discuss the proper methods of recovering footwear impressions from a crime scene and why improper recovery of impressions reduces their evidentiary value or results in total loss of that evidence Understand that if sufficient individual characteristics are present, a specific tire can be identified as having caused a crime scene impression 5. Glass Determine the density and RI of glass Relate glass fracture patterns and direction of impact 6. Hairs and Fibers Describe parts of the hair Differentiate between human and animal hairs Identify types of fibers based on chemical and physical properties 7. Fingerprints Understand the physical nature of fingerprints and what makes them individual Define ridge characteristics Identify 3 major fingerprint patterns and their subclasses Define visible, plastic and latent prints List techniques for developing prints on porous and non-porous surfaces Describe proper collection and preservation techniques 8. Forensic Serology

Understand the basic techniques of presumptive testing for blood, how they work and what results can be expected, and be able to explain why they are presumptive Outline the current classification system for blood types and how they are inherited 9. DNA Explain the influence of Mendel s experiments on modern day DNA knowledge Describe structure, function and replication of DNA Understand DNA profiling and its uses Describe RFLP, PCR and STR techniques of DNA testing Propose future advances in the field of forensic science 10. Bloodstain patterns Define blood spatter Calculate the impact angle of blood spots Describe the physical properties of blood that have an impact on bloodstain pattern analysis 11. Forensic Anthropology Compare and contrast the human male and female skeletons Investigate the relationship between length of long bones and height Compare animal and human bone features 12. Forensic entomology Explain the role of insects in placing time of death/location Compare insect larval stages 13. Drugs and Toxicology Describe the process of alcohol metabolism Describe or demonstrate common field tests for sobriety Define psychological and physical dependence Name and classify commonly abused drugs Explain the difference between test methods known as screening methods and those that are confirmatory 14. Document Analysis and Handwriting Compare samples of handwriting Identify common characteristics of individual handwriting samples Describe techniques used to determine alteration on questioned documents 15. Chromatography 16. Firearms and Ballistics Compare pictures and descriptions of the inner surface markings of a gun barrel with the markings found on pictures of bullets shot from the gun Understand how firearms examiners determine range of fire from powder patterns and pellet patterns 17. Arson Describe the chemistry of fires Identify common tests to detect arson Materials Needed Students will need to bring the following to class each and every day: 1 Spiral notebook, A three-ring binder or folder dedicated to Forensic Science, and A pencil with eraser and a blue or black pen. No other colors of ink may be used. **At various times throughout the year, students may need to purchase other materials in order to complete various projects or assignments. Class Assignments Each day in class, students will be asked to engage in learning activities that will help them master the unit learning targets. Some of these assignments will be collected and graded while others will be kept in the student s science binder. See diagram

below for how each of your papers should look. If an assignment is more than one page, then the work should be stapled to ensure it is not lost. Name Title of Assignment Date Homework Homework assignments are an important way for students to refine and expand their understanding, and they give both the students and me an opportunity to check their comprehension of small chunks of material before moving on. They will be given occasionally to increase student mastery of a topic. All assignments including homework should have the proper heading to receive credit. Summative Tests and Quizzes At the end of each unit of material, and sometimes during a unit, we will have an assessment and students will be asked to show that they have learned the material, can perform the necessary skills, and can apply concepts to solve problems. Quizzes will exist throughout a chapter to gage learning before the chapter test. These tests and quizzes will comprise the majority of students grades each quarter. Students can expect 3-5 summative tests each quarter, and they will be able to retake a test to show later mastery. Test Retake Policy Each student has the option to retake each unit test once and will receive the higher score. A student wanting to retest must meet these conditions within three school days of receiving a graded test: -Have all homework from the unit complete. -Complete test corrections from the original test (with explanations why items were missed- must be completed with teacher) -Schedule a time to retake the test. NOTE: Test retakes are not for students who make only simple errors or who score a low A on an exam. Projects During the school year, students may be responsible for completing a long-term project. The project topics could include literacy, numeracy, technology or other various scientific tonics. Students will be given some degree of flexibility as they begin to work on these projects. More details concerning the long-term projects will be provided at a later date. Student Resources and Extra Help In addition to your textbook and your science notebook, there are several resources available which will help you master the learning targets for which you are responsible. I will be available multiple days after school for extra help (as of know it will be Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but other days may be possible) Home-School Communication may be enhanced with the use of Facebook either search Ms. Buza s Science Page or use the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ms-buzas-science- Classes/377168259017915 or by Remind101. Description of Grading and Quality Work in Forensic Science I believe that a student s report card grade should be an indication of how much science a student has learned over the course of the grading period. Therefore, the majority of a student s Forensic Science grade will come from summative tests and projects. Also, students should avoid thinking that homework is not very important because it only counts toward a smaller portion of the overall grade. Homework assignments are very important because thoughtful completion of homework will help ensure that students will master their learning targets maximizing the potential for them to be successful on assessments. Scores will be averaged and the percentage will be converted to a letter grade using the NHS grading scale.

