Overview
Starting with crime scene analysis and encompassing fingerprinting, ballistics, blood spatter analysis, and autopsy, our QM certified Forensics lab kit and digital curriculum present clear and concise exercises that will allow students to understand the key role of forensic investigators. A combination of virtual and hands-on activities reinforces the key analyses performed by forensic investigators. The SI Forensics kit was designed to provide students and faculty with improved digital learning resources to further increase student learning outcomes, as well as improve the overall student experience.
Course Level
Our forensics course is designed for non-majors students taking forensics as an elective, although our kits have also been used for forensics and criminology courses for majors as well. These courses may be found in a school of science, but are more frequently found in a school of Criminal Justice.
Standard Kits
| Kit | Notes |
|---|---|
| Standard SI Kits | |
| Standard Kit Option 1 |
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| Additional Options | |
| Physical Microscope |
|
Lesson Library
The list below is an overview of our Forensics lesson library. For a full list of all lessons, including all versions (e.g., digital options, v-scope/slide options) of individual lessons, and the lesson SKUs, please visit the Lesson SKUs by Discipline page.
| Lesson Name | Notes |
|---|---|
| Analysis of Soils |
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| Autopsy |
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| Blood Analysis |
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| DNA |
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| Documenting Crime Scenes and Evidence |
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| Fiber and Hair |
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| Fingerprinting |
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| Fire Investigation and Explosives |
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| Firearms |
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| Forensic Anthropology |
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| Fractography and Glass |
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| Impression Evidence |
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| Introduction to Microscopy - Forensics |
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| Questioned Documents |
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| Trace Evidence |
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| Toxicology |
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- Quality Matters Certified!
- The SI Forensics suite is Quality Matters certified. Click here to access the official certificate.
- Interactive Introductory Content
- Every lab incorporates at least one interactive (animation, summary image, interactive activity, etc.) in the Exploration to increase student engagement with the curriculum.
- These are designed to blend seamlessly into the curriculum and are always called out ahead of time in the paragraph prior with directions as to how to interact with the item.
- Microscope
- Microscopy is included in three lessons. Clients have the option to select from using the V-Scope or a physical microscope. The v-scope option is used in all of the standard kits.
- Digital Experiments
- There are currently 5 fully digital lessons available for Forensics, with new lessons in development. A comprehensive list of digital lessons can be found in the FAQ section.
- Additionally, several lessons include a mix of both hands-on and digital activities.
- Real World Application
- Forensics courses focus on the application of scientific principles to real life scenarios. The SI Forensics kit is designed to mimic this focus.
- Many experiments are designed to focus on a crime scene scenario, where students need to apply the techniques learned to determine how a crime was committed or who committed a crime.
- Virtual Autopsy
- The Autopsy lesson includes a real-life forensic autopsy.
- Students have the opportunity to view how an autopsy is performed and experience the unique steps that guide a pathologist to identify cause of death. Students will then be tasked with identifying a cause and manner of death for the victim.
- Set-Up Videos
- Set-up videos are incorporated into experiments to guide students through complicated techniques or orient students to utilizing various assets.
- Safety
- An updated safety overview is required in all courses, and includes a safety video, safety contract, and all relevant information for students ahead of beginning their experiments.
Great Labs to Demo
- Fingerprinting
- In the Fingerprinting lesson, students learn how fingerprints are formed and the different methods of analyzing fingerprints.
- In the first experiment, students use a hand lens to analyze the details of unique fingerprints and classify them based on the type of print patterns.
- In the second experiment, students learn different methods for revealing latent fingerprints. Students first dust for fingerprints with fingerprint powder. They then use chemical development methods to develop a latent fingerprint. Students then learn the proper technique to lift these fingerprints.
- In the third experiment, students perform fingerprint rolling on two volunteers to identify a latent print.
- Supplies include fingerprint cards, fingerprint powder, a fingerprint brush, lift tape, and cyanoacrylate glue.
- The experiments in this lesson are essential for learning how to dust and lift fingerprints, and how to identify a person using a fingerprint.
- Blood
- This lesson covers how bloodstain patterns are formed, as well as the role of blood typing in forensic analysis.
- In the first experiment, students analyze how angle of impact, height, and force impact the shape of blood droplets.
- In the second experiment, students perform a blood typing analysis to determine their own blood type.
- Students receive lancets, blood typing sera and trays, and spatter blood, among other items.
