The Science of Collisons: Using Newton's Laws in Forensics & the Courtroom

Deb Reinarts, Sleepy Eye Public Schools, Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, based on "Strengthening Your Science Instruction Using NEW and Innovative Forensic Science Strategies" Resource Handbook, by Mary Anne Butler, pp.88-100. Portions of the activity handouts can be reprinted from www.legalsciences.com or ordered from Bureau of Education and Research, 915 118th Avenue S.E., PO Box 96068, Bellevue, WA 98009, 1800-735-3503, or www.ber.org
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Summary

In this physical science related activity, students will use inquiry skills and investigative procedures to determine which vehicle is at fault in a collision between a car and tractor-trailer. In cooperative groups of three to four, students will determine which vehicle is at fault to verify evidence for a court case. By observing photos taken from the crime scene, reading and analyzing witness and police reports, and simulating how the vehicles moved from the point of collision using plastic templates and diagrams of the crash scene, students will apply Newton's Laws of Motion to clearly define the facts in the court case. Students will write a report and present their evidence in support of the defendant or plaintiff. A mock courtroom can be set up in the classroom with various students from each group participating. Students will also be evaluated on the mechanics of their written report/memorandum and speaking to the class.

Learning Goals

This activity is designed for students to use critical thinking and inquiry methods in a cooperative group setting. They will observe written and photographic evidence of the crash scene and apply their findings and observations to Newton's Laws of Motion with understanding that vehicles have a center of mass that determines weight distribution. They will gain a better understanding of vehicle kinematics and occupant impact dynamics. Students will learn an engaging way to understand the terms mass, momentum, inertia, acceleration,and force. An additional goal of this activity is to display how physical science applies to a common life occurrence that students may have already been a part of. It also enables them to make a connection to the use of physical science in society.

Context for Use

This activity is adaptable for 9th grade physical science, junior/senior physics, advanced physics, or a forensic science course. It is set up as an inquiry based group activity, recommending 3-4 per group. Groups need to collaborate independently. The time format may vary depending on level of instruction. The students should be given at least two hours of class guided time. If extension activities are used, time will need to be increased for research time or speakers visiting the classroom. One hour should be used for groups to present their findings, but again, may vary by class or group size used by the instructor. The handouts for students and clear plastic transparency templates should be distributed to the students. The templates will need to be made in advance with copies of the activity sheets. Students should have background on the application of Newton's Laws of motion, and other applications to force and motion can be completed after this activity. To adapt to higher grade levels, instructors should expect students to have an increased level of explanation and can support some concepts with a mathematical foundation. In addition, suggested extensions could be used as available for extra credit opportunities.

Description and Teaching Materials

Materials Needed:
Groups of 3-4 recommended
writing and typing paper
blue or black pen. Final memorandum can be typed.
car, passenger, and truck templates/group or student

pp.88-101 "Strengthening Your Science Instruction Using NEW and Innovative Forensic Science Strategies (Grades7-12) Resource Handbook, by Mary Anne Butler, Bureau of Education & Research, 915 118th Avenue S.E., PO Box 96068, Bellevue, WA 98009 or call 1-800-735-3503
http://www.ber.org
some sources from http://www.legalsciences.com
gavel and props if mock courtroom is setup-optional

