Forensic Science Starters

Daily CSI Challenges

I created Daily CSI Challenges for this class to target observation and problem solving skills as well as incorporate trivia to review class material or highlight historical cases and people. Students use a Daily CSI bookmarks (PDF) to record their answers and I grade the bookmarks at the end of each week. I organize these into weekly folders on my computer to make it easier to find the ones I want to use. You can also rename the files and add the day of the week to the file name to help you organize them to fit your class schedule. See the sample schedule for a list of starters I use each week.

General Challenges
Includes word scrambles, scientists, mystery pictures, and more. I usually do one of these each week on Mondays.

Titles: 
Penny Challenge,
Scramble 1, Scramble 2, Scramble 3, Scramble 4,
Scientist 1, Scientist 2
Mystery Pictures 1, Mystery Pictures 2,
Name That Organization 1, Name That Organization 2

Spot the Differences
Students analyze two photographs or images to identify differences between them. I usually do two of these each week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Slylock Fox Titles: Apple A Day, Batman , Birthday , Dinner Time, Feeding Time, Garbage Guru, Goodbye, Got Away, Hanging Around , Painting Time,
Play Time, Scary Movie , Talk Time, Test Time, Tied Up, Golden Treasure, T-Rex Terror, Vacancy

Titles: Balloons, Chocolates, Lecture Time, Long Hall, Soda Time NOTE: These challenges are harder than the Slylock Fox challenges.

Mini-Mysteries
Students read a story or analyze an image and use their investigative powers to solve a case. I usually do one of these each week on Wednesdays.

Titles: 
Case 1 - The Accident
Case 2 - Trash Tosser
Case 3 - Snack Shack
Case 4 - Mystery Footprints
Case 5 - Surprise Visitor
Case 6 - Window Breaker
Case 7 - Stranger Danger
Case 8 - Missing Masterpiece
Case 9 - Music Hut

Video CSI Challenges
All of these challenges use online videos related to CSI topics. I mix these challenges in with our regular units when we cover the topics or have an extra 5 minutes at the end of a class period. Students write their answers on their note pages or a piece of scrap paper. You may want to substitute these challenges for the Trivia Challenges or Mini Mysteries.

Titles:
CSI Effect Hairs & Fibers
Crime 360 DNA Extraction,
Crime 360 3D Imaging,
Crime 360 Drug Testing
Crime 360 Scanning Electron Microscope
Crime 360 Superglue
Crime 360 Forensic Entomology
Dr. G Toxicology
Crime Creatures (Insects)
Maggots & Murder
Underwater Detectives

NOTES:  
1 - All of these are set up as PowerPoint presentations and links to each video have been set up with a hyperlink tied to the movie reel icon. Clicking the icon while you are viewing the slide show will open the webpage and allow you to watch the video.
2 - If you cannot get the videos to open in your browser, right-click the movie reel icon while you are in normal mode (not presentation mode) and choose "copy hyperlink." Open your web browser and paste the URL into the address bar to go directly to the webpage.
3 -  You will want to load the videos before viewing them in class to make sure they will work properly on your computer and prevent having to wait for the video to load. If you have Real Player or another video download software program, you may be able to download the movies and save them on your computer to prevent problems when you try to stream them from the web.

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