Description
This Forensic Science Autopsy Report is a great way to reinforce student learning of Death Investigations. This form is designed to be used after students have learned how to identify evidence in death.
The Autopsy Report includes places for students to record information about:
- Types of wounds and when they happened (post or perimortem)
- Rigor and Livor Mortis
- State of the eyes (for signs of asphyxiation and time since death)
- Entomological evidence
- Toxicology evidence
- Internal examination of the organs, including contents of the digestive system
- Time since last meal
- Postmortem interval
- A summary of the cause of death
Resource can be edited to meet your classroom needs!
The Autopsy Report can be printed, or completed digitally on the provided Google Slides digital copy! Perfect for distance learning, or just to save paper!
Here are a few ways you could use the Autopsy Report:
- Have students make up a murder story and type it out with detail about age, gender, cause of death, time since death, location of the body, etc. Have students swap and read someone else’s story. As they do, they can fill out the Autopsy Report with the evidence they expect to find on the body considering how and when they died.
- Have students make up a murder but fill out the Autopsy Report, and swap with another student. Have the student then use the report to form a story about how the murder happened.
- The teacher (or the students, and swap) can fill out the Autopsy Report but leave the last sections blank – the Post Mortem Interval, Type of Death and Cause of death. Students use the evidence in the report to complete these sections.
- If you really want to get into it – use dissecting rats as a stand in for your body! This is so much fun, your students will never forget it!
Full Teacher’s Guide explains four ways the Autopsy Report can be used in your Forensic Science class. Including a how-to guide for transforming a dissection rat into a murder victim!
NOTE: This resource is part of (included in) Murder In Miniature Forensics Project – students create their own crime scene diorama and then process the scene as an Investigator. Complete with full rubric, PowerPoint and photos of example projects
Click here to see a preview of the Death Investigation Autopsy Report.
Here is what some happy teachers are saying about the Death Investigation Autopsy Report:
This resource is a very helpful way to provide structure in a more creative lesson where I have students write their own scenarios about a death that needs an autopsy performed, then have a partner evaluate it. I like that in the teacher guide there are multiple ways the autopsy report is suggested to be used. I will be using this for an additional lesson where students have to start with a completed report and work backwards. A great and versatile resource! – Emily D. March 21, 2023
My kids loved having an autopsy sheet and engaging with the lesson in this way. I teach a co-op class of 12 and I didn’t lose anyone’s attention this class. – Heather V. July 13, 2021
This resource will be used at the end of my forensic science course in conjunction with their final crime scene project. It is really well put together and is a great culmination of the unit. – M.S. November 14, 2020
Great addition to an autopsy unit! – Amanda M. August 3, 2021
