- Performance Task
- Created by Maggie O'Brien
- 15 Student Check-ins
- 6 Products
Regional law enforcement and the District Attorney's Office have just created a new forensic science department. Within this department there will be an accident scene investigation unit. This department will be funded through taxpayer dollars and as such the community is very interested in the benefits that this department can provide to the community. Working with a reporter from the local newspaper, you will need to develop a variety of resources that can help educate the public regarding forensic science.
- How do police officers in the traffic bureau utilize technology like computer aided design (CAD) software in their work?
- Provide an example of how people in this job utilize mathematical formulas.
- How do police officers in the traffic bureau utilize technology like computer aided design (CAD) software in their work?
- How do officers in this line of work need to use problem solving and critical thinking to do their jobs?
- How do officers in this line of work need to use problem solving and critical thinking to do their jobs?
- What does a traffic accident reconstructionist do within the police department?
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Big Idea
- Relations and functions are mathematical relationships that can be represented and analyzed using words, tables, graphs, and equations.
- An object's motion is the result of all forces acting on it.
Essential Questions
- How do you translate given situations into math expressions and equations and formulas and use these to solve problems?
- What causes objects to move?
G.R.A.S.P.
Your goal is to develop a series of informational pieces for local law enforcement and the newspaper related to the Forensics Department. In particular your focus will be on the automobile accident investigation unit, being created as a collaborative effort between local law enforcement and the District Attorney's Office.
Role
You are a law enforcement officer who has been hired by the District Attorney's Office to set-up an accident scene investigation unit. Your office has lost many cases because of the poor quality of accident scene investigations conducted by law enforcement. The community has also become concerned as a result of the many high profile cases that your office has lost. You will also be working with a reporter for the local newspaper and have been asked to develop a series of informational pieces to be shared with the public through the various media resources owned and operated by the newspaper.
Audience
Your audience will be local law enforcement needing to learn proper accident scene investigation techniques through the utilization of math and science concepts.
Additionally, the audience for these informational pieces will be the citizens of the region in which the new forensics department will operate. These people are very interested in learning more about the forensics department and the value it has for the community.
Situation
Regional law enforcement and the District Attorney's Office have just created a new forensic science department. Within this department there will be an accident scene investigation unit. This department will be funded through taxpayer dollars and as such the community is very interested in the benefits that this department can provide to the community. Working with a reporter from the local newspaper, you will need to develop a variety of resources that can help educate the public regarding forensic science.
Additionally, you will need to create an accident scene investigation report. This report will require you to educate the law enforcement officials on the importance of math and science concepts utilized with the report. These concepts will be very important when cases go before a judge. The District Attorney's Office believes that through the use of science and math they can be much more successful prosecuting negligent drivers who may have caused an accident.
The following websites may be helpful as you embark on this task:
Accident Scene Report
The current accident scene investigation form used by law enforcement has been heavily criticized for its lack of math and science concepts. This form has resulted in the District Attorney's Office losing many cases. The new form must rely heavily on math and science to strengthen the evidence gathered. It should help remove doubt and personal bias from those reading and presenting the final report.
You should create a completed sample so the audience understands exactly what is required. You may want to utilize the ideas you used for your demonstration to create a "sample" accident. Following are the three steps in order to complete and Accident Scene Investigation form:
Narrative: The form should have an introduction that provides an overview of the automobile accident scene. You will need to develop this section based upon important information you believe should be included. Some considerations may include: the time of day, vehicles involved (be specific), the road conditions and the type of road, speed limit, and other factors you believe to be important.
In addition to creating directions for a narrative, you will actually create a sample Narrative that is a summary of an accident. This narrative may include some of the considerations above. The following is an example of a Narrative that you can reference as you create your original Narrative.