Grades will tentatively be determined using the following weights: Weight Category 40% Tests & Quizzes 35% Class Work & Homework 25% Lab Work 10% Class Participation / Bellringers & Exit Slips BEHAVIORAL EXPECTATIONS Grade Percentage A 93 100% B 85 92% C 77 84.% D 70 76% F 69% & below The Rules High school students have been in school long enough to know what types of behaviors are appropriate in the classroom and what types of behaviors are not appropriate. Therefore, the rules regarding behavior are simple to express: 1. Be respectful of others, of yourself, and of the environment; 2. Be responsible for your own learning; and 3. Be supportive of the learning of others. If a student chooses not to follow the rules, negative consequences will result. These might include: verbal warnings, change of seat, conference with teacher, detention, parental contacts, a discipline referral to the office, or the student filling out a PSS form. The order and severity of the consequences are dependent upon the frequency and severity of the offense. For clarity, please understand that there will be no tolerance for any of the following behaviors: 1. Purposely embarrassing or bullying another student 2. Making offensive or hurtful remarks toward another person 3. Disrupting instruction, rudeness, or defiance CLASSROOM PROCEDURES 4. Violation of any lab safety rule 5. Defacing or destroying school property or another student s property. 6. Cheating on assignments, quizzes, or exams Attendance Poor attendance will seriously hinder your ability to learn all that is needed to be successful in this course. So, as a student, your responsibility is two-fold: (1) You must be conscious about the school s policy regarding absences and only miss class when your absence can be considered Excused, and (2) you must be diligent about completing all missing work so the effects of the absence on your learning is minimized. A few things to keep in mind if you are going to miss a class: Tests will be announced several days in advance. If you are absent the day before a test and are present on test day, you will be expected to take the test. If you are absent on the day of a test, you may be expected to make up the test the day you return. If you are absent on a lab day, you will have to make arrangements with me to make-up the lab. Make-Up Work When you are absent, my primary concern is how the absence will affect your learning. To ensure that you are prepared for all summative tests, make-up work should be completed for all absences. However, according to school policy, credit for make-up work can only be given for excused absences. In order to receive full credit for make-up work, you will be given one day to complete your missing assignments for each day your absences were Excused. When return to class consult your assigned buddy before asking me for the missing work.

How do we start the class period? Students are expected to follow the 3 N s at the beginning of class: When the bell rings, you should be in your seat working on completing any posted work. After you finish with these initial tasks, you may work on any Unit Assignments that are unfinished. Otherwise, quietly wait for further instructions. If you were absent, check for your make-up work in the designated location and, then, begin completing any work posted in the room. How will the teacher gain the attention of the class? Often you will be engaged in group activities, labs, or independent work when the teacher needs your attention. The teacher will give a signal, known to everyone in the class. When the signal is given, finish your sentence (not your paragraph), then sit quietly, face the teacher, and listen to what is said. What if I must use the restroom or need to visit my locker? For my class, students will be given two hall passes each quarter that may be used, with teacher permission, for personal reasons such as using the restroom, going to their locker, etc. The hall pass will look like the one below: Students are not permitted to use a hall pass to visit another 1 st Quarter Hall Pass Ms. Buza teacher who is teaching a class nor to go speak with a student in another class. This pass is assigned to The student is completely responsible for keeping up with their hall passes. Hall passes represent the only opportunity for students to earn extra credit in my class. This serves to reward students for valuing their class time. Any unused passes can be traded at the beginning of class on the last day of the grading period for extra credit. Passes will not be accepted early or late (even in the case of school absences). May NOT be used the first 10 minutes or the last 10 minutes of class. Not transferable. No replacement passes will be issued. You may SAVE this pass and turn it in to Ms. Buza at the end of the quarter in exchange for 0.5% extra credit on your 1 st Quarter Grade. How do we end of the class period? The classroom (or lab) must be clean before anyone will be dismissed. Remember that the teacher, not the bell, will dismiss you. Remain in your seat until you are dismissed by the teacher. Technology As a district we are being encouraged to integrate more technology in our classrooms and I believe it will increase success and engagement. I am excited about using more electronic devices in the classroom as the year progresses (tablets, phones, lab tops etc). However, with using these devices comes a responsibility. Students will be permitted to use personal technologies at the teacher s discretion throughout the year. If a student chooses to misuse the technology or follow instructions there will be consequences, such as the loss of the privilege to utilize the technology. Some examples of improper use of technology would be social media sites, texting, and personal email without teacher permission. LAB SAFETY Student Safety Contract The following rules are required for safety during labs in the classroom. These rules should be kept in your science binder or folder. The Signature Page at the end of this document must be signed by you and your parent/guardian and you must pass a Lab Safety quiz with at least a 90% before you may participate in labs. Please be aware that violating these rules will result in removal from the lab and a grade of zero will be assigned for the laboratory activity. This is not just arbitrary punishment - each year many students are badly injured because they have failed to work safely, and I am determined that you will not be one of them.

