In this activity, students explore the fascinating role of cadaver dogs in forensic investigations. The lesson begins with students reading an engaging article detailing how cadaver dogs are trained, their unique capabilities, and real-world applications in solving crimes.
Following the reading, students will answer a set of thought-provoking questions that test their comprehension and encourage critical thinking. These questions will focus on key scientific concepts, such as the olfactory system, environmental factors affecting cadaver dogs, and ethical considerations in their use. Students will also examine real-life cases to understand the practical impact of cadaver dogs in criminal justice. In one such case, cadaver dogs located four missing persons that were buried deep on a farm property. This lead to the arrest and conviction of the murderer.
Enhance students’ understanding of biology and forensic science while fostering skills in analysis and ethical reasoning. Improve student’s ability to analyze scientific diagrams. Plus, most high school students love learning about dogs!
The worksheet includes four main sections:
- Overview of how cadaver dogs have a unique ability to detect chemicals found in remains
- Training cadaver dogs and which breeds are best suited
- How dogs can be used in the field to find victims of crime and natural disasters
- An overview of the olfactory system of a dog compared to a human
Each section has questions related to the reading and diagram. I often pair this with other lessons on forensics, or within the unit on the brain and senses. This is also a great activity for a substitute or for remote learning. Most recently, I used it on a day students stayed home due to a blizzard. You can assign the document through Google classroom, and students can type right in the document. Students can also watch this video about how cadaver dogs are trained!
Related Resources
Forensics Activity: The Mystery of the Bones – reconstruct skeletons (paper), and use other evidence to determine the identify of skeleton
Blood Spatter Lab – Use artificial blood 🩸 to analyze patterns of blood spatter used to solve crimes
The Science of Fingerprints – analyze fingerprint patterns and have students take their own fingerprints
Article: The Body Farm – read about a long-term study on decomposition
Calculating the Time of Death – explore the changes that occur in a body after death and use an equation to estimate time of death