ACCIDENT SCENE REPORT SAMPLEAccident Scene Information: This section should further expand upon the details of the Narratives and be used to create the scale drawing. This section of the form should be concise and provide critical information using math and science concepts. As part of this section you may want to provide law enforcement with the math and science formulas that they will need to use to find answers to questions relating to the accident. What formulas would you suggest and why should law enforcement use these formulas? Below are some ideas for your consideration:
- Determination of Post Collision Speed
- Force of Impact
- Velocity
- Forces Impacting People Involved
In addition, complete the form based upon the scenario you have created within your narrative. Be sure that all of the critical information is present. This should allow you to make an informed decision related to who may have been at fault for the accident.
Narrative Conclusion: You will need to create this section so that the investigating officer can make an informed decision relating to the cause of the accident. Within this section, provide the officers with an opportunity to make this informed decision through the information gathered and the use of math and science concepts. Some areas to consider may include:
- Passenger Information
- Weather & Road Conditions
- Vehicle Weights Taken At Scene
- Test Skids and Drag Factor
- Occupant Information
- Standard Auto Statistics Crush Evaluation
With all of the information you have developed, briefly conclude who was to blame supported by the diagram and Accident Scene Report form. Discuss why this information may be more important than eyewitness testimony.
Scale Drawing
It is recommended that this product be completed after the Accident Scene Report product.
Within the accident scene investigation form used by law enforcement, there needs to be a section where law enforcement can create a detailed scale drawing of the scene. Their accuracy and attention to detail will be critical. Within the form you develop, create a section where the drawing can be done and provide instructions and reminders of what should be considered within the drawing. This drawing will be a valuable part of the evidence and should the accident be criminal, the District Attorney will use this drawing in court.
In addition to creating a space on the form with directions for a scale drawing, you will want to create an example of a scale drawing based upon the parameters within the Narrative and Accident Scene Information in the Accident Scene Report product. Be sure to include appropriate measurements and angles, as well as the point of impact. Remember, the example scale drawing should be based upon the descriptions you created in the accident scene report product.
Demonstration
Many of the law enforcement officials and community members are skeptical of the importance of math and science in accident scene investigation. The District Attorney has asked you to construct a demonstration of an accident scene and the follow-up work necessary to determine what actually happened.
Create a demonstration of an accident and explain to the audience (the audience will vary as you will be doing this demonstration for many different groups) how the investigation will be conducted. Share with audience what law enforcement looks for at the scene and how they gather their evidence through the use of math and science concepts. (For an example of math used in accident investigations, see this website: Math in Accident Scene Investigation
You may want to take the audience through the new accident scene report form that you have created. Be sure that during your presentation persuades the audience showing the importance of your new investigation tactics and report form.
Newscast
Create a 1:30 -2:30 minute news report that shares the importance of the new collaborative effort between regional law enforcement and the District Attorney's Office. The local television station has asked you to do a special report during their newscast sharing information relating to the accident scene investigation team and how they do their job. Please be sure that your report utilizes media and visual resources. Sharing with the general public the importance of math and science concepts will be beneficial in gaining their support for this taxpayer funded initiative.
Webpage
Create a webpage that can be accessed from the newspaper's home page. This webpage should feature the various science and math connections that accident scene investigators rely on to determine what has happened. Analyze data to support the laws of motion and the mathematical relationship among the net force of an object, its mass, and acceleration. Be sure that your web page is user-friendly using diagrams, charts, media, and visual resources to complement the written word.
Newspaper Article
The Sunday newspaper has a feature that is very popular with the citizens of your community. The editors have asked you to create a feature related to your work on crime accident scene investigation. Construct a newspaper article that provides the community with a general understanding of the benefits that a forensic science unit brings to the community. Please be sure to include how the evidence gathered can be used in a court of law to strengthen a case. The article should be between 400-500 words and should discuss the importance of the unit in terms of math and science.
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Defined Learning Videos
Runtime: 2:16
Runtime: 4:02
Defined Learning Resources
Eyewitnesses are not as reliable as one might believe.
Source: ScienceDaily. Author: Lund University (2011, January 25).How to determine speed in an accident scene investigation.
Source: Sciencing. Author: Ashley, B. (2017, August 7).The science of why eyewitness testimony is often wrong.
