Hernandez+UBD+Lesson


 * Understanding By Design Lesson Template For Forensic Science **

· Mathematical tools and technology are used to gather, analyze, and communicate results. · Empirical evidence is used to construct and defend arguments. · Scientific reasoning is used to evaluate and interpret data patterns and scientific conclusions. || · Evidence collection procedures are a critical factor in prosecuting a crime. · A forensic scientist’s main goal is to find a unique source of evidence. · The more evidence there is, the greater weight it carries. |||| How do Forensic scientists help solve crimes?
 * ** Title of Lesson ** |||| The role of evidence in crime scene investigation || ** Grade Level ** |||| 11th ||
 * ** Curriculum Area ** |||| Science || ** Time Frame ** |||| 7 days ||
 * ** Developed By ** |||||||||| Brenda Hernandez ||
 * ** Identify Desired Results (Stage 1) ** ||
 * ** Content Standards ** ||
 * · Logically designed investigations are needed in order to generate the evidence required to build and refine models and explanations
 * ** Understandings ** |||||| ** Essential Question(s) ** ||
 * ** Overarching Understanding ** |||| ** Overarching ** || ** Topical ** ||
 * · What the court deems as “acceptable evidence “ must continually evolve as new technologies become available.

What civil liberty issues could arise if the government were to collect a DNA database of every American? || Who killed JonBenet Ramsey?

Why haven’t law enforcement officials been able to solve the murder of JonBenet Ramsey? || · DNA profiling will give physical features i.e.: eye color, height, etc. · TOD (time of death) can be determined with pinpoint accuracy · Any trace particle/object found can be identified to its source. · Short of DNA, you cannot identify a person's head hair by microscopic characteristics alone || Students will know… |||||| ** Skills ** Students will be able to… || · Search methodology · Search Pattern · Chain of Custody · Preventing Contamination Types of Evidence · Expert Evidence · Testimonial Evidence · Physical Evidence Evaluation of Evidence · Individual evidence · Class evidence- how probability and statistics can increase its value Reconstruction of a Crime |||||| · Conduct research on the internet · Create a multimedia presentation · Learn how websites can provide false and misleading information · Learn how an investigation is conducted · Learn how an investigation should NOT be conducted · Identify and examine pieces of evidence at a crime scene · Identify suspects based upon critical examination of the evidence · Calculate probability of several types of class evidence occurring together ||
 * ** Related Misconceptions ** ||
 * · Confusion of individual evidence with class evidence
 * ** Knowledge **
 * Evidence protocols
 * ** Assessment Evidence (Stage 2) ** ||
 * ** Performance Task Description ** ||
 * ** Goal ** |||||||||| Students will examine evidence to answer the question: Who killed JonBenet Ramsey? ||
 * ** Role ** |||||||||| Forensic Scientist ||
 * ** Audience ** |||||||||| Viewers of //Forensic File//s on truTV (http://www.forensicfiles.com/) ||
 * ** Situation ** |||||||||| As a Forensic scientist making a documentary about the murder of JonBenet Ramsey students will research the events surrounding her death, with focus on the evidence found, a timeline of events, and suspects. ||
 * ** Product/Performance ** |||||||||| Students will create a video or Keynote / PowerPoint presentation ||
 * ** Standards ** |||||||||| 5.1.12.B.1, 5.1.12.B.2, 5.1.12.B.3, 5.1.12.B.4 ||
 * ** Other Evidence ** ||
 * Quiz, test, CSI simulation lab, blog posts, flow chart and critique of case studies. ||
 * ** Learning Plan (Stage 3) ** ||
 * ** Where **** are your students headed? Where have they been? How will you make sure the students know where they are going? ** |||||||| Introduce essential questions, the final project and rubric. Discuss forensic science techniques and how they relate to the students prior knowledge of science. ||
 * ** How will you hook students at the beginning of the unit? ** |||||||| We will watch a ten-minute video from abcnews.com about the death of JonBenet to start the lesson. We will discuss the bizarre evidence and botched police investigation in class. ||
 * ** What events will help students experience and explore the big idea and questions in the unit? How will you equip them with needed skills and knowledge? ** |||||||| Students will conduct research on the events surrounding her death, with focus on the evidence found, a timeline of events, and suspects. They will critique the evidence protocols in the case based on their knowledge of proper protocols. They will state, based upon their findings, who they think committed the crime, how they did it and why they did it. Students will participate in a mock crime scene investigation lab to use the techniques they have learned. ||
 * ** How will you cause students to reflect and rethink? How will you guide them in rehearsing, revising, and refining their work? ** |||||||| Students will be instructed to critique case studies in which evidence has exonerated or helped to convict a suspect, which will provide insight into how forensic scientists conduct investigations and examine evidence. ||
 * ** How will you help students to exhibit and self-evaluate their growing skills, knowledge, and understanding throughout the unit? ** |||||||| Students will be paired with another student who came to a different conclusion and they will attempt to debunk one another’s theories and provide support for their own through blog posts. ||
 * ** How will you tailor and otherwise personalize the learning plan to optimize the engagement and effectiveness of ALL students, without compromising the goals of the unit? ** |||||||| Prior to the due date of the project presentations each student will create a flowchart of their research involving evidence and links to possible suspects, ending with who they believe to be the perpetrator of the crime. I will critique and point out inconsistencies and misconceptions to help guide students who are having difficulties. ||
 * ** How will you organize and sequence the learning activities to optimize the engagement and achievement of ALL students? ** |||||||| While watching the abcnews.com video on day one, students will write down what evidence was presented. Students will then classify the evidence into categories. Then there will be a class discussion about the case. On day two there will be a mock crime scene investigation lab. On day three they will critique case studies. The fourth day students will hand in their flow charts and there will be a quiz. On the fifth day, I will return students’ flow chart with comments and they will be paired with their blog partner. The students will give their presentations on day six. There will be a test on day seven. ||
 * ** Reflection on UBD lesson plan **