General safety rules: 1) Always conduct yourself appropriately in the laboratory. Be serious and alert at all times. 2) Follow all written and verbal instructions carefully. If you are not certain about what to do after reading the instructions, please ask your teacher for clarification. 3) Never work alone in the laboratory. A teacher must always be present. 4) Do not touch any equipment or chemicals in the laboratory until your instructor has given permission. This includes the balances, which are very sensitive to tampering. 5) You may not eat or drink anything while performing a lab. 6) Keep your work area and walkways clear of debris, backpacks, books, and other obstacles. 7) Do not perform unauthorized experiments. 8) Know where all of the safety equipment is in the room and how to use it. 9) Don t play with the safety equipment. 10) Use the fume hood when working with chemicals that give off toxic fumes. 11) Notify the instructor of any unsafe conditions you observe. 12) Wash your hands after touching anything in the laboratory. While working in the lab, keep your hands away from your face. 13) Pay attention to your experimental apparatus at all times. Unattended laboratory equipment is a serious hazard. 14) You are not allowed in the chemical storage room. 15) If there is a fire, all electrical equipment and equipment using gas must be shut off. Clothing and protective equipment: 16) Goggles must be worn in the laboratory at all times until all students are finished working. Failure to wear goggles will result in a zero on the lab assignment and removal from the laboratory. 17) Long hair should be tied back. 18) Loose clothing and jewelry should be secured to prevent accidents. 19) Shoes that cover the feet must be worn. Sandals are not allowed. NOTE: As long as you are in dress code, your shoes should be acceptable. Accidents and injuries: 20) Instantly report any accident, spill, or injury to your instructor, no matter how minor. 21) If chemicals get in your eyes, flush them in the eyewash until professional medical assistance arrives. Using chemicals: 22) All chemicals in the laboratory are assumed to be dangerous. Never eat, touch, or smell any of them unless specifically told otherwise. 23) Chemicals should never be placed directly on the balance. Use weighing paper, plastic weighing boats, or a beaker to weigh chemicals. 24) Never return unused chemicals to their original containers without prior permission. 25) Never remove chemicals from the lab. 26) Be careful when moving chemicals from one part of the lab to another. 27) If you spill an acid or corrosive chemical on your skin, wash it off immediately using lots of water. 28) Dispose of chemicals properly. Your teacher will inform you of how to do this before the lab. Handling glassware and equipment: 29) Never handle broken glass with your bare hands. Use a brush and dustpan to clean it up and place it in a glass disposal container. 30) Never use dirty, cracked, or chipped glassware. 31) If you don t know how to use a piece of equipment, ask your teacher. 32) Don t put hot glassware in cold water it will shatter. 33) Never press down on a balance it will break. Heating substances: 34) Keep combustible materials from open flames (especially alcohols, acetone, and anything that smells like gasoline).

