The document describes an activity to teach students about reliability of evidence through a game of darts. It explains that reliability refers to how closely grouped repeated measurements are, not just accuracy of getting close to the target. Measuring evidence multiple times and getting very similar results makes the evidence more reliable and believable in court. The darts game is used to demonstrate this concept by having students throw darts at a target multiple times and analyzing how closely grouped the darts are, rather than just how close they are to the center.

1. This page may have been changed from the original extract from ‘cold case’ How Science Works in action Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science

2. This page may have been changed from the original It’s structured as a constructivist learning cycle Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science

3. 2 7E Learning Cycle Whose footprints? Considering the reliability of evidence. Spattering of blood Applying ideas about reliability in the context of blood spatter patterns. Death of a Rockstar What is a cold case? Death of a Rockstar What makes evidence reliable? A game of Darts Exploring a reliability analogy. Reliability trust Checking understanding of reliability. A game of Darts Creating a reliability checklist.

4. This page may have been changed from the original first the plot sets up the need to understand ‘reliable’ evidence Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science

5. Activity 1: Death of a rockstar 3 This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate Dr Sherl wants us to investigate the cold case of Sapphire’s death.

6. Activity 1: Death of a rockstar 3 This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate Dr Sherl wants us to investigate the cold case of Sapphire’s death. Hey, the lead singer of the rock band Renal Failure? She was amazing. So sad that she killed herself!

7. 4 Activity 1: Death of a rockstar This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Seems she could’ve been murdered. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate

8. 4 Activity 1: Death of a rockstar This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Seems she could’ve been murdered. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate She was found with a gun in her hand …she shot herself in the head!

9. 4 Activity 1: Death of a rockstar This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Seems she could’ve been murdered. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate She was found with a gun in her hand …she shot herself in the head! No. Have a look at today’s newspaper.

10. 4 Activity 1: Death of a rockstar This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Some evidence was missing at the time. Dr Sherl wants us to re-investigate to make sure all the evidence is reliable. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate

11. 4 Activity 1: Death of a rockstar This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Aren’t they Sapphire’s shoeprints? Some evidence was missing at the time. Dr Sherl wants us to re-investigate to make sure all the evidence is reliable. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate

12. 4 Activity 1: Death of a rockstar This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Aren’t they Sapphire’s shoeprints? Some evidence was missing at the time. Dr Sherl wants us to re-investigate to make sure all the evidence is reliable. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate That’s what the police thought. But Sapphire wore size 5 and the shoeprints are bigger …

13. 5 Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Activity 1: Death of a rockstar She had enemies and three were near her house that day.

14. 6 Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Activity 1: Death of a rockstar Don’t we just match the prints to the suspect with the same size feet?

15. 6 Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Activity 1: Death of a rockstar Don’t we just match the prints to the suspect with the same size feet? I’m not sure it’s that simple.

16. This page may have been changed from the original now students learn the concept of ‘reliability’ through concrete experience Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science

17. Activity 1: A game of darts 3 Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science I was away when we did reliability at college. Can you tell me what it means, and why it’s so important? !

18. Activity 1: A game of darts 3 Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science OK. Let’s play darts and you’ll see what I mean… now try and hit the bulls-eye with one of your darts. I was away when we did reliability at college. Can you tell me what it means, and why it’s so important? !

19. Activity 1: A game of darts 3 Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science OK. Let’s play darts and you’ll see what I mean… now try and hit the bulls-eye with one of your darts. I was away when we did reliability at college. Can you tell me what it means, and why it’s so important? ! Oh. That is difficult.

20. Activity 1: A game of darts 3 Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science OK. Let’s play darts and you’ll see what I mean… now try and hit the bulls-eye with one of your darts. I was away when we did reliability at college. Can you tell me what it means, and why it’s so important? ! So keep trying. And put crosses on the diagram to show where your darts land. Oh. That is difficult.

