Forensic Firearms / Ballistics Evidence: JFK Cold Case Video Guide

Forensic Firearms and Ballistics Evidence in real life! Nova Cold Case JFK is a great one-hour documentary that looks at and tests the ballistics evidence of the Kennedy Assassination. I typically show this to my students after they have learned about Ballistics Evidence. 

This resource is a video guide that organizes the documentary into sections…

• The Event: A timeline of what happened 
• Gun and Ammunition: It was unique! 
• The Shooter: Who he was, and what happened to him before he could stand trial, leading the public to believe there was a conspiracy!
• The Commission: Its purpose and findings.
• Autopsy: What went wrong.
• Zapruder Film: Analyzing the film. How many shots were fired? Could the shots be fired that fast by the gun that was used? Were two gunmen involved, or just one? 
• Ballistics Tests: Conducted by Forensic Ballistics experts with the same type of gun and ammunition used in the assassination.
• Explaining the Head Shot: Kennedy’s head went backwards, how could this have happened if he got hit in the back of the head? A look back at the autopsy photos and reconstructing what happened.

Resource includes a FULL ANSWER KEY!

Click HERE to see the JFK Cold Case documentary FREE on Internet Archive. The documentary can also be found on YouTube HERE.

Need another ballistics evidence resource?

• Teach your students Forensic Ballistics Evidence with this NO PREP resource. Students can complete their ballistics notes independently, or through class lecture - or both! 28 Slides, 5 pages of notes, and 10 question review. 
• Solve a Murder Case! A fun Ballistics Evidence Activity for your students! Can they use their skills to solve the murder of Dillian Dollar? Focuses on bullet striations evidence! 
• Bullet Trajectory Learn and Do! Students learn how to analyze and measure bullet holes to determine the angle of trajectory. Resource includes Google Slides, guided notes, a digital activity and a hands on activity! 
• The Trayvon Martin / George Zimmerman Case Study walks students through the gunshot residue evidence presented by the forensic firearm expert and the pathologist at the Zimmerman trial.
• The JFK Cold Case video guide is no-prep, print and go! Perfect for a substitute. The video is an hour long and covers information about the gun, ammunition, trajectory, and autopsy evidence from the Kennedy assassination. Is the JFK assassination the work of a conspiracy? Ballistics experts test fire the gun to find out! 
• Ballistics Review Game: the perfect way to review for this Ballistics Test! A super fun whole-class review game that allows teams to compete against each other with some wacky twists and turns!
• Ballistics Evidence Test: Twenty five multiple choice questions on a self-graded Google Form

BUDLE and SAVE from Science of Curiosity! Complete Forensic Science Units:

• Forensics Tire Impression Evidence Unit: BUNDLE | Distance Learning
• Forensic Science Basics Unit BUNDLE Distance Learning
• Forensics Blood Spatter and Blood Evidence Unit BUNDLE- Notes, Activities, Lab
• Forensic DNA Fingerprinting / DNA Evidence BUNDLE Notes, Activity, Project
• Forensic Science Death Investigation BUNDLE - Autopsy, Decay, Bugs and Bones!

Here are some other fun Forensic Science lessons and activities!

• Forensic Autopsy Report - help your students practice their skills as a Medical Examiner!
• Arson Investigation - NO PREP
• Blood Spatter Lab - Student centered, learn by doing
• Forensic Files Video List - find the perfect Forensic Files video for every topic
• Forensic File Video Guide - FREE
• True Crime Book Project: Increase literacy in your Forensic Science Class!
• 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

**Stay Curious!**