35) Never place anything into a Bunsen burner flame that doesn t belong there and never leave a burner unattended. 36) When heating something in a test tube, point it away from yourself and others. 37) Before touching something that s been heated on a hotplate or Bunsen burner, splash a few drops of water on it. If it sizzles, it s too hot to touch. 38) Never look into anything that s being heated. 39) Never heat anything in a closed container. 40) Never reach across a flame. 41) Turn off all Bunsen burners and hotplates before leaving the lab. Handling sharp instruments: 42) Handle sharp instruments with care. Always cut away from your body, not toward it. Using electricity: 43) Never use electrical equipment in areas that are wet or while you have wet hands. 44) When you are finished using a piece of electrical equipment, unplug it. 45) Report damaged electrical equipment promptly. FOR PARENTS AND GUARDIANS In this course, my focus is for each student to understand the basic concepts of Forensic Science and to be able to apply these concepts in a variety of situations. In order to best promote and support students learning, I am going to structure my assessment practices so students will have a clear understanding of what they are expected to know and be able to do. Students will be given many opportunities to practice these skills and work to master the content through classroom activities, lab work, homework, and quizzes before showing what they know on our summative tests. Students will frequently be asked to self-assess their understanding, and to work in pairs, small groups, or as a class to improve each others comprehension. By trusting my students to be more responsible for their own learning and serve as a support for their classmates learning, I believe that not only will they master the basic concepts of Forensic Science, but they will also become more aware of how they learn and will be able to use these skills in other classes and later in life. In addition to typical assignments I am asking your child to read one book per quarter for their Forensic Science course. They have been given the assignment that contains a list of books that they may choose from, or they can receive prior approval to read a book that is not on the list. Because most of the books are murder mysteries, they can contain subject matter that you may deem inappropriate. Please look for another signature page in the future with more details regarding the book assignment. Please help your child select books that they will enjoy and that you find appropriate for them. I hope together we can encourage them to read for fun! My Learning Focus While my primary goal in the classroom is help students learn, I also value my own learning and growth as a teacher. By continually striving to improve my craft and to work toward excellence in the classroom, not only do I improve my abilities to manage a productive classroom, but I also show students what it means to be a life-long learner. I promise to work hard and do my best for our students so that they will learn as much as possible in my class so that they will leave high school college and career ready. I believe that the procedures and expectations I have set up will be the effective in my classroom as to support learning and achievement in my classroom. I am looking forward to an exciting successful year. Please feel free to contact me whenever you have questions or concerns (email is the most efficient method for me). In addition to helping my students experience success in class, I also will be working to help them experience a smooth transition from high school to college or to the workplace. With your assistance, we can offer your student the support necessary to ensure this success.

Signature Page FOR THE STUDENT Read each section of the syllabus carefully to ensure that both you and your parents or guardians know what will be expected of you during the upcoming school year in Forensic Science. Afterwards, please complete the information below and return it to Ms. Buza by Friday, August 24 th. Please place your initials next to each statement below to indicate you have read and understand the statement. Then, sign on the line below. I have read and understand the safety rules given to me in class. I agree to follow the safety rules. I realize I must obey the safety rules to insure my own safety and the safety of others in the laboratory. I will cooperate to the fullest extent with my teacher (or substitute) and my fellow students to maintain a safe lab environment. I will also closely follow the oral and written instructions provided by the teacher. I am aware that any violation of this safety contract will result in being removed from the laboratory and a score of zero may be assigned for the lab activity. I have read the information on Ms. Buza s Forensic Science syllabus for the 2012 2013 school year. I am fully aware of what the expectations are for me as a student and I am also aware of the consequences associated with not meeting those expectations. / / Class Period: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Student Signature Date (Circle one)

Signature Page FOR THE PARENT/GUARDIAN QR to teacher webpage then click on your student s class for syllabus and other information From time to time, I may want to contact you regarding upcoming projects, assignment due dates, or to share classroom accomplishments and other news. I plan to experiment with a variety of methods for sending out updates. To follow our class on Facebook, simply Like the page found at http://www.facebook.com/pages/ms-buzas-science- Classes/377168259017915 or search Ms. Buza s Science Classes.. You can use the QR code above a direct link to my teacher website. (You can find a copy of the syllabus here.) If you would like to receive text updates on your mobile phone, text the appropriate code (based on the class period your student is in my class) to this phone number: (240) 696-7685. The code is: @vbuza1 The Newport High School Science Department feels that you should be informed regarding our school s effort to create and maintain a safe science classroom/laboratory environment. With the cooperation of the teachers, the parents, and the students, a safety instruction program can eliminate, prevent, and correct possible hazards. You should be aware of the safety instructions your child will receive before engaging in any laboratory work. Please read the list of 45 safety rules above. No students will be permitted to perform laboratory activities unless this contract is signed by both the student and their parent/guardian and this document is on file with the teacher. Please contact me if you would like a paper copy or me to email you a copy of the syllabus. Your signature on this contract indicates that: (1) you have read this student safety contract and are aware of the measures being taken to insure the safety of your child in the science laboratory, and (2) you will instruct your child to uphold his/her agreement to follow these rules and procedures in the laboratory. Please place your initials next to each statement below to indicate you have read and understand the statement. Then, sign on the line below. I have read and understand the safety rules given to my student in class. I realize my student must obey the safety rules to insure his/her own safety and the safety of others in the laboratory. I am aware that any violation of this safety contract will result in my student being removed from the laboratory and a score of zero may be assigned for the lab activity. I have read the information on Ms. Buza s Forensic Science syllabus for the 2012 2013 school year. I am fully aware of what the expectations are for my student and I am also aware of the consequences associated with not meeting those expectations. / / Parent/Guardian Signature Date Student Allergies Email address Preferred phone number