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Gold Seal Lesson:
Crime Lab
Incorporated
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Copernicus
Education Gateway
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Subject:
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Science
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Grade:
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9-12
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ICLE Standards:
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Physical Science: Understand basic concepts
about the structure and properties of matter
Science as Inquiry: Apply methods of inquiry
needed to conduct research, draw conclusions, communicate and apply findings
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Performance Task:
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Note to the teacher: You may want to have students
work in pairs to complete this task.
On the 10th of last month a wealthy, but possibly corrupt, government
official was murdered. The police investigators have narrowed the suspects to 15 people. A vile containing a
30 ml sample of an unknown liquid was found in the victim's apartment. Similar samples were found in
the homes of the 15 suspects.
As a lab chemist for Crime Lab Inc., you have been given one sample. In
order to protect the innocent, you do not know whether the sample you have is from the victim or from one of
the 15 suspects. Your job is to design a test procedure to identify the ingredients in this sample, test
the sample, and write a deposition or report of findings for the court.
The police lab has done preliminary "field testing" and has
identified seven compounds that may be in your sample. These ingredients are salt, sugar, carbon powder, iron,
sulfur, water, and alcohol. Your sample, to be used as evidence, will contain three or four of these seven
compounds.
Crime Lab Inc. has limited resources and, therefore, you can perform only a
limited number of tests. Your boss wants you to submit an analysis plan in advance for approval. She will
be looking at how effectively you use the limited resources. You need to develop a plan that will get the
job done as economically as possible. Your plan should include the logic you used in designing your
tests, an estimate of time needed to perform each test, and as assignment list of who will perform each test.
The lab has the ability to perform the following tests:
- pH 5. Electrolytes
- Solubility 6. Separation by evaporation
- Magnetic effect 7. Flammability of solids
- Flammability of liquids
After your boss approves your plan, you will have 1 lab day allotted to
this project. You must conduct all the tests necessary within that time or run the risk of being fired.
Crime Lab Inc. will not get paid until you submit a report stating your
findings, along with how you arrived at these findings. You must also justify your findings. You should,
if necessary, include recommendations for further testing.
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Knowledge / Skills:
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Know and apply the principles of scientific
inquiry. (s114)
Exhibit good data management skills by
collecting, organizing, and graphing data.
(s19)
Identify types of energy (e.g., heat, light, and
electricity) and know how to apply measurements of energy (e.g., the
calorie, and thermometry). (s55)
Understand physical/chemical change (e.g.,
change of phase between gases, liquids, and solids). (s57)
Identify the factors affecting the deposition of
particles (e.g., size, shape, density, and velocity) and analyze the
sorting of sediments in a system.
(s89)
Understand the nature and purpose of a variety
of technical formats such as business letters, memos, instructions, policy
statements, technical proposals, user manuals, lab reports, etc. (ela30)
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Rubric:
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4 Points =
The student independently completes all parts of the task. His/her
design includes (1) a plan that will identify all compounds in the sample,
(2) appropriate selection of tests, and (3) good organization and plan of
data collection. The student carries out the necessary tests, following
appropriate lab safety rules and uses appropriate lab techniques.
Unnecessary tests are not performed. The student correctly identifies the
unknowns in his/her solution and makes appropriate conclusions.
Justification of conclusions shows analytical approach to the problem.
3 Points = The student needs some coaching to
complete all parts of the task. He/she has difficulty developing an
appropriate design for the analysis of his/her sample. The student has a
tendency not to be as safe as he/she should be. The student needs coaching
with developing the appropriate techniques. Data does not fall within an
expected range for accuracy. The student needs help in identifying the
unknowns. Justification of conclusions shows some lack of analytical
approach to the problem.
2 Points = Even with coaching, the student is
unable to successfully complete the task. His/her design for the analysis
of the sample is flawed, resulting in some errors in identifying the
compounds in the solution. He/she shows a considerable lack of
understanding of how certain compounds are identified. Data collection and
organization are unsatisfactory. The student is unable to justify his/her
conclusions.
1 Point = The student does not complete the task. He/she is unable to
develop an experimental design to perform the required inquiry. As a
result, the student is unable to identify any of the compounds in his/her
sample. He/she shows no understanding of how compounds are identified.
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Keywords:
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PHYSICS
ENERGY
CHEMISTRY
LAB EXPERIMENTS
SOLUTIONS
STATES OF MATTER
EARTH SCIENCE
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
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Grades:
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Kg [] - 1 [] - 2 [] - 3 [] - 4 [] - 5 [] - 6 [] - 7 [] - 8 [] - 9 [X]
- 10 [X] - 11 [X] - 12 [X]
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ICLE Application:
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D
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© 2000 International
Center for Leadership in Education
1587 Route 146 - Rexford - NY - 12148
518.399.2776 Fax: 518.399.7607
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