Narrative describing mechanics of activity:
This activity will be introduced as an inquiry activity once the discussion of Newton's Laws of motion are understood and used in various scenarios by students and teacher demonstrations using collision cars or other materials. They should also be including collision theory and kinematics discussion. Students should already have had the opportunity to use F=ma calculations, and describing motion based on forces being applied to objects, possibly through drawing force vector in free body diagrams or other reinforcing lessons. The students will then observe vehicle dynamics diagrams (pp89-93) discussing outcomes with the instructor using either a power point display or overhead presentation. Depending on grade level of students, group discussion could take place instead. Students will be given the templates and other handouts to read and discuss in their independent groups. The police report, crash scene drawing, actual photos from the crash scene, and letter to the plaintiff's attorney, will be used to have each group present their evidence from the crash based on the application of physics. Each group will also use "The Tort of Negligence" facets when writing their report and memorandum for the court. Two class periods (based on an 85 minute block schedule) will be used to have the groups put their findings together and prepare to share. In a cooperative group setting, the students should sketch out the damages to the vehicles on handouts provided. They need to discuss the comments made by the witnesses and the operator of the truck trailer (The plaintiff, the car operator, was killed). Use the templates as manipulatives to aid in sketching out the motion of each vehicle involved. Students should provide a time lapsed sketch of the motions of the car and trailer that would indicate where and when the points of damage occurred. (evidence should validate the plaintiff.) Their presentations need to show how forces and direction of the impact relates to the damage of each vehicle. Their reports can also include other forms of physical damage from the impact forces, for example, seat belt use, hair in glass, fibers, tire rub offs on fenders, etc.)
On day two, a mock courtroom can be set up and groups will take turns reading their reports and presenting their evidence to the rest of the class. Sketches can be shown in other forms such as on the overhead, in a large poster, or on power point. Student groups can use their own creativity in this area of presentation. (Prior teaching to how a courtroom operates will need to take place if the instructor wants to conduct the presentations in this setting.)
For closure strategies, the class will discuss each groups' evidence and come to a consensus. Relationships to other class lessons will be conducted. All written material from each group will be turned in to the instructor for grading. The presentation of each group will also be assessed for level of understanding of Newton's Laws, the facets of negligence action being correctly identified and explained, and mechanics of oral and written tasks. Assessment/Rubric Handout for Students (Microsoft Word 49kB Aug24 07)

Teaching Notes and Tips

The forensics connection is interesting to students as many have seen C.S.I. television programs or have read many media centered articles. Forensic science is becoming more popular in its use in science classrooms, and the activity supplies this twist to understanding physics concepts. Instructors may want to monitor how much legal application they want to use, and put the emphasis on the physics concepts related. Students will need to have prior knowledge of how a courtroom case is conducted, and what level of understanding is appropriate by the course the activity is used for. Younger students may also be sensitive to the gruesomeness of a car crash. The activity is written with this in mind. The class may need to be surveyed before using this activity in case of any personal situations that may have occurred in the community or to families. Students should compare their sketches to the actual photos thoroughly to observe the type of impacts involved. A review of written mechanics and oral presentations based on teacher preferences should be reviewed if they are being assessed in this activity.
The presentations could be set up in that some groups need to find evidence of the plaintiff's side as other groups find evidence for the defendant's side. Then the class can discuss the importance of enough evidence to support a case.
This activity can have several extensions. Speakers on topics including legal action, insurance company representative, auto repair, engineering, state trooper, chiropractor, doctor, EMT, etc., could be invited to the class. Visit a salvage yard to observe evidence from types of collisions. A forensics or life science class could include further investigation on fraudulent cases and use hair, fiber, and DNA evidence. Higher level coursework could be used by giving students quantitative measurements in relationship to the mass of the car and trailer, the speed in which each was traveling during and at the point of impact. Students could be given opportunities to research car safety features such as dash board design, seat belt latches and use, air bags, and windshield glass. Many male students enjoy car and truck makes. A comparison of them could be used for their safety features. Student could also be assigned to watch a C.S.I. program and report when the program used physics to support their evidence from a crime scene.

Assessment

Two areas are graded and used in assessment. All sketches, the memorandum and written report will be given to the instructor after the class presentations and consensus discussion. The presentations will also be assessed. A rubric/checklist will be given to the students prior to the beginning of their teamwork. They will be assessed as a group, based on their understanding of Newton's Laws and correct vocabulary use, how well they they explained the vehicle dynamics of the accident, and the overall completeness of their evidence as presented in the memorandum, report, and sketches. The students will be asked to take turns in the oral presentations and assigning members of their group to do written work so that individual assessment can take place for the proper use of grammar, spelling, and flow of their writing. This helps to evaluate how well students can write and share information as would be needed in laboratory reports or other science coursework. Students are also evaluated on the ability to communicate to an audience.

Standards

grade level 9-12 II.Physical Science
C.Energy Transformations- understand energy forms, transformations, and transfers
Benchmarks 1,2
D. Motion- understand the nature of force and motion
Benchmarks 1,2
E. Forces of Nature- understand the forces of nature and their application
Benchmarks 2

References and Resources