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Yoda

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My Mrs is a teacher at a local primary school (reception to year 6).

Just before the end of the academic year a few weeks ago, one of her teacher friends asked me to do a talk for her year group of kids - bring a few fossils along and talk about them.

 

Was happy to help, but due to Covid the senior management were reluctant for me to come into the school. I get it, but it does seem a bit silly since I live with one of their staff members :DOH:

 

Anyhow, I put together something for the teacher to present to the kids herself. 

Gave her about 15 fossils (ammonites, trilobites, a few teeth, fish, plants, insects in amber) and gave her detailed notes on each, labels with full details of age, collection location, formation etc

And also gave her some books covering the items I sent. 

 

Apparently the kids really enjoyed the presentation.

And each one wrote me a little note thanking me and telling me which was their favorite fossil  - I was very touched. 

 

Have said that I am happy to do this again for the next academic year.

Edited by Yoda
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MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160.png MotM August 2023 - Eclectic Collector

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I have been asked to do the same, my son is also a primary teacher, I’m feeling a bit shy about doing it but feel it is important in the educational curriculum. If you have any resources pass them along. 

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Kudos. I've never been asked to do a presentation for a school class and I'm not sure I could, but lending out a small sampling of fossils sounds doable. Just pick ones that won't fall apart as soon as the kids touch them, or that aren't too valuable to take that risk, right? But then my local shale stuff is so fragile that even when adults handled them when I did a presentation for the rockhound club, some bits came off.... :shakehead:

Edited by Wrangellian
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2 hours ago, EscarpmentMary said:

I have been asked to do the same, my son is also a primary teacher, I’m feeling a bit shy about doing it but feel it is important in the educational curriculum. If you have any resources pass them along. 

I have given talks to adults on my other hobbies.

So felt confident to do a presentation to kids.

 

No resources as such. Just the fossils themselves, labeled. Some rough hand written notes. And books 

1 hour ago, Wrangellian said:

Kudos. I've never been asked to do a presentation for a school class and I'm not sure I could, but lending out a small sampling of fossils sounds doable. Just pick ones that won't fall apart as soon as the kids touch them, or that aren't too valuable to take that risk, right? But then my local shale stuff is so fragile that even when adults handled them when I did a presentation for the rockhound club, some bits came off.... :shakehead:

Thanks

 

I knew there was a risk of something being dropped or damaged by mistake. The fossils I sent in were common, easily replaceable specimens 

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MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160.png MotM August 2023 - Eclectic Collector

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Thanks, I have fossils to show, in fact I have buckets of rocks that the kids could go through and if they were interested they could keep. Here in Owen Sound we live on an ancient coral reef Ordovician/Silurian time period. It is just there like sand, where I hesitate is identification but at the same time I would love to see these children really connect to the ancient history we have here. Instead of Christmas Raptor decorations I would love to see Eurypterids, Nautiloids etc. 

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23 hours ago, EscarpmentMary said:

Thanks, I have fossils to show, in fact I have buckets of rocks that the kids could go through and if they were interested they could keep. Here in Owen Sound we live on an ancient coral reef Ordovician/Silurian time period. It is just there like sand, where I hesitate is identification but at the same time I would love to see these children really connect to the ancient history we have here. Instead of Christmas Raptor decorations I would love to see Eurypterids, Nautiloids etc. 

Am sure the kids would appreciate a few bits to take home 

MOTM.png.61350469b02f439fd4d5d77c2c69da85.png.a47e14d65deb3f8b242019b3a81d8160.png MotM August 2023 - Eclectic Collector

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  • 3 weeks later...

Sorry, a bit of a long post....

 

It is so awesome being able to show children what you have in your collection! 

When my youngest daughter was in preschool (she was 3-4 years old) I visited her preschool with my (at the time) very limited collection. 

Around April this year I visited my eldest child's class (she's 10) with most of my fossils - they were studying extant sharks. Most of my collection is fossil shark teeth and other teeth from prehistoric predators (Mosasaurs, Plesiosaur, Carcharodontosaurus) but I also have a very large jaw from an extant Mako shark. The reaction from the kids when they see a shark jaw they can pretty much fit their head in and their reaction to a 5" Megalodon tooth was priceless! Other teachers noticed what I had and couldn't miss the opportunity so I visited 2 other classes while I was there. 

A couple of months ago a preschool was asking on FB for any paleontologist, fossil collectors etc to get in touch. I was the only one that did and I arranged to show what I had. Being under 5, it's hard to gauge how engaged they really are but some definitely had an interest!

About a month ago, after being arranged when I visited my eldest's class earlier in the year, I visited my youngest's class (she is 6). But instead of visiting all classes that age, all 4 classes squashed in to 1 classroom to see my fossils. This visit was focused on dinosaurs, with my Carch tooth and newly acquired Podokesaurus footprint I showed something on topic but they were more than happy to see the rest of the fossil predatory teeth too. Again the 5" Meg tooth and Mako jaw stole the show!

 

I was in to dinosaurs growing up and if anyone like me had visited my class with real fossils it would have blown my mind -  unfortunately it didn't happen but I am in a position to share (what a lot of people have described as a unique collection you simply can't go anywhere to see, not even a museum for the up close and touchable experience) and if that inspires some kids to make it a hobby or even job later in life then that's just awesome! 

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I work with the various scouts on all their science requirements. The younger ones are my favorites to share the magic of the natural world with as they aren’t all jaded by social media like my students.

 

warms my crusty heart to read of others sharing the wonder with the littluns.

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