Source: ARS Technica. Author: Timmer, J. (2017, July 25).Eyewitness testimony and memory biases.
Source: R. Biswas-Diener & E. Diener (Eds), Noba textbook series: Psychology. Champaign, IL: DEF publishers. DOI:nobaproject.com Author: Laney, C. & Loftus, E. F. (2019).Eyewitness testimony is unreliable….or is it?
Source: The Marshall Project. Author: Ryan, B. (2015, October 30).Online submission requires login. Log In
Process Video
Design Process
Brainstorm Ideas
It's time to think about product development. You will begin with ideation, which is the start of the creative process. During the ideation phase, you will brainstorm with your group about all the potential ways you could approach this product. Remember, the more creative and innovative your ideas are at this stage, the better! Your group will need to check and make sure that each of your initial ideas are meeting the requirements related to the goal, audience and product description. What are the directions or criteria that need to be followed? Who is your audience and what will they need from this product?
Analyze & Decide
As you discuss the possibilities during your brainstorming, you will narrow the ideas down to those that seem like they would best solve the problem or address the challenge. Once you have narrowed down to two or three ideas, grab some paper and a pencil and make an outline or sketch a plan for each one. What will the product need to include? How will you best use the information that you found in your research to create it? What would the product look like based upon each idea?
After outlining your product ideas. Discuss with your group and decide on ONE that you would like to move forward with. When you have selected one idea, you will move on to the creation phase, keeping in mind that you may go through several rounds of creation and revision before you are ready to present.
Create & Revise
It is possible that while you are creating the first version of your product, you will develop more questions that need to be answered before you can continue. If so, you may need to do additional research. Reflect on how any new information affects your product and make revisions as needed.
Your group should also be looking at the rubric during the creation phase. Here, you can practice thinking critically and collaborating with your peers to understand what needs to be included in your product. Then, you should reflect on whether or not your initial work meets those criteria. If you realize that it does not, you may need to go back and make additional revisions.
As you work through the process of creating and revising your product, communication with your teacher and classmates will be very valuable. Asking for help and discussing your product with others can help you clarify whether or not your product meets the goal of the task and is appropriate for the audience.
Remember, creating this product is a fun opportunity to apply what you have learned about important topics in a more creative and independent way.
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Brainstorming: Based on your group's analysis of the research, brainstorm potential solutions, designs, and recommendations
Enter your brainstorming ideas below.
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Analyze/Decide: Based on your group's brainstorming - decide on the best ways to move forward and create a product that meets the needs of the target audience and addresses the goal of the task.
Write below what you or your team have decided to create.
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Accident Scene Report
The current accident scene investigation form used by law enforcement has been heavily criticized for its lack of math and science concepts. This form has resulted in the District Attorney's Office losing many cases. The new form must rely heavily on math and science to strengthen the evidence gathered. It should help remove doubt and personal bias from those reading and presenting the final report.
You should create a completed sample so the audience understands exactly what is required. You may want to utilize the ideas you used for your demonstration to create a "sample" accident. Following are the three steps in order to complete and Accident Scene Investigation form:
Narrative: The form should have an introduction that provides an overview of the automobile accident scene. You will need to develop this section based upon important information you believe should be included. Some considerations may include: the time of day, vehicles involved (be specific), the road conditions and the type of road, speed limit, and other factors you believe to be important.
In addition to creating directions for a narrative, you will actually create a sample Narrative that is a summary of an accident. This narrative may include some of the considerations above. The following is an example of a Narrative that you can reference as you create your original Narrative.
ACCIDENT SCENE REPORT SAMPLEAccident Scene Information: This section should further expand upon the details of the Narratives and be used to create the scale drawing. This section of the form should be concise and provide critical information using math and science concepts. As part of this section you may want to provide law enforcement with the math and science formulas that they will need to use to find answers to questions relating to the accident. What formulas would you suggest and why should law enforcement use these formulas? Below are some ideas for your consideration:
- Determination of Post Collision Speed
- Force of Impact
- Velocity
- Forces Impacting People Involved
In addition, complete the form based upon the scenario you have created within your narrative. Be sure that all of the critical information is present. This should allow you to make an informed decision related to who may have been at fault for the accident.
