Intro to Forensic Science
From a Biblical World View
Your high school students will learn how sciences such as chemistry, genetics, botany, and entomology can be used to solve crimes in Intro to Forensic Science from a Biblical World View. Television series like CSI and Forensic Files have brought forensic science to the forefront of conversations and piqued the interest in the field. Throughout the course, students will read real-life case studies which explain forensic science's hows and whys. God's Word is the foundation of this curriculum, setting it apart from other traditional forensic courses. This course is part of the Timberdoodle 2023 Twelfth-Grade Curriculum Kit.
Intro to Forensic Science from a Biblical World View is the textbook. The book includes lessons, case studies, detailed information about forensic science-related areas within each case study, and biblical components. In the Teacher Guide, you will find worksheets to accompany each lesson and labs. A master supply list of items needed for labs is included as well. You will receive a daily schedule divided into two semesters - four quarters. Each quarter is divided into weeks, and each week is divided into days. The teacher's guide includes tests. Answer keys are included in the back of the book for both the tests and lesson exercises.
There are 8 units and 34 lessons that comprise this curriculum.
- Introduction
- The Crime Scene
- Physical Evidence
- Biological Evidence
- Transitory Evidence
- Forensic Tools
- Forensic Specialties
- The Judicial System
There are eight tests and two cumulative tests.
Lesson 10: dna
Between 1983-1986 to teenage girls would be raped and murdered by a man by the name of Colin Pitchfork. A crucial advancement in forensic science happened in 1985 by Dr. Alec Jeffreys when he developed the first DNA profiling test. It was this test that finally matched Pitchfork to both girls' murders.
Technology is mind boggling at times. CODIS which stands for Combined DNA Index System is an electronic search and comparison of DNA profiles. Launched in 1990 it was then ordered under FBI authority in 1994. Around the world 270 police agencies use CODIS.
I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things. (1 Timothy 6:13a)
Lesson 10, Day 52, Question 1 asks: Briefly explain the process of electrophoresis. My daughter said: Extracted DNA is injected into the sample wells on an electrophoresis device, causing an electrical current to be applied. DNA is negatively charged and positive terminal is attached to the opposite end. From being previously cut into different lengths, the pieces already of different weights. Negatively charged DNA is pulled through the gel or capillary to the positively charged opposite end. Different sized pieces will stop at different locations with the shortest pieces traveling the farthest. The stopping points for sections of DNA is what creates the band patterns used for analysis.
Lesson 5: Drugs
The infamous Michael Jackson case. Student's will get to read about Jackson's serious drug habit and what ended up killing him.
The Biblical views are discussed after the case study is laid out. Regarding the Michael Jackson case they refer to 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 where it talks about our bodies being temples of the Holy Spirit. Multiple scripture references of both warning, abstaining, and God being faithful to walk with and beside us but we must remain faithful to him.
The curriculum is full of cool and interesting history. In this lesson your student will get the opportunity to read about a time in history with Coca-Cola had Cocaine in it.
At the beginning of each case study students will be given a list of terms along with definitions. These will be key terms used throughout the case study and lesson.
Lesson 5, Day 21, Question 3 asks: Reflect on 1 Peter 1:13 and explain how this relates to drug use. 1 Peter 1:13 says, Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. My daughter's response was, 1 Peter 1:13 calls for us to prepare our minds for action. We are to be sober-minded, setting our hoped fully on the grace that will be brought by the revelation of Jesus Christ. drug use inhibits our sobriety, completely robbing us of rational thought. How can we possibly focus clearly on Christ when we can't focus clearly in general?
Lesson 5, Day 24, Question 1 asks: In your own words, write a brief description of each of the five drug schedules and provide an example for each. (I will provide just 1 of the 5.) My daughter said: a. Drugs in schedule 1 have not been approved for medical use, most likely due to their dangerous properties, causing them to be easily abused. Heroin would be an example from schedule 1.
Lesson 16: Human FingerPrints
Lesson 16: Human Fingerprints. Psalm 139:14 says: I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. Thomas Jennings is the subject of the Case Study from 1910. The reason Jennings was convicted for his crime is that there were visible fingerprints on freshly painted wood. As one of the first fingerprint examiners in the United States, Captain Evans played a key role in Jennings' conviction. When Captain Evans compared the gathered fingerprints with those on file for Jennings, he found 33 points of minutiae that were identical. During trial, fingerprint identification was established as valid evidence. Jennings would be hanged for killing a man. In a landmark ruling, the Illinois Supreme Court established fingerprints as a form of unique identification.
The word minutiae basically means "details" and fingerprint patterns are made of thousands of details. It is estimated there are over 10,000 minutiae characteristics covering the entire surface of the hands and feet. Lesson 16, page 194.
Dermal layer - the connective tissue in skin that nourishes the epidermis. Fingerprint ridges and furrows are anchored deep within the dermal layer.
On question 4 the student had to identify and label the whorl tracings for each of the fingerprints shown.
This curriculum does an excellent job connecting the world today with the world as we see it in the Bible. Though this book is written from a Christian standpoint, the author has done an amazing job of keeping past cases and history that has shaped the way we solve crimes today strictly factual. Every lesson begins with a different case that serves as the introduction to the topics discussed. For example, the lesson about drugs starts with the case of the King of Pop, Micheal Jackson. We learn that we must look at a victim's life if we are to understand their death. Another instance would be our lesson on toxicology, which begins by discussing the cyanide poisonings through Tylenol in 1982 that led to the deaths of seven people. As you can see, both solved and cold cases alike are touched upon because both hold valuable information still used to solve crimes today.
I would recommend Intro to Forensic Science from a Biblical World View to parent's that have student's in 11th-12th grade. The curriculum definitely is worth 1.0 credit. A lot of content is packed into this curriculum.
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