Forensics on a Shoestring Budget

In recent years, forensic science has gained popularity thanks in part to high-profile court cases and television programs. Although the cost of forensic equipment and supplies may initially seem too expensive for the typical high school classroom, the author developed an activity that incorporates forensics into her 10th-grade biology curriculum while staying within budget. The activity involves estimating a time of death based on fictitious police and medical examiner reports. Students review the documented evidence of a crime and compare it to known forensic information. This activity requires no elaborate equipment or supplies and students were challenged to apply their knowledge using inquiry.