Seventh-graders at Dodd learned the science of animal forensics during a visit from members of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. The guests brought their large collection of animal skulls and furs from mammals that reside in New York state.
Once students reviewed what makes mammals different from other animals, they learned how to make observations about an animal's skull, such as how the position of its eyes and shape of its teeth determines their diet. In pairs, students were then tasked with examining the teeth and skull in order to form a hypothesis about which of the mammals of New York it belongs to.