Science+&+The+Courts

Wiki for Unit on Science & The Courts


 * TASK**:


 * Students will work in small groups to produce a collaborative wiki space that illustrate an understanding of topics discussed in the unit, how to research court cases, and explain how science applies to the American justice system in the past and present. The wiki space should incorporate the use of at least three technology strategies that you have learned during the technology program. **

= Day 1 (July 19, 2010) Objectives: = 1. Define Evolution in their own words 2. Evaluate social, cultural, and political events of the early 1900s
 * // Students will be Able to //** :

Day One Link

Opener

1. The objective of the video is to show the theory of evolution from the tim euntil life began until present day.

2. Question(s) I have:

- Did a metor really distroy all life on earth in the age of the dinosaur.

3. An image realted to the video we watched:





I belive that the 1920's seemed like both a bad tim e as well as a good time in American History. Some things that make me belive that it was a bad time was the fact that the KKK a white supremicy was around and flourishing around the country. It was also a period of good because this is the time when women were given the right to vote.

Early 1900's Timeline

Summerizing Activity -

1. Identify parallels between this topic and conflicts/events that are going on today. - Some 1920's issues that are somewhat going on even in present day is the Stock Market Crashing in 1929. Just recently our economy has become extremly critical. It is not at the point where it caused a Great Depression but this was almost the case in 2008 until 2009.

2. Make an argument for or against the theory of Evolution supporting your argument. - I am for the Theroy of Evolution because of all the evidence that has been found such as fossils and homologus stuctures and vestigical structures. Organisms today even though there are so many different varities of species we all do have a common ancestor. I think of evolution as a tree somewhat of what Darwin thought of his theory.

= Day 2 (July 20, 2010) Objectives: = 1. Explain the controversy of teaching evolution in schools 2. Identify the different views about teaching evolution in schools 3. Evaluate the impact of the Scopes trial in America
 * // Students will be Able to //** :

I See it Means Chart on Evolution Cartoon

1. What was the message of this cartoon clip? - The idea of Creationism and Evolution are two VERY different ideas and there is a huge controversy between the two. - Not many people are able to decide between the two ideas.
 * Activity One **

2. Do you think something like this could actually happen? - Yes, I do belive that something like this could actually happen, however, the chance may not me very large consdiering that there are many different religions that have different ideas on how life was created. I believe that this is why we only have the idea of evoltution because if you teach one version of a religion then there would be an enormous government issue nationwide.

**Activity Two A**

**Activity Two B** Summerizing Activity



My GLog about the Scopes Trial



Day Three (July 21, 2010) - Objectives
//Students will be able to:// Explain how their Glog/Slide represents the signifcance of events that occurred during the Scopes Trial Identify and explain the connection between science and the justice system in today's world

- In **10** words or less summarize the Scopes Trial
 * Activity One **

- Find/Create a visual that best symbolizes the trial

==Activity Two == Look at the following website: CSI: The Experience

Play one of the games below...where you get to be a CSI (Crime Scene Investigator). You will explore how scientific data is collected as evidence and brought to court.
 * DIrections:**

In Case One, students learn DNA analyses, toxicology techniques, and ballistic examinations, perform a virtual autopsy, and are introduced to CSI ethics.
 * Case One:** Rookie Training #|Learn more


 * **Target audience:** Middle and high school
 * **Game format:** One training course
 * **Duration:** 45 minutes
 * **Game play difficulty:** Intermediate - Players have some freedom in their decision to move around to different locations in the game, engage in activities, and collect tools and clues, but specific instructions and restrictions keep them on the right path. Hints on what to do next are available, but optional.
 * CSI: The Experience website

In Case Two, students investigate the case of a murder at a local dog show. During their investigation, they learn the differences in analyses of nuclear DNA and mtDNA, perform toxicology testing, and analyze indented handwriting, fingerprins, bitemarks, and hair.
 * Case Two:** Canine Caper #|Learn more