21. Activity 1: A game of darts 3 Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate I don’t get it. How does this darts game help explain reliability? This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science OK. Let’s play darts and you’ll see what I mean… now try and hit the bulls-eye with one of your darts. I was away when we did reliability at college. Can you tell me what it means, and why it’s so important? ! So keep trying. And put crosses on the diagram to show where your darts land. Oh. That is difficult.

22. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate 4 Activity 1: A game of darts This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science The darts game was my way of showing you how to make repeated measurements. You kept trying to hit the bulls-eye. The accuracy is how close your darts land near the bulls-eye, but the reliability is how closely grouped all your darts are.

23. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate 4 Activity 1: A game of darts This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science The darts game was my way of showing you how to make repeated measurements. You kept trying to hit the bulls-eye. The accuracy is how close your darts land near the bulls-eye, but the reliability is how closely grouped all your darts are. So when we measure things lots of times, if the measurements are very similar, it’s a reliable result? And that’s the believable result to present in court?

24. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate 4 Activity 1: A game of darts This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science The darts game was my way of showing you how to make repeated measurements. You kept trying to hit the bulls-eye. The accuracy is how close your darts land near the bulls-eye, but the reliability is how closely grouped all your darts are. So when we measure things lots of times, if the measurements are very similar, it’s a reliable result? And that’s the believable result to present in court? Exactly. Of course you want an accurate and reliable result!

25. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate 4 Activity 1: A game of darts This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science The darts game was my way of showing you how to make repeated measurements. You kept trying to hit the bulls-eye. The accuracy is how close your darts land near the bulls-eye, but the reliability is how closely grouped all your darts are. So when we measure things lots of times, if the measurements are very similar, it’s a reliable result? And that’s the believable result to present in court? Exactly. Of course you want an accurate and reliable result! Now, have a go at my quiz to check you understand OK.

26. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate Match one caption to each picture: 5 A B C D Activity 1: A game of darts This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Reliable, but not accurate 1

27. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate Match one caption to each picture: 5 A B C D Activity 1: A game of darts This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Accurate, but not reliable 2 Reliable, but not accurate 1

28. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate Match one caption to each picture: 5 A B C D Activity 1: A game of darts This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Accurate and reliable 3 Accurate, but not reliable 2 Reliable, but not accurate 1

29. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate Match one caption to each picture: 5 A B C D Activity 1: A game of darts This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Not accurate or reliable 4 Accurate and reliable 3 Accurate, but not reliable 2 Reliable, but not accurate 1

30. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate Match one caption to each picture: 5 A B C D Activity 1: A game of darts This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Not accurate or reliable 4 Accurate and reliable 3 Accurate, but not reliable 2 Reliable, but not accurate 1 Dr Sherl’s favourite quote: I n forensics – as in all science – the more reliable the results are, the more believable the evidence.

31. This page may have been changed from the original next students use the concept with the shoeprints Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science

32. This page may have been changed from the original finally we formalise students’ grasp of the concept Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science

33. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate 12 • Take my measurements carefully • Take as many measurements as possible • Remove outliers (odd, or anomalous results) • Calculate the mean (average) • Control other variables (eg use the same tools to make measurements). To get a reliable result, I must… Activity 1: A game of darts This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science Dr Sherl wants us to make a reliability checklist. Help!

34. Engage Elicit Explore Explain Elaborate Extend Evaluate 12 • Take my measurements carefully • Take as many measurements as possible • Remove outliers (odd, or anomalous results) • Calculate the mean (average) • Control other variables (eg use the same tools to make measurements). To get a reliable result, I must… Activity 1: A game of darts This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science • Take my measurements carefully • Take as many measurements as possible • Remove outliers (odd, or anomalous results) • Calculate the mean (average) • Control other variables (eg use the same tools to make measurements). Dr Sherl wants us to make a reliability checklist. Help!

35. This page may have been changed from the original then students apply the ‘how science works’ concept Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science

36. This page may have been changed from the original Activity from the Forensics unit © upd8 wikid, built by cracking science