Dying to Take Notes: 12th grade Forensic Science 5th/6 weeks

Undesirable Behavior Targeted: Students are off task, especially during note taking time. When notes are being
delivered either by the teacher or electronically, students are: Without note taking materials * Using phones for non-
academic purposes * Listening to music * Talking to friends * Backs to the front of the room *Playing games/watching
videos on their laptops. Students are unable to build reference material to support future learning or review for exams. It
keeps students from receiving information through multiple inputs, reducing their chance for academic success.
Expected Behavior: Students will be on task during note taking. Part A. 60 second warning of notes with visual timer.
Students will be 1. At their desk, 2. Note taking sheet and pencils/pens out 3. Writing down the guiding question. During
notes students are 1. Actively listening, 2. Writing down key terms and ideas 3. Writing ideas into their own words.
Positive Reinforcements
Immediate R+: Every time class is on task during note taking, students will earn a sticker on their note page. When 100%
of the class has taken notes, the class will earn 1 foot of soil- sand into a beaker with a small action figure at the bottom.
Every time more soil is added, students will get a new picture of the current stage of decay displayed. Once a body is
buried 6 feet deep, the class moves to a new stage of decay (4 stages- start at Fresh, move to Bloat, Active Decay, then to
Dry Decay.) It will take approximately 20 classes, or 6 weeks to move through 3 stages of decay, assuming 1-2 sets of
notes per class period.
Ongoing R+: Every time the class moves onto a new stage of decay, they get a “clue” in video or written form about who
the victim of the murder will be. These clues will double as evidence.
Fun-Interactive-Learning-Activity: When a body is fully decayed (Dry Decay) the students will earn a murder mystery
investigation. Students will have the opportunity to solve a “murder” at LBJ using new knowledge from the unit about
evaluating evidence and career responsibilities of forensic investigators.
Administration of R+: Teacher will perform a visual note check for the immediate R+ while students are taking the notes
by walking among the students. After each successful note taking session, during transition time, the teacher will ask a
student to fill the beakers up to the next marked line (6 of them per beaker) and the teacher will keep a log on the board of
the date and the level filled to. If the session was not successful, the class will discuss why briefly before moving on to the
next activity.
Interactive Learning Activity : TEKS: All of FS (6) Analyzing a crime scene, (7) Trace evidence analysis, (8)
Impression evidence, (9) Blood spatter analysis, (14) Analyzing tool marks, (17) Cause of death analysis. Materials:
microscopes, notebooks, cameras, tweezers, medical gloves, slides, exacto knives, fake blood, manikin, clothes, 2-4 other
science teachers at suspects, pencils, white board, white board markers. Description: When Active Decay is completed,
students draw roles for the following class period. These roles will reflect different jobs in the forensic science field and
define what each role’s responsibilities will be during all three phases of the investigation: scene analysis, evidence
collection, evidence analysis. On the day of the investigation a “dead body” (borrowed from the health sciences) will be in
the room. They will apply the following skills: clearing a crime scene, photographing/ documenting/ collecting evidence,
crime scene sketching, identifying trace evidence cause of death, collecting and checking alibis and drawing conclusions
from evidence.
Teaching the Expected Behaviors: Explain observation that students are off task, especially during notes. Discuss as a
class what we are doing instead of being on task. Explain we will focus on being on task while taking mores. Discuss as a
class why we take notes. Describe desired note taking behavior and write out steps on board. Practice desired behavior of
60 seconds to get on task through guided notes on “Understanding Note Taking”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8HbFgEKgS8. This is an opportunity to earn 1 foot of soil. Further practice by
taking notes on trace evidence using Kahoot Notes. This is an opportunity to earn 1 foot of soil. 80% achievement will be
required.
Teaching the Plan: Introduce culminating activity by describing the murder mystery investigation. Introduce BCP as
how we will get to the investigation. Demonstrate how the dirt will “fill” the grave to cover the body and the 3 other
stages of decay will be revealed after the body is buried. During 2nd class period, review the BCP with the students,
practice the new set of expectations- focusing on the timing- at least 2 more times 80% then 90% success required.
Continue building up feet of soil. At the start of each class period, review the expectation, and re-state it before starting
notes every day.
Materials: 3, 1,000 ml beakers labeled with the stage of decay PER CLASS. Clear space with small paper tomb stones
and a small fake tree and grass to place the beakers on the front lab bench. Legal sized posters displaying dates each foot
of soil was achieved on the front board. Bag of sand, poured into 1-gallon Tupperware containers.
Options: In general, “successful note taking” will be based on growth not output or a class wide standard. Completed
notes may be exact copies of the teacher’s or they may be entirely paraphrased by the student. Students will be allowed to
take notes on laptops if needed. If more time is needed, the plan may continue into the final 6 weeks.