- The various analyses of blood can help forensic experts to rule in or out suspects, determine whether blood at a crime scene belongs to a victim, or determine how a person was attacked at a crime scene based on spatter patterns.
- Documenting Crime Scenes and Evidence
- A fundamental laboratory covering how crime scenes are secured, photographed, and documented.
- The experiment is a combination of a virtual crime scene, which students draw and document, as well as physical pieces of evidence that students collected and document chain of custody on.
- Students receive a "murder weapon" (a screwdriver) which they need to process as evidence.
- The processing of evidence and documentation of crime scenes is a fundamental concept that should provide the foundation of all forensic courses.
Other good labs to demo:
- Autopsy - This lab includes the virtual autopsy experiment, which is an incredible digital activity. *Warning* This lab includes graphic video footage of a real autopsy. Be aware of this prior to doing a demo and recommend also discussing with the instructor. Warnings are also included for the student.
- DNA - This lab teaches students the fundamentals of DNA analysis. The hands-on experiments include a DNA extraction and gel electrophoresis experiment.
Labs Not To Demo
- Introduction to Microscopy - Forensics - This lab is a v-scope only lesson.
- Firearms - Great content, but the materials for this lesson are very basic (tape measure, string, etc.).
- Forensic Anthropology - Great content, but materials for this lesson are very basic.
- Cloud is WCAG 2.1 compliant.
- All videos are closed captioned.
- All images include Alt Tags.
- Interactives, including digital experiments, are all designed to be screen reader compatible.
- Carolina
- Lessons
- 14 total lessons listed on website (5 digital labs or dry labs)
- Lessons are largely pulled from other Carolina disciplines (primarily A&P and biology).
- Many duplicate topics. For example, of the 14 lessons, four are different versions of a blood typing lesson.
- Additionally, some topics are not relevant to Forensics (e.g., fetal pig dissection, organ systems and terminology).
- Standard Kits
- Carolina does not offer any standard Forensics kits.
- Competitive Information
- Content Relevance - Much of the Carolina Forensics content is pulled from other disciplines (A&P, biology). Based on a review of the content, the curriculum has not been updated to reflect a Forensic approach, it's the same labs that would be offered to students in biology, A&P, etc.
- Concept Coverage - Carolina's Forensics content covers 9 unique concepts, two of which are not relevant to a Forensic course. The SI Forensics content covers 16 unique concepts.
- Content Delivery - Carolina launched their pltaform in Summer of 2023. Forensics is likely to launch in Spring 2024. See the Carolina Distance Learning cheat sheet for more details. Content continues to be offered via PDF as well.
- Content - Carolina offers limited introductory content and experimental support. The introductory content is majority text, very few images, and no interactives. Their experiments do not include set-up images, an have very few support videos, leaving students to guess how to set up their experiments correctly. Small number of assessments with no ability to customize.
- Microscopy - Carolina does offer microscopy as a part of their Forensics curriculum. However, it is only an introductory lesson on microscopy. Our curriculum offers multiple lessons where students can use the microscopy techniques they've learned.
- Lessons
- Labster
- Labster does not offer any forensics content on their platform currently.
- McGraw Hill
- McGraw Hill does not offer any forensics content on their platform currently.
- Pearson Mastering
- Pearson does not offer any forensics content on their platform currently.
Is this kit Quality Matters certified?
- Yes! Forensics was QM certified in Feb. 2023. It will retain this certification for three years. Click here to access the official certificate.
Do you have a microscope option?
- Microscope or V-Scope options are available. Three total lessons have microscopy options. Students prepare most slides that would be used with a microscope.
What level course is this for?
- This course can be used for non-majors, elective forensics courses, as well as for majors-based criminal justice courses.
What type of blood/ blood typing experiments do you provide?
- Students are provided with spatter blood to look at how angle of impact, height, etc. impact blood spatter patterns. Students also perform blood typing with their own blood.
Do you offer digital experiments?
- Yes, we currently have 5 digital lessons available for Forensics, with more in development. Some digital lessons have hands-on equivalents. Note that some lessons include a mix of hands-on and digital activities as well.
| Digital Lesson Name | Hands-On Equivalent |
|---|---|
| Autopsy | N/A |
| Blood Analysis - Digital | Blood Analysis |
| Introduction to Microscopy - Forensics (V-Scope) | N/A |
| Toxicology - Digital | Toxicology |
| DNA - Digital | DNA |
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