The Case of the Mixed-Up Data Teacher Information

Transcription

1 The Case of the Mixed-Up Data Teacher Information Summary: In this lab, the class must help Kaylee, a student who has been collecting data on her computer, by taking statements from other students suspected of theft. Because Kaylee mistakenly hit a wrong key and scrambled all the data, your class must help organize the facts in the order in which they occurred. Objectives: Students will develop necessary abilities to conduct scientific inquiry. Students will use data to construct a reasonable explanation. Background Information: It is extremely important to have organized evidence when solving a crime. Details regarding specific times and places and where an event occurred are essential to a criminal case. During trials, lawyers carefully question witnesses about their memory of events. Since several months may pass before a case is brought to trial, some witnesses may forget specific details. This is why police interview witnesses immediately following a crime. Each piece of information that a witness gives is documented for future use. Materials Needed: 1. Scissors 2. Clear tape 3. Plain white paper.

2 Mixed-Up Data Student Information Sheet The Crime: Mrs. Smith s valuable stamp collection was recently stolen from school. Two suspects, Henry and Bob, were accused of committing the crime. Because the stamp collection was found and returned to Mrs. Smith, she decided not to press any charges. However, to teach a lesson to all students, Mr. Piepkow, the principal, felt that a school trial should be held. A trial date was set and students were given such roles as defense attorney, prosecuting attorney, judge, and jury. Kaylee was to take statements from those involved in the theft. She used her computer to record the statements. Unfortunately, on the morning of the trial, Kaylee made a huge mistake. She hit the wrong key on her computer, and all of the data got mixed up. She has to get the facts straight before the trial starts, and she has only one hour to do it. Your job is to help Kaylee put the facts in order. If you do not help her, everyone s hard work will be lost, and Henry and Bob will be declared innocent due to lack of evidence. Procedure: 1. Use scissors to cut apart each of the 25 pieces of information on the Mixed-Up Data Worksheet. 2. Read each clue, and then arrange them in a logical order. Sequencing is very important in solving this case. 3. Once you determine the order in which the events occurred, tape the clues in the correct order from the top to the bottom of the white paper and number them.

3 Mixed-Up Data Worksheet The bell rings and school is dismissed at 3:10 p.m. Mrs. Roberts locks the classroom door. Mrs. Roberts turns off the lights in the classroom. Mrs. Smith checks in at 7:45 a.m. on March 14. Mrs. Roberts walks across the hall to Mr. Kubiak s class to see if he has a key that she can use to lock the door. On the afternoon of March 15, Henry, Bob, their parents, the principal and Mrs. Smith have a meeting about the stamp collection theft. Mrs. Smith arrives at school on March 14 at approximately 7:37 a.m. Mrs. Roberts comes back to Mrs. Smith s room with the door key and notices that Henry and Bob are gone. Mrs. Smith enters her room, opens her filing cabinet drawer, and notices that her stamp collection is missing. Mrs. Smith parks her car in space 56 on March 15 at approximately 7:25 a.m. Henry and Bob stay after school on March 14 to help Mrs. Roberts clean up. Henry and Bob are called to the principal s office at 9:00 a.m. on March 15. Mrs. Roberts clocks out for the day at 3:45 p.m.

4 Mrs. Smith clocks in at 7:45 a.m. on March 14. Mrs. Roberts clocks in on March 14 at 12:10 p.m. Mr. Kubiak opens Mrs. Smith s classroom with his key five minutes before the students return from lunch. Mrs. Smith begins to feel very nauseated this morning. Mr. Piepkow, the principal, calls Mrs. Roberts to ask if she can come in immediately to substitute for Mrs. Smith. Mrs. Roberts teaches Mrs. Smith s last two history classes of the day. Mr. Kubiak is not in his room when Mrs. Roberts peeks in his classroom to look for a key. The principal finds Mrs. Smith s stamp collection in the gym locker room. It was found in a locker that Henry and Bob share. Mrs. Roberts was happy to see the classroom door was already unlocked for her after lunch. A little before noon, Mrs. Smith tells the principal, Mr. Piepkow, that she is sick and needs to go home. Mrs. Roberts walks to the principal s office and gets a key to the room. Mrs. Roberts reviews Mrs. Smith s lesson plans.

5 Questions 1) Explain in detail why it is important to have information about a crime organized in logical order. 2) How many days did the information in this investigation cover? How do you know? 3) Would organizing this information have been more difficult if some times and dates had not been given? Explain your answer. 4) Name two possible times on March 14 when the stamp collection could have been stolen. 5) If you were the jury reading this information after it was organized, would you think Henry and Bob were innocent or guilty? Write a conclusion to the story in which you describe who you think committed the crime and why. If you think it was Henry and Bob, specify which data helped you make that decision.

6 Answers 1. Since some criminal cases are not brought to trial for several months, witnesses may forget important details. Documenting this information allows it to be used as evidence later in trials days 3. Yes. You would not be able to tell how many days these events covered. 4. (1) After school on March 14 when Henry and Bob were cleaning the room, and (2) when Mr. Kubiak opened Mrs. Smith s classroom 5 minutes before students returned from lunch on March Answers will vary.

7 Logical Order for Mixed-Up Data Worksheet 1. Mrs. Smith arrives at school on March 14 at approximately 7:37 a.m. 2. Mrs. Smith checks in at 7:45 a.m. on March Mrs. Smith begins to feel very nauseated this morning. 4. A little before noon Mrs. Smith tells the principal, Mr. Piepkow, that she is sick and needs to go home. 5. Mr. Piepkow, the principal, calls Mrs. Roberts to ask if she can come in immediately to substitute for Mrs. Smith. 6. Mrs. Roberts clocks in on March 14 at 12:10 p.m. 7. Mr. Kubiak opens Mrs. Smith s classroom with his key five minutes before students return from lunch. 8. Mrs. Roberts was happy to see the classroom door was already unlocked for her after lunch. 9. Mrs. Roberts reviews Mrs. Smith s lesson plans. 10. Mrs. Roberts teaches Mrs. Smith s last two history classes of the day. 11. The bell rings and school is dismissed at 3:10 p.m. 12. Henry and Bob stay after school on March 14 to help Mrs. Roberts clean up. 13. Mrs. Roberts walks across the hall to Mr. Kubiak s class to see if he has a key that she can use to lock the door. 14. Mr. Kubiak is not in his room when Mrs. Roberts peeks in his classroom to look for a key. 15. Mrs. Roberts walks to the principal s office and gets a key to the room. 16. Mrs. Roberts comes back to Mrs. Smith s room with the door key and notices that Henry and Bob are gone. 17. Mrs. Roberts turns off the lights in the classroom. 18. Mrs. Roberts locks the classroom door.

8 19. Mrs. Roberts clocks out for the day at 3:45 p.m. 20. Mrs. Smith parks her car in space 56 on March 15 at approximately 7:25 a.m. 21. Mrs. Smith clocks in at 7:40 a.m. on March Mrs. Smith enters her room, opens her filing cabinet drawer, and notices that her stamp collection is missing. 23. The principal finds Mrs. Smith s stamp collection in the gym locker room. It was found in a locker that Henry and Bob share. 24. Henry and Bob are called to the principal s office at 9:00 a.m. on March On the afternoon of March 15, Henry, Bob, their parents, the principal and Mrs. Smith have a meeting about the stamp collection theft.