rejd Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 And what a cool experience that was. We talked a bit about how fossils are formed, why it's important to study fossils and what peleontologists do. I had a slide show with pics from some of our trips and the kids had a blast. I brought a bunch of fossils for the kids to look at and touch (I made sure they were fossils that weren't too fargile). I was amazed at how much some of the kids already knew and also laughed (on the inside) at some of their questions and answers. I was well worth the time and I encourage anyone else who has the opportunity to do this to take advantage of it. It was a great experience for me and the kids. A fossil hunter needs sharp eyes and a keen search image, a mental template that subconsciously evaluates everything he sees in his search for telltale clues. -Richard E. Leakey http://prehistoricalberta.lefora.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Good show! What age were the students? "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rejd Posted October 8, 2014 Author Share Posted October 8, 2014 Oops, forgot to mention that. they are grade 3, so around 8. A fossil hunter needs sharp eyes and a keen search image, a mental template that subconsciously evaluates everything he sees in his search for telltale clues. -Richard E. Leakey http://prehistoricalberta.lefora.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Well done! I do a bit of that myself from time to time with students of various ages and I find it very rewarding. I like to take them on trips as well to underline the theory. Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rejd Posted October 8, 2014 Author Share Posted October 8, 2014 I think it would be fun to take them on a trip but not sure how that would work. I do think it would be fun to take them all to the Tyrrell Museum though. Maybe next year. A fossil hunter needs sharp eyes and a keen search image, a mental template that subconsciously evaluates everything he sees in his search for telltale clues. -Richard E. Leakey http://prehistoricalberta.lefora.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaier Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 I encourage anyone else who has the opportunity to do this to take advantage of it. It was a great experience for me and the kids. It's a good idea, but here in the southeast US it is better to let the teacher directly do the teaching stuff, and then the parent can do things to support the teacher. Many people here do not believe in fossils and it could get nasty. The teacher is trained to handle things like that. So, you could ask the teacher if you could make a presentation and provide the fossils that the teacher will use. If the teacher turns you down, thank them for listening to the idea and drop it. The teacher knows what they can get away with. How to Play It Safe in a Multi-Cultural Society. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caldigger Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 I did a program for a 30 student second grade class (7 year olds). Attention span was about as close to zero as you can get and I was constantly being interrupted with "my daddy found a rock!" or " I like this dinosaur or that dinosaur!" I got through it and gave each student a choice of a shark tooth or an ammonite. I believe it was more rewarding for me than for them. Anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaier Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 The website Paleoportal has K-12 material for a teacher to follow along and give a presentation. What is missing for the teacher is hands-on stuff to get their attention, like the fossils. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 I have a bunch of bird fossils on display in my shop, and hardly a day goes by that I can't kindle a sense of wonder, in kids of all ages. "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rejd Posted October 9, 2014 Author Share Posted October 9, 2014 Thanks for all your comments. It was a bit distracting but the kids were asking some pretty good questions. I did send the teacher a quick email to ask how my talk was and this was her response, "It was fantastic - I truly mean that! Grade 3 is always entertaining;)! I am sorry that you were interrupted a bit. There are a few students in our class that have a challenges, making it harder for them to pay attention - especially at the end of the day! Thank-YOU so much for lending us your time. You need to know that you inspired kids today to ask questions and to go on their own fossil hunts! Thanks for sharing your hobby with us. I look forward to having you in our class as a volunteer as well!" This just made my day! I would do it again in a heartbeat. A fossil hunter needs sharp eyes and a keen search image, a mental template that subconsciously evaluates everything he sees in his search for telltale clues. -Richard E. Leakey http://prehistoricalberta.lefora.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ramo Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 I've found that telling them something like "I'd love to hear your stories about rocks and fossils you've found and talk about them, but I've got a lot to go over and not much time. If you can wait until we've finished going over all I got here, then we will have time to visit at the end." This usually helps to stem the flow of questions and comments. I usually try to leave a little "free-time" at the end of presentations where the kids can look over a table of fossils, or I provide little "grab-bags" with sand and a bunch of little fossils in them that they can "hunt" for on a paper-plate. They get to put their treasures in the zip lock bag that had the sand mixture in it, and I bring a bucket around for them to pour the leftover sand into. I'm then able to walk around and visit one-on-one a little. Ramo For one species to mourn the death of another is a new thing under the sun. -Aldo Leopold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 I have done fossil exhibits for the past 21 years for grade 4 classes ,and the kids and teachers etc Love it , I fill up 5 tables 6 ft in length with fossils such as Dino eggs , Dino teeth, Coprolite,Dino bones, star fish, Crinoids , amber, petrified wood , carbonized leaves , ammonites , mammoth tooth , trilobites ,coral, fish,crabs,Meg tooth , insects etc etc and in the past 21 years I have only had 2 things break , but what I get out of doing the exhibit far out weighs the broken fossils ,I get lots of great questions from the kids ,and the teacher tells me that after I left the kids were looking all over the school yard for fossils . I have had kids that I saw in grade 4 come up to me in grade 9 and say it was one of the best things that they remember in school ,and they still have the free sharks tooth plus many other fossils that they have collected over the years ,they say that my talk enticed them to collect fossils ,and some kids have said that they may want to become a palaeontologist . I have done talks to developmental classes and still the questions I get from them and the look of amazement on there faces when they touch the fossils makes it worth while . I tell the class that my talk comes first then I will answer questions that are not stories , the stories can wait until everyone is looking at the fossils and it always works for me . If I've sparked the interest in just one child it's worth it and I will continue to do the exhibits til I can't , it's one of the best things that I've ever done with my spare time . Also from doing the talks at the schools I now do talks at Libraries, nature groups , conservation areas , day camps and even at malls in London . Believe me it's worth it . