Fascinating Forensics

Academic Enrichment Grant   2009-2010 Project Summary

Brook Webb

Fascinating Forensics • Bakersfield, California

Fascinating Forensics is an innovative approach to elementary education that integrates appropriate forensics curriculum into state-adopted, standards-based curriculum. Students will be actively engaged in critical thinking, data analysis, logistics and deductive reasoning skills on a continuous basis. Each content area presents an interesting and intriguing gateway to the study of language arts, grammar, mathematics, science (geology, biology, physics, chemistry, psychology, etc.), and social studies/history. For example, report writing will enhance the writing process by motivating students to create reports that reflect each lesson from the beginning of the assignment “cold case” to the end of the assignment “closed case.” The focus on the judicial branch of government will provide students information about how all three branches of government work together to create, implement and enforce the law. Interview techniques provide an application to teach communication and memory skills. The physical evidence lessons are based on teaching the sciences and social studies in a nontraditional format. The program will revolutionize the way students feel about learning by making them the investigators of their own educational experiences.