Classroom Project

home > search > results > project

"The students at my school come from very diverse backgrounds. I teach 7th grade science and the students in my classroom represent a wide range of academic abilities. I have very gifted students, students with severe cases of autism, and students who can barely read. Many of my students come from a ... MORE

"The students at my school come from very diverse backgrounds. I teach 7th grade science and the students in my classroom represent a wide range of academic abilities. I have very gifted students, students with severe cases of autism, and students who can barely read. Many of my students come from a low economic status and have never been outside of the state, others take cruises during each holiday. I also teach students who barely speak English. However, they all have one thing in common; they all excel when it comes to hands-on science lessons!

CSI, Bones, Cold Case Files are the television show my students have started talking about. They have developed a great interest in forensic science. I responded to this need by starting a forensic science club at school. The students loved solving mysteries, finding clues, and using actual techniques that real forensic scientists use. However, due to budget cuts, I am no longer able to purchase the forensic science materials for my classroom.

The resources I need include a Blood Type kit where students will learn about the different blood types. They will use simulated blood to determine blood type and see which type able to donate to who. They will also discover the blood type of a "mystery" drop of blood that was found at a crime scene. The students will then use the materials in "The Case of the Murdered Mayor" kit to test for fingerprints, analyze tire impressions, determine time of death by looking at insects, and review police reports. They will use all their evidence to solve the mystery of which murder "suspect" killed the mayor! This project is great and will enable students to use inquiry to discover different blood types and use real scientific methods to solve a problem.

Your help will ensure that my students are using inquiry-based methods to help them learn the standard course of study. With so many budget cuts, I have had to cut out many hands-on labs and experiments. This is a plan that my students not only are interested and will be engaged in, but one that will help students discover scientific methods. This is something that they can't get by reading in a textbook. HIDE