I decided to create a lesson for a new Forensic Science course that my school will be offering. I offered to write the curriculum and teach the course. So I had to create a unit using material I have not taught before. Therefore, I started by giving myself a forensics tutorial using a textbook borrowed from a colleague at another school and the internet. The challenge for me was to make sure I did not create the lesson the way I have previously done, as I have never used the UBD method before. Once I got into it, I became excited at the idea of teaching the lesson (and the entire course) this way. I feel that it will be more relevant to the students and increase their level of engagement.
 * How was it creating this lesson? **

The main difficulty I encountered was coming up with the essential questions, so I decided to first focus on assessment and what I wanted the students to learn and then the questions came. As I was creating the lesson I realized that there are parallels between the study of forensic science and UBD. In Forensic Science, you are starting with an end result and attempting to reconstruct the events that led to that result. In UBD, you start with the end in mind and work backwards. In addition the questions on the learning plan were difficult to answer individually. More on that in the next question.
 * What difficulties did you encounter? **

For the most part, I liked the format because it forced me to think about the misconceptions students might have. I also had to make sure to separate knowledge from the skills students use to demonstrate the knowledge. In the content standards section I think there could also be a place for both the content statement and the related CPI. I would also put in a space for materials needed. I also felt that the learning plan section questions contained a lot of overlap, particularly in the last four questions. For example, many of the activities involve students experiencing and exploring the big idea while simultaneously rehearsing, revising, and refining their work. Activities such as the flow chart and critiquing one another’s theories tailor and personalize the learning plan and are organized to optimize the engagement and achievement of students since they will be getting both teacher and peer feedback before completion of their project.
 * Did you like the format? **

Can the learning plan questions be condensed to avoid redundancies? How can this be adapted to fit into daily lesson plan format?
 * What are additional questions you now have? **

Peer Comment, Kelly Riedel: I loved your lesson and am eager to participate! Your lesson was well thought out, organized, and met the format of a UbD lesson. I thought your reflection on the lesson and the UbD framework were accurate in saying that they both follow the same method- even more reason to use this way of planning. I am sure your students will sense the difference and also understand the similarities between how you are teaching/modelling and how forensic science is conducted. Great analysis/conclusion on your part!  Throughout your lesson, you answered the age-old question... "Why do we need to know/learn this?" In my opinion, connecting to your lesson to the JonBenet Ramsey murder/case highlighted the reason why we need to know. Plus it sparks more interest and intrigue to have it matched with a situation students are (hopefully) well-aware of. For someone who has never used the UbD format or taught forensic science, you are off to a phenomenal start! Best wishes when you return to school and start teaching this course. ||