ON THE RUN:
Investigating Famous F.B.I. Fugitives

Grades:  6-8, 9-12

Subjects:  American History, Journalism, Social Studies

Related New York Times Article
"Suspect in '96 Olympic Bombing and 3 Other Attacks Is Caught, By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN with DAVID M. HALBFINGER", June 2, 2003

Overview of Lesson Plan:: In this lesson, students research famous F.B.I. "Most Wanted" cases; they then create PowerPoint, or other informational and visual displays, to present their case studies in class.

SUGGESTED TIME ALLOWANCE:
1 hour

OBJECTIVES:
Students will:

1. Consider federal criminal investigations from the perspectives of both the F.B.I. and "Wanted" fugitives.
2. Examine the recent capture of fugitive Eric Rudolph, accused Olympic Park, gay nightclub, and abortion clinic bomber, by reading and discussing "Suspect in '96 Olympic Bombing and 3 Other Attacks is Caught."
3. Investigate the stories behind other F.B.I. fugitive cases.
4. Create PowerPoint slide shows (or poster presentations) of these case studies.

RESOURCES / MATERIALS:

• pens/pencils
• paper
• student journals
• classroom board
• copies of "Suspect in '96 Olympic Bombing and 3 Other Attacks is Caught" (one per student)
• computers with Internet access and Powerpoint
• poster board and markers (optional)

ACTIVITIES / PROCEDURES:

1. WARM-UP/DO-NOW: Students respond to the following questions, written on the board prior to class: "How do you think the F.B.I. goes about trying to capture fugitives, or their 'Ten Most Wanted' suspects? How do you think fugitives escape arrest, or remain 'on the run' from the authorities? What types of strategies might each side use?" Allow students a few minutes to share their responses.
2. As a class, read and discuss "Suspect in '96 Olympic Bombing and 3 Other Attacks is Caught," using the following questions:
   1. Who is Eric Roberts Rudolph?
   2. Why has he been living in rural North Carolina?
   3. Of what crimes is Mr. Rudolph suspected?
   4. What are his beliefs about race, religion, and abortion, according to the article?
   5. How did the local residents of Murphy, North Carolina feel about Mr. Rudolph?
   6. How was Mr. Rudolph able to remain a fugitive for five years?
   7. What did Rudolph do before he became a fugitive?
   8. Who is Richard Jewell, and how did he affect the investigation of the Olympic Park bombing?
   9. What happened on January 16 and February 21, 1997, and January 28, 1998?
   10. Who are the "Army of God" and "Christian Identity"?
   11. What challenges did the F.B.I. face in encouraging local residents to cooperate in their search for Rudolph?
   12. Under what circumstances was Eric Rudolph eventually captured?
3. Divide students into small groups, and explain that they will be researching and creating F.B.I. fugitive case studies in the form of PowerPoint presentations. (Alternatively, if students do not have access to PowerPoint, they may create illustrated posters of their case studies with explanatory text and images). Suggested recent cases include: "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski (1996); Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh (1995); David Koresh and the Waco, Texas Branch Davidians (1993); and Randy Weaver and the Ruby Ridge, Idaho standoff (1992). Depending on class size and curriculum, you may choose to focus on earlier F.B.I. cases such as Al Capone (1929), "Mad Bomber" George Matesky (1957), or James Earl Ray (1968). Students will be responsible for researching the following information, and creating a PowerPoint slide with both text and illustration (photos, maps, etc.) for each of the following (written on the board or copied in a handout for easier access):
   • Profile of the "Wanted" suspect
   • Crimes for which the suspect was accused
   • F.B.I. strategies for locating the suspect
   • Fugitive's strategies for escaping or evading arrest
   • How the suspect was eventually caught, or the case ended
   • Further analysis or critique of the case (i.e., were there any scandals or unanswered questions surrounding the case?)
   Students are encouraged to use the F.B.I. Web site, which includes a timeline of fugitive cases ( http://www.fbi.gov/kids/6th12th/history/history.htm), as well as online news and encyclopedic sources for their research.
4. WRAP-UP/ HOMEWORK: After research is complete, groups may create up to ten PowerPoint slides for their presentations. Encourage students to compose their presentations as a dramatic story, or as a briefing of fellow law enforcement specialists, rather than as a plodding recitation of facts. Presentations should be viewed in a later class period.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• Based on your research, do you think the F.B.I. is generally effective in solving cases?
• Why do you think so many people in Murphy, North Carolina supported Eric Rudolph in his attempts to avoid the F.B.I.?

EVALUATION / ASSESSMENT:
Students will be evaluated based on written journal responses, group research, and creation and presentation of "fugitive case study" PowerPoint slides (or presentation posters).

VOCABULARY:
manhunts, wily, survivalist, abortion, rookie, colleague, supremacist, phantom, bloodhounds, heat-seeking, conservative, descended, inquiry, shrapnel, airborne, elusive, fugitives, knapsack, detonated, discharged, marijuana, extremist, camouflaged, scour, aerial, populace, condones, bolted, hubbub, sniper

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:

1. According to the article, many locals "felt put off by F.B.I. agents," and were therefore uncooperative in aiding their search for Rudolph. Develop a PR strategy for the FBI that might have been more successful in getting support in the hunt for Randolph among the local residents of Murphy and surrounding towns.
2. Investigate the unsolved cases of the F.B.I., and hypothesize why fugitives may have been so successful in eluding authorities. Offer your analysis in the form of a newspaper article.
3. The article mentions the use of bloodhounds in the F.B.I.'s search for Rudolph. Why are these dogs used in investigations? Create a "how it works" poster of a bloodhound's smelling capabilities and how this helps them in search and rescue work. Some informative Web sites on these dogs include:
   • The Bloodhound Network
     (http://www.bloodhounds.com/tbn/infolink.html)
   • "Dogs," an online exhibition by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
     (http://www.nhm.org/exhibitions/dogs/formfunction/smell.html)
   • The Bloodhound: Historical Background
     ( http://www.bloodhoundclub.co.uk/history/)
   • Bloodhounds: An Underutilized Resource
     (http://www.civil.mtu.edu/~hssantef/sar/others/Hardy/Bloodhounds.html)

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS:
Civics- Study the 1973 Roe v. Wade case, then make a timeline of women's abortion rights in the United States.

Economics- Study the history of monetary rewards for help in catching fugitives. Have they been effective in helping the FBI/law enforcement catch criminals? Where does the money come from?

Geography-The article mentions several Southern United States towns and cities. Create a tour guide to the South, and highlight the important sites and features of cities such as Atlanta and Birmingham.

Science-Study the ecosystem of the western North Carolina Appalachian Mountains and guess what Rudolph might have lived on to survive in hiding in those mountains. Create a poster of edible plants, game meat, shelter etc. For your research, visit the Forestry Encyclopedia ( http://www.forestryencyclopedia.net/index.html).

Copyright 2003
The New York Times Company