Students who are interested in high school forensic science aren't just interested in death and gore; forensics is a specific science that examines much more than just dead bodies. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the definition of forensics is "the use of science and technology to investigate and establish facts in criminal or civil courts of law." If you are interested in teaching forensics in your home school, read on to find out where to get the sources you need to teach this fascinating science class.
Fields of Forensics
There are many areas of forensics, not just those dedicated to finding clues at a homicide scene. The following areas are also involved in finding clues related to crimes:
Computer and network forensics
Forensic accounting
Forensic engineering
Forensic psychiatry
Forensic entomology
Forensic anthropology
Forensic chemistry
Forensic math
Forensic nursing
Forensic odontology
Forensic toxicology
Forensic reconstruction
Latent print identification
More fields are being added as specialists are needed in every area that relates to different types of crimes. From people who can identify different types of cement to those who study tire imprints.
Teaching Forensics
Forensics has become a household word; due mainly in part to the many television shows that focus on criminals and the many ways in which they can be caught. Gone are the days of just using fingerprints and hard-hitting personal interviews to secure a case against someone. Today, investigators have a wide and varied arsenal of scientific techniques to prove their cases. While it may seem to be a glamorous job on television, the truth is that it is more time consuming than would occur in a one-hour show. It can take weeks or even months to collect all of the data relating to a case.
If you have students who enjoy a challenge and have some basic science classes already behind them, then take the challenge and get ready for a fascinating ride. Forensics can be one way to get some students to take an interest in chemistry, biology and other sciences, especially if they previously "couldn't get it" or were simply disinterested. The key to success in this particular area is to create entertaining and educational lesson plans.
High School Forensic Science Class Resources
The following resources will help you to create and tailor-make your high school forensics class:
- Forensic Science - one of the best websites to find information specifically related to teaching forensic science to high school students, including teacher notes and lesson plans
- The Crime Lab – a site that has everything you need for teaching a forensics class except the text. The text used on this site is Forensic Science: The Basics by Jay A. Siegel
- The Science Spot - find lesson plans for your high school forensic science classes here
- ChemMystery – has fun lessons to use for solving chemistry class mysteries
- MysteryNet - a site dedicated to simple mystery lab experiments
There are literally dozens more websites that offer information on teaching a high school forensic science class. To find them, simply enter "high school forensic science lesson plans" in your browser window.
