Teaching Ideas: Forensic Science
The resulting 38-week course called Forensic Science includes topic studies in blood evidence; fingerprinting; trace physical analysis of hair, soil, and fibers; and documentary evidence. Evans also provides modules on crime reporting and giving evidence; and three of the 38 weeks are dedicated to physical anthropology and forensic archaeology. In 2006, the students conducted a simulated 'crime scene' investigation, under the watchful eye of Evans and Kurt Carr, State Archaeologist from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Bureau of Historical Preservation. Eighty 11th and 12th grade students worked at the 'death scene', where the purposefully placed skeletal remains of two deer carcasses (donated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission) and associated artifacts were mapped, measured and analyzed.As a way to instill excitement for science into her students, MaryPat Evan's course in Forensic Science is enormously successful. Not only are the enrollments high for the new elective, but since she began conducting forensic courses and modules, she's had six students go on to related professions, two into criminal justice, two into forensic science, one into mortuary studies and one into anthropology. Recently, she was kind enough to answer a few questions concerning her successes at integrating archaeology into the classroom.
An Interview with MaryPat Evans
(About.com) Ms. Evans, first, can you tell us a little bit about your career teaching high school and middle school students?(MaryPat Evans) I teach at the Susquehanna Township High School, a medium-sized high school, grades 9-12. We have a mixed ethnic population of about 50% African-American and 50% white students. I teach Science III (General Physical Science), Chemistry, Biology, and Forensic Science. I also teach at the Londonderry School, a private, nonprofit school for pre-school to 8th grade. There I teach physical science, technology, and field studies (a course for 7-8th graders that includes geology, field methods and environmental sciences). At Londonderry I also teach Geographic Information Systems and Digital Image Processing to middle schoolers.
How did you get interested in using archaeology as a teaching tool?
I first got involved with my Londonderry students wanting to do individual research projects in archaeology. This put me in contact with several of Pennsylvania's archaeologists as a resource for the projects. I then got involved in helping as an educator at the City Island Excavation here in Harrisburg.
Do You Need a Previous Background in Archaeology?
Have you ever taken courses or had you been a member of the Archaeological Institute of America or anything like that before preparing to teach archaeological methods or topics?No, everything I have learned I have learned from working with professional archaeologists in Pennsylvania! I have since made presentations at Pennsylvania state archaeology meetings.
Are there topics or ages that don't work well for archaeological data?
I have worked with students as young as 5th grade and they were very interested in the subject. I worked with an art teacher on a project involving experimental archaeology. The art teacher had the students create Native American pottery and we fired the pots using open hearths--with kids helping with the firing. These were 5-6th grade students!