 * **Target audience:** Middle and high school
 * **Game format:** One independent case
 * **Duration:** 1 hour
 * **Game play difficulty:** Exploratory - Players can freely move around different locations in the game, and they can engage in activities and collect tools and clues in any order. Hints on what to do next are available, but optional.
 * CSI: The Experience website

In Case Three, students investigate the case of a dead body found in a burned-out car. They will perform shoeprint analyses, DNA comparison, fingerprint analyses, facial reconstruction, tool mark comparisons, and digital forensics.
 * Case Three:** Burning Star #|Learn more
 * **Target audience:** Middle and high school
 * **Game format:** One independent case
 * **Duration:** 1 hour
 * **Game play difficulty:** Exploratory - Players can freely move around different locations in the game, and they can engage in activities and collect tools and clues in any order. Hints on what to do next are available, but optional.
 * CSI: The Experience website


 * [[image:dnainfo:dnaintro.gif width="301" height="373" caption="DNA Molecule: Click Picture to Review its Structure" link="@dnainfo:What is DNA? "]] ||
 * DNA Molecule: Click Picture to Review its Structure ||

==Activity Three ==

NOVA: NOVA - Science in the Courtroom, DNA Fingerprinting

Read through this interview with Justice Chernoff and then navigate through the links at the bottom of the page to look at various ways that DNA and science have been applied in the American Justice system today. As you look through the links, start to think about an aspect of how science and the courts interact in which you are interested. Make note of what interests you, and explain it is of interest to you.

Look at the list of people whose convictions were cleared through the use of DNA evidence. Look up a couple of these names and see if you can find the back story and the trial.

How does what you learned in the CSI interactive activity compare with what you see on NOVA's site? What are some of the different methods for using science to further the cause of justice?

Closing Activity
For the end of today's session, and for most of tomorrow's session you're going to be helping us create wikispace pages which will be used by the Malden High School Social Studies and Science departments.

Click on the link on the left side of the page (Navigation Bar) called "Research Activity - Science in the Courts"

Read those instructions, and by the end of today's session you should:

a) Choose groups in which to work b) Create and title a new wikispaces page for your project c) Begin your research by splitting up the work amongst your group

**Day Four (July 22, 2010)**

= Topic for Group Wiki: Science in Court Cases =

=Science and the Justice System Today=
 * Today you will continue to work in your groups on the collaborative wikispace you began yesterday at the end of the session.

Research Project:
· You're going to be helping us create wikispace pages which will be used by the Malden High School Social Studies Department · Your goal is to demonstrate how science and the justice system interact · Each member of the group will become an expert on a selected area of interest that you want displayed in your collaborative wiki. · The “wikis” should include the various topics and activities completed in our work in this session · These wikispaces should include a case which is important to illustrating how science impacted United States Society · Below are some links where you can gain some insightful information that will help you research:

[] - Lots of links to cases and government agencies which deal with both science and the Justice System.

[] - List of people who have been cleared of criminal charges because of DNA evidence. Use these names as a starting point to your research, perhaps looking up the details of some of these court proceedings.

[] - Story about a court case in Dover, PA where there was a lawsuit regarding the teaching of evolution in public schools...in 2005!

[] The first case involving Evolution to //reach the Supreme Court//: //Epperson v. Arkansas//: It's Illegal to Ban Evolution, How About Intelligent Design?

[] A website exploring other Evolution Court Cases.

Guiding Questions -How did Science influence this court case?

-How did this court case influence society as a whole?

-How did the science in this case impact the way the people and the government interact?

-Has the case been resolved or will there be further action in the courts?

Here's a list of technology strategies you've used so far this summer which would work well to make your products more interactive:
 * 1) Voice Thread
 * 2) Wordle ✔
 * 3) Inspiration
 * 4) Snipping Tool ✔
 * 5) Piratepad ✔
 * 6) Slide ✔
 * 7) Glogster ✔
 * 8) Sticky notes ✔
 * 9) Impeding videos and podcasts ✔