The Science of Murder

Abstract

DNA fingerprinting, blood groups, succession, decomposition, genetic engineering, d and 1-isomers, animal behavior, disease, drug physiology, bioethics-do you want to make these and other scientific concepts become truly alive to your students? Ironically, we have accomplished this goal through murder! Using the theme of murder in current fiction and nonfiction, we have increased our nonmajor students' understanding of many scientific concepts, elevated their interest in science, modeled science as a process, and demonstrated the relevance of science to everyday life. Students in nonmajor programs at our community college often express concern that science courses place too much emphasis on facts, and involve concepts too difficult or abstract to grasp. At the same time, daunting predictions are made about the diminishing number of students choosing a science major or remaining in science courses beyond the introductory (i.e. required) levels. We also found that our students, often juggling family, school, jobs and extracurricular activities, have minimal time available to read for pleasure or knowledge. In an attempt to address these concerns, we integrate a reading list, which uses the theme of murder in popular fiction and nonfiction, into our introductory level science courses. Students read, analyze and discuss a book of their choosing from a reading list. This instructional strategy allows the transfer of theoretical concepts discussed in class to a new situation, demonstrates the application of facts and concepts to real or possible scenarios, and enables scaffolded instruction; i.e., linking new information to previously held knowledge.