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 A few years ago the school boards have become tighter in the respect of who they let do exhibits in the schools . You now need a current criminal check and 2 million in liability insurance and your exhibit must meet the curriculum that is set out for the schools and then your put on the exhibitors list for all schools , I pay very little for the insurance $30 per month from a reputable insurance company and the criminal check does not cost very much and it's still well worth it do do the exhibit . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Way to go rejd the memory of doing the exhibit will last for a life time in both you and the class you did the exhibit for . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaier Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 A few years ago the school boards have become tighter in the respect of who they let do exhibits in the schools . You now need a current criminal check and 2 million in liability insurance and your exhibit must meet the curriculum that is set out for the schools and then your put on the exhibitors list for all schools , I pay very little for the insurance $30 per month from a reputable insurance company and the criminal check does not cost very much and it's still well worth it do do the exhibit . A person who wants to contribute to the school system without going through all the hassle mentioned above can just act as a support for the teacher, providing material for them to do the presentation. So you tell the teacher "I have knowledge and material to create a presentation on paleontology, can I provide them to you?" Then you have no liability for anything. I have a Honkin' Biggin' telescope that I seldom use anymore, and I've been meaning to contact the local high school science teacher to see if they are interested. When I was in 9th grade, some parent gave a small 6" reflector telescope to the school and the science teacher allowed me to take it home and learn to use it. I was out in the four foot deep snow in January in Wisconsin trying to learn about how to set up and use a scope on my own. The teacher didn't know how to use it. That scope got me interested in instrumentation and science in general. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharko69 Posted October 9, 2014 Share Posted October 9, 2014 Well done! There are not a lot of people that take the time to do what you did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixgill pete Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Kudos to you for bringing the fossil past to light for these children. Bulldozers and dirt Bulldozers and dirt behind the trailer, my desert Them red clay piles are heaven on earth I get my rocks off, bulldozers and dirt Patterson Hood; Drive-By Truckers May 2016 May 2012 Aug 2013, May 2016, Apr 2020 Oct 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantguy Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Hey Rejd, Excellent! Glad to hear about your contributions. It is indeed very rewarding for all. Very Nice! Regards, Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lissa318 Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 (edited) How wonderful!!! . I made some riker fossil displays with labels for a school near here to be used in the class. Since I'm pretty new at this I'm sure the teachers know more than me to an extent... I felt good contributing somehow and hopefully assisted in peaking some young kids interest in fossil. I wish I learned more about them when I was younger!!! I missed out on so many years of fossil fun-ness! Edited October 12, 2014 by lissa318 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Great job rejd. It can never be wrong to provide information to kids regarding the world of Science around them. The teachers in our school district are very encouraging to parents that want to come in and talk about Science or careers. It blows their mind when I tell them that their classroom was once under about 200'of ocean and show them shark teeth from down the street. I have 2 nieces that moved to Florida in 8th grade. The public schools curriculum was the equivalent of their 6th grade in new jersey. Unfortunately they had to go to private schools. It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmaier Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Unfortunately they had to go to private schools. I had to take my son out of private school, when I found out what they were teaching him. He was having nightmares. He thought the Romans were coming to kill him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squali Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 I had to take my son out of private school, when I found out what they were teaching him. He was having nightmares. He thought the Romans were coming to kill him. Ha unfortunately my neices had the same impression but the pros out weighed the cons for them as they were old enough. It's hard to remember why you drained the swamp when your surrounded by alligators. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missourian Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 I did a program for a 30 student second grade class (7 year olds). Attention span was about as close to zero as you can get and I was constantly being interrupted with "my daddy found a rock!" or " I like this dinosaur or that dinosaur!" I got through it and gave each student a choice of a shark tooth or an ammonite. I believe it was more rewarding for me than for them. Anyway! Unfocused enthusiasm of kids can be both encouraging and frustrating. One just hopes something sticks before they move on to other stuff when they get older. Context is critical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted October 28, 2014 Share Posted October 28, 2014 This kind of outreach is a great service to science, and to all the kids fortunate enough to be able to participate. Well done! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rejd Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 I agree Auspex. I have had some parents ask me about fossil hunting now and looking for information. My son even went through some of his fossils so he could donate them to his class so all can touch them. He tells me some of the kids are still talking about the talk. As I said earlier, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. A fossil hunter needs sharp eyes and a keen search image, a mental template that subconsciously evaluates everything he sees in his search for telltale clues. -Richard E. Leakey http://prehistoricalberta.lefora.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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