THE ARLINGTON ARCHOSAUR SITE OF NORTH TEXAS, A LARGE URBAN CRETACEOUS DINOSAUR DIG AS A SOURCE OF PALEONTOLOGY PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EARTH SCIENCE EDUCATION

The Arlington Archosaur Site (AAS) is a unique urban excavation located in the middle of one of America’s largest metropolitan settings, the Dallas - Fort Worth (DFW) metroplex of North Texas. The Arlington Archosaur Site occurs within the Cretaceous (Cenomanian: 95 Mya) Woodbine Formation sediments exposed in the city of Arlington, which is situated in the middle of the DFW metroplex. The AAS to date has produced the fossil remains of dinosaurs (ornithopod & theropod), crocodiles, turtle and lungfish from a coastal delta plain. The close proximity of the ongoing excavation to two large cites provides a marvelous opportunity to educate the general public in paleontology and the earth sciences. The AAS consists of a volunteer field crew that is drawn from enthusiasts, educators, students, families and the general public using the online networking group Facebook. An AAS Facebook group was established in which anyone from the public could join, and request an opportunity to attend a scheduled dig. All visitors and volunteer diggers are given an AAS Field Trip Guide followed by a 45 minute geological & paleontological tour of the AAS, in an effort to teach the public about sedimentary environments, fossil preservation and ancient ecosystems. After the AAS tour, a quick “crash course” in field methods is given and volunteers are set to digging within 90 minutes of arrival. With this open public policy; dig crews varied in size from 40-50 volunteer diggers on average to upwards of 150-200 on rare occasions. To date, the AAS has accommodated over 900 volunteers, students, and visitors within the last two years of operation. Current research has shown that field trips, museum visits and hands on activities enhance science skills required of today’s students. Efforts to improve science education in schools include inquiry models that promote hands on learning to increase proficiency of earth science and math skills and create experiences that allow students to have tangible connections to real science in the field. Public outreach efforts such as the AAS increases the public awareness of paleontology and offers a unique solution to presenting students, educators, and the public with hands on lessons in paleontology, earth science and evolution.