FossilDudeCO Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 I know what I am doing isn't on the scale of what may of our other members do, but I figured this was a good place to display what I am doing with the local fossil club and museum I worked at. I have been a member of the Western Interior Paleontological Society (WIPS) for about 3 years. Coincidently I have been involved with Dinosaur Ridge out in Morrison for about 3 years now. A couple of years ago I started sorting micro-matrix that some forum members had sent me. Rather than hoard it all myself, I did a Kid's Fossil Club program with some of the Peace River matrix many of you are familiar with. This was through WIPS and was a huge success! We used some microscopes and the kids each got a small bag to sort, we took pictures, identified our finds, and some of the children even wrote up presentations for our meeting the following month. It was a huge success, so I went over to Dinosaur Ridge with our compiled data and a gallon bag of matrix for their summer camps last year. Most of the kids at this summer camp are 8-12 so the program was written slightly different. Not only did we identify our finds, but then the kids were asked to focus on proper labeling techniques. We separated the fossils out into small gem jars and had the kids make their own tags from scratch, no hints were given initially. I was amazed with the results! Of the 38 kids aged 8-12; 35 of them included a common and/or scientific name, 31 of them included the age of the fossil, and 27 of them included where the fossil was originally found. Between the lot of them though almost all information was there! The biggest thing they missed is how it was obtained. (ie. personally find, a gift, who gave it to them, etc.) I have been asked to do a class again this year with the group, and I am very excited! As much as I teach these kids, I feel like they teach me just as much. I love working with the kids, and I am really hoping that this becomes a yearly gig. I am just starting out in the fossil world myself, but any knowledge that I can pass on excites me and I feel like I am really giving back even on just a small scale. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darktooth Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 I think what your doing is great. Kids are our future so teaching them something positive is always a good thing. Dont downplay yourself and keep up the good work! I like Trilo-butts and I cannot lie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troodon Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 That's fantastic. Our kids are indeed our future and it's a great opportunity for them to be exposed to this type of activity. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pagurus Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Nice work! Kids love making discoveries and you are giving them the chance to do just that. It's great that you're guiding them along the way and I'm happy you can share in their excitement. They will remember the experiences you are giving them and many of them will remember you for a long, long time. Start the day with a smile and get it over with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted March 11, 2016 Share Posted March 11, 2016 Good stuff! Keep rockin' those kids' worlds! "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...
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