USING FOSSIL-BEARING AMBER AS A VEHICLE TO TEACH SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, AND UNDERGRADUATE LEVELS

Insect and plant inclusions in amber have proven to be an ideal vehicle for the teaching of paleontologic and broader scientific principles at the middle school, high school, and undergraduate levels. Using standard reflected light microscopes, details of fossils can be observed that facilitate the teaching of paleontologic principles including fossilization and taxanomic classification. The occurrence of stellate hairs of oak flowers in most Eocene Baltic samples allows for interpretations as to time of year of amber production and partial reconstruction of the amber-producing forest. Insect behavior such as egg laying or parasitism is recorded by some samples. Other samples provide lessons in reconstructing paleoclimates and in understanding global climate change. For example, Baltic amber containing termites and snipe flies indicates a more tropical climate for the Eocene of northern Europe. Microscope use, sample preparation, and data recording form the basis for the learning of general laboratory techniques. The uses of amber in art, jewelry, and religion through the ages can be incorporated into the overall study of amber to establish a meaningful link between science and human history. Finally, the relatively low cost of fossil-bearing amber from the Baltic region and Dominican Republic makes amber studies an attainable goal for most schools.