Materials
Background
Instructions for the Game
Materials
• Map
• Techniques cards
• Chance cards
• Cost list for techniques
• Search log
• Scenario
Background
Students were given background information in an online lecture covering how a clandestine grave is defined, the phased approach to searching for clandestine graves and an overview of the techniques available for searching, to watch the week before they came into the classroom. They were also given a series of links to map orientation tutorials online( Backshall, 2015) and journal articles relating to techniques such as LiDAR( Wehr and Lohr, 1999; Devereux et al., 2005; Kalacska et al., 2009), cadaver detection dogs( Oesterhelweg et al., 2008; Cablk and Sagebiel, 2011; Jezierski et al., 2012; Alexander et al., 2015; Alexander et al., 2016) and ground penetrating radar( Pringle et al. 2012; Solla et al., 2012; Pringle et al. 2016). In the classroom, we allowed a three hour session which was split between testing the students’ knowledge on the content of the online lecture and map reading through a quiz and introducing and playing the clandestine grave with them.
To prepare for the game itself, we annotated a map( Figure 1) with the whereabouts of items such as animal carcasses, human remains and decaying organic waste. We hid four bodies on our map in a variety of places ranging from out in the open to in a vehicle at the bottom of the lake. They were in a variety of states including intact, skeletonised and dismembered. However, this can be modified depending on the subject you are teaching. We made up some chance cards, which contained real-time information that may alter the search techniques in use, such as a change in weather, the expert being held up in court or gossip being heard about a suspicious activity in a specific area on the map. We also made up technique cards, which gave an overview of each technique available( Figure 2), devised a list of how much each technique cost and decided a budget for the overall search and drew up a search log. Lastly, we devised a scenario;“ A suspect has been taken into custody after being found walking down the footpath alongside the Club House( see map) with blood stained clothing and tools in his back pack. Under questioning, he admitted to killing and hiding four human bodies in the surrounding countryside over the last 6 months. However, he will not disclose the location of any of the remains. Your role is to plan and execute a search for these remains using the techniques available to you”.
Instructions for the Game
For Students:
• Split the class into small groups of around 3-4 students
• Provide the class with a scenario
• Provide each team with a map
• Provide each team with technique cards and a cost list
• Provide each team with a search log
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