A PALEOCENE CLASSROOM IN THE GRASSLANDS OF NORTH DAKOTA

From 1970 to 1996 the Science Museum of Minnesota operated a quarry located in the National Grasslands at Wannagan Creek, ND (Late Paleocene Bullion Creek Formation) that produced numerous species of flora and fauna that were new to science as well as provided valuable insights into the paleoenvironmental history of the Fossil Lake Wannagan area. In addition to providing new species to science, the research from Wannagan Creek has resulted in over 20 publications to date and is the basis for the NSF sponsored traveling exhibit WHEN CROCODILES RULED and a permanent exhibit at the Science Museum highlighting those discoveries. While the quarry is closed, the permitted area is still producing interesting and perplexing fossil and geological data and is the foundation for a 3 year grant from Lucent Technologies to fund the training and activities of high school/college students at this location.

This site is of particular interest not only because of the history of the research there but because the locality is a textbook example of geology and paleontology. Subsequently, this site is used as an outdoor classroom to explain and explore a variety of topics. Some of the more notable topics we will discuss include new insights into the area's stratigraphy, the discovery of trackways, extensive ripple mark deposits and how to set up and use the outdoors to your advantage as a classroom.