A PALEONTOLOGY ENRICHMENT PROGRAM FOR THIRD GRADERS AT THE CLINTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN CLINTON, NEW YORK

Three two-week sessions of an enrichment program in paleontology were designed and implemented for third grade students in the Clinton Elementary School in Clinton, New York. The curriculum focused on New York state fossils, fossil collecting, Pleistocene mammals, Mesozoic reptiles, and microfossils. The lessons were self-constructed and included hands-on activities, informative yet interesting worksheets, and interactive discussions to encourage participation. The program was designed for elementary-age students to learn about paleontology and gain a better understanding of geology by participating in interactive science learning. Although the focus was third grade paleontology, this type of program would work for other geology topics, such as mineralogy or structural geology.