Forensic Science Students wrapped up their initial crime scene sketches on Oct. 3, finalizing and reviewing their drawings to ensure every piece of evidence was accurately documented.

The sketch review marked the end of the first phase of the ongoing forensic lab project, where students investigate a staged crime scene as if they were real investigators. Throughout the week, they’ve learned to secure a scene, photograph evidence, and accurately sketch the layout.

“Students learned what was necessary to process a crime scene from a lecture,” teacher Carol Seng said. “Then they saw how the different jobs work together and the different skills needed to learn how evidence is collected.”

As students reviewed their work, Seng reminded them that sketching each detail helps them better understand the evidence they’ll later analyze.

“The photos help remind students of where in the room it was found,” Seng said. “But when a sketch is drawn by hand it gives the student enough time to internalize each piece of evidence and what is actually going on in the room so that they can start thinking theories of what happened.”

Students said the hands-on nature of the assignment made it feel like a real investigation rather than just a class project.

“Her level of seriousness makes it feel like we’re a part of a genuine investigation,” senior Alyssa Miller said.  “On top of that, she’s walking us through every step, and we each have our own ‘case file’ to record evidence, document our observations, and piece together the case. It’s amazing how closely this activity mirrors real forensic work while keeping us engaged and excited to the mystery.”