Teen CSI: Bringing Forensics to Life in High School
My students need the supplies to experience forensics in action. My forensic scientist students need DNA isolation kits, latent fingerprint development kits, and crime scene identification materials.
$1,440 goal
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Hooray! This project is fully funded
Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
This project is part of the Black History Month celebration because it supports a Black teacher or a school where the majority of the students are Black.
My Students
I teach in South Los Angeles, where many children are believed to be on the "school to prison" pipeline due to their dangerous surroundings and the apathy that plagues their community. This is not going to be the pipeline for my students. My students have exceptional circumstances and even more exceptional personalities. The potential and the hidden talents that my students have surprise me every day. I'm amazed by their ability to come to school each day with hope that it can lead to better lives for themselves and their families.
My students get excited to learn when they are able to participate in the acquisition of their knowledge and skills.
They have great ideas but many are just learning how to voice their thoughts. Once they know that they are cared for, they are able to comfortably express themselves without the fear of rejection.
My Project
"Will we actually get to do labs and investigations in this class?" It's day 2 of the school year and my students are already ready to jump into investigations. Scientific exploration makes science come to life for my students. My students will get to explore fingerprints and fingerprint retrieval techniques that they have seen on TV shows like CSI with the basic and latent fingerprint kits. They will also get to investigate how DNA and blood are used in forensic investigations with the "DNA Necklace" kit and the "Investigating Forensics" kit. Students will also be able to explore forensic botany and forensic anthropology with the "Who Owns These Bones" and the "Flowers for Freddy" kits, respectively. Lastly, students will be able to setup crime scenes with barrier tapes and evidence Identification cards. With these materials, my students will get to truly experience what forensic investigation is like.
Classes that excite students in South LA break through the apathy towards school and curb chronic absenteeism.
I have found that actually investigating and behaving like true scientists can break through the apathy that often plagues my students. The excitement that students have during an investigation has the power to reignite a desire to learn and pursue something greater than their current surroundings.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Dr. Haynes and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
