Grade: 4th

Theme: Forensics

Week(s): 1 (Meeting Days: Tuesday, Thursday)

Opening (Engage): Opinion Continuum Statement of the Day. Students will DECIDE, DISPLAY, &
DEFEND their opinions. CSI stands for Criminal Seen Inside?

Standards (List
priority and
supporting
standards.)

Gifted Standard 2: Gifted students will develop and practice creative

problem solving skills with a variety of complex topics within the area
of study.
Gifted Standard 4: Gifted students will develop advanced
communication skills, using new techniques, materials, and formats in
development of products that will be shared with real audiences.
GPS: Habits of the Mind
S4CS1. Students will be aware of the importance of curiosity, honesty,
openness, and skepticism in science and will exhibit these traits in their
own efforts to understand how the world works.
Da. Keep records of investigations and observations and do not alter
the records later.
Dc. Offer reasons for findings and consider reasons suggested by
others.
GPS: Biology
SB2. Students will analyze how biological traits are passed on to
successive generations.
Df. Examine the use of DNA technology in forensics, medicine, and
agriculture.
AASL Standard 1.2.4: Maintain a critical stance by questioning the
validity and accuracy of all information.
AASL Standard 2.1.1: Continue an inquiry-based research process by
applying critical thinking skills (analysis, synthesis, evaluation,
organization) to information and knowledge in order to construct new
understandings, draw conclusions, and create new knowledge.
AASL Standard 2.2.2: Use both divergent and convergent thinking to
formulate alternative conclusions and test them against evidence.
ISTE: Creativity and Innovation
1-c. Use models and simulations to explore complex systems and
issues.
1-d. Identify trends and forecast possibilities
ISTE: Research and Information Fluency
3-d. Process data and report results.

Essential
Question(s)
(List the
essential
question(s) for
this lesson.)

1. What does it mean to infer?

2. What is forensic science?
3. What does CSI mean?
4. What is forgery?
5. What are finger print patterns?

Forensic science, fingerprinting, fingerprinting analysis, whorl, arch,

Vocabulary
loop, CSI, crime scene, crime lab, forgery, traced forgery, simulated
(List language of
forgery, blind forgery, forensic odontology, ondontologists.
the standards
and content
vocabulary for
this lesson.)
Mini Lesson
(How will you
engage
students?)

Teacher and students will complete a KWL chart.

Students will watch the Bill Nye the Science Guy Forensics Episode 5.
Students will use the Cornell note-taking strategy to record key
vocabulary and information.

Work Session (Explore, Explain, Elaborate)

Formative assessment data will be used to determine groups.
Tuesday
Students will:
Complete Forensics KWL chart
Students will watch video clips from Bill Nyes Episode 5, Forensics
Students will discuss video and take Cornell notes
Study the 12 handwriting traits
Identify handwriting traits of peers
Investigate forgery
Thursday
Students will:
Review vocabulary, using the Opinion Continuum Statement of the
Day
Study the fingerprint patterns
Identify own fingerprint pattern
Investigate 3 basic fingerprint patterns

Writing
Connection
(How are the
students
communicating
their level of
understanding of
the standard
through writing?)
End of Unit
Assessment
Connection

Why is important to use integrity at the crime scene?

Students will discuss components of CSI and the importance of
integrity in Crime Scene Investigation.

Students will be assessed by forensics project-based products and post

assessment.

Closing (Evaluate) Wrap up activity to allow the students to review the learning
target.