Increasing Student Engagement and Enthusiasm: A Projectile Motion Crime Scene

Connecting physics concepts with real‐world events allows students to establish a strong conceptual foundation. When such events are particularly interesting to students, it can greatly impact their engagement and enthusiasm in an activity. Activities that involve studying real‐world events of high interest can provide students a long‐lasting understanding and positive memorable experiences, both of which heighten the learning experiences of those students. One such activity, described in depth in this paper, utilizes a murder mystery and crime scene investigation as an application of basic projectile motion.