TEACHING PALEONTOLOGY USING PLACE-BASED EDUCATION IN GEORGIA

K-12 students across Georgia are expected to learn about paleontological concepts such as fossilization, diversity of life, extinction, evolution, and reconstructing geologic history as per Georgia Performance Standards. However, use or understanding of examples with geographic relevance to these students is not explicitly encouraged. Similarly, guidelines for content in integrated life and earth sciences courses and introductory geology sequences in University System of Georgia schools do not emphasize learning of material through the lens of geography. These structured learning objectives demonstrate missed opportunities in instruction, in that familiar landscapes are not utilized despite the fact that students are often more curious and knowledgeable about concepts if connected to meaningful places such as their home state.

Three courses at Georgia State University with students encompassing majors, non-majors, and pre-service teachers have been redesigned to incorporate place-based education in learning paleontology. Field, classroom, and online assignments are all used to engage students in active learning and place-based reflection within an Earth Systems framework to instruction. Classroom activities include mapping physiogeographic provinces, studying local and regional collections of fossils, and analyzing paleoenvironments across Georgia. Tools used to stress paleontological perspectives as linked to nearby geographic settings include worksheets, cooperative learning games, concept mapping, and authentic inquiry-based data collection. Evaluation of surveys in these courses indicates that examining paleontology through their surroundings is embraced. Support provided by the Paleontological Society and Georgia Geographic Alliance led to the development of a workshop for K-12 educators that employed similar place-based approaches with a focus on subjects outlined in the state standards. Online materials designed specifically for this workshop include a “GA PaleoTour” whereby students can explore paleontological discoveries across the state using MapMaker Interactive by National Geographic. Ongoing work will examine further the effectiveness of place-based pedagogy in paleontology as part of additional education and outreach efforts in Georgia.