INTEGRATING BASIC PALEONTOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES 4-12: PALEONTOLOGY IN A BOX

Outreach programs developed in association with informal public education venues (e.g., Museums) have the potential to be more innovative and inspiring than those programs constrained by standardized tests and strict adherence to teaching to state educational standards. This also offers the opportunity to include extensive “hands-on” experience for students, and incorporates classroom and museum activities, reinforcing the value of informal education venues, i.e., Museums. We are developing “Paleontology in a Box” for grades 4-12. This interactive program involves students performing real life paleontological tasks. Activities include being familiar with and interpreting topographic maps, discovering and identifying fossils, researching key topics using library and internet resources, and developing oral and/or written communications skills. These activities will introduce students to the geologic history of the earth, how fossil are formed, and the role of the geosciences in the economic and academic development of society.