K-12 PALEONTOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES AND INFORMATION AT THE EARTH SCIENCE EDUCATION NETWORK, KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

The Kentucky Geological Survey's Earth Science Education Network, http://www.uky.edu/kgs/education/education.html, contains numerous paleontological classroom activities, including (1) a "Geologic and Paleontologic Cookbook": recipes for edible earth-history activities and demonstrations in the classroom, (2) "Draw T. rex": a step-by-step guide that allows students to draw a reconstruction of Tyrannosaurus rex from the skull and their own knowledge of reptiles and anatomy, (3) "Trilobite Masks": instructions on cephalon mask from paper plates, (4) "It's About Time": a collection of standard methods for demonstrating time on paper, a clock, a sports field, basketball court, or parking lot (this activity includes illustrations of prehistoric life and important dates in earth history), and (5) "Can You Find…": a search for different types of fossils and prehistoric animals depicted on the popular "Progression of Life" poster. The Fossils and Prehistoric Life page, http://www.uky.edu/KGS/coal/webfossl/fosslbig.htm, can be used to inquire about the fossils and prehistoric animals depicted on the poster, as well as other paleontologic topics. The site contains information on identifying fossils found in Kentucky by type, age, and the area in which they were found. Students can also use one of two keys to identify fossils they have collected. Keys are provided by descriptive terms (beehive, brain, etc.) and by an image table of common shapes. When shapes or terms are selected that match the appearance of the sample, a set of criteria appears to aid in determining the known possibilities. These can be cross-referenced with hundreds of images of fossils that have been collected in Kentucky. Kentucky Fossil Facts contains information about Kentucky paleontology, how fossils form, how they are collected, and where they can be collected. Geologic Time in Kentucky provides information about the age of rock strata in Kentucky and recreates what Kentucky looked like when the rocks were deposited. Other parts of the site offer lists of Kentucky paleontology publications, as well as online versions of out-of-print technical reports containing beautiful photographs of Kentucky fossils. Annotated links for teaching K-12 earth-history concepts are also provided.