Narrative Conclusion: You will need to create this section so that the investigating officer can make an informed decision relating to the cause of the accident. Within this section, provide the officers with an opportunity to make this informed decision through the information gathered and the use of math and science concepts. Some areas to consider may include:
- Passenger Information
- Weather & Road Conditions
- Vehicle Weights Taken At Scene
- Test Skids and Drag Factor
- Occupant Information
- Standard Auto Statistics Crush Evaluation
With all of the information you have developed, briefly conclude who was to blame supported by the diagram and Accident Scene Report form. Discuss why this information may be more important than eyewitness testimony.
Online submission requires login. Log In
Scale Drawing
It is recommended that this product be completed after the Accident Scene Report product.
Within the accident scene investigation form used by law enforcement, there needs to be a section where law enforcement can create a detailed scale drawing of the scene. Their accuracy and attention to detail will be critical. Within the form you develop, create a section where the drawing can be done and provide instructions and reminders of what should be considered within the drawing. This drawing will be a valuable part of the evidence and should the accident be criminal, the District Attorney will use this drawing in court.
In addition to creating a space on the form with directions for a scale drawing, you will want to create an example of a scale drawing based upon the parameters within the Narrative and Accident Scene Information in the Accident Scene Report product. Be sure to include appropriate measurements and angles, as well as the point of impact. Remember, the example scale drawing should be based upon the descriptions you created in the accident scene report product.
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Demonstration
Many of the law enforcement officials and community members are skeptical of the importance of math and science in accident scene investigation. The District Attorney has asked you to construct a demonstration of an accident scene and the follow-up work necessary to determine what actually happened.
Create a demonstration of an accident and explain to the audience (the audience will vary as you will be doing this demonstration for many different groups) how the investigation will be conducted. Share with audience what law enforcement looks for at the scene and how they gather their evidence through the use of math and science concepts. (For an example of math used in accident investigations, see this website: Math in Accident Scene Investigation
You may want to take the audience through the new accident scene report form that you have created. Be sure that during your presentation persuades the audience showing the importance of your new investigation tactics and report form.
Online submission requires login. Log In
Newscast
Create a 1:30 -2:30 minute news report that shares the importance of the new collaborative effort between regional law enforcement and the District Attorney's Office. The local television station has asked you to do a special report during their newscast sharing information relating to the accident scene investigation team and how they do their job. Please be sure that your report utilizes media and visual resources. Sharing with the general public the importance of math and science concepts will be beneficial in gaining their support for this taxpayer funded initiative.
Online submission requires login. Log In
Webpage
Create a webpage that can be accessed from the newspaper's home page. This webpage should feature the various science and math connections that accident scene investigators rely on to determine what has happened. Analyze data to support the laws of motion and the mathematical relationship among the net force of an object, its mass, and acceleration. Be sure that your web page is user-friendly using diagrams, charts, media, and visual resources to complement the written word.
Online submission requires login. Log In
Newspaper Article
The Sunday newspaper has a feature that is very popular with the citizens of your community. The editors have asked you to create a feature related to your work on crime accident scene investigation. Construct a newspaper article that provides the community with a general understanding of the benefits that a forensic science unit brings to the community. Please be sure to include how the evidence gathered can be used in a court of law to strengthen a case. The article should be between 400-500 words and should discuss the importance of the unit in terms of math and science.
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Performance Tasks
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Grade: 8The district attorney's office and regional law enforcement are teaming up to create a crime scene investigation unit. The purpose of this new unit will be to gather evidence in a more scientific manner, and to provide more valuable evidence to the district attorney's office in order to help them convict criminals. For this unit to be successful, the investigators will need to understand the scientific background of evidence-gathering, as well as the appropriate tools to help them gather the evidence. Additionally, they will need to understand how the evidence gathered is typically used in a criminal trial.
Literacy Tasks
How valuable are eyewitness accounts of accidents and crimes?
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