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Teacher workshop evolves at the Alf Museum Nearly 30 instructors from San Bernardino County recently found plenty to be enthusiastic about during a 3-day education program at Webb Schools’ Alf Museum. The nation’s only accredited paleontology museum on a secondary school campus successfully launched its Paleontology for Educators seminar—an educational, hands-on experience for teachers organized by Alf Museum Curator Andrew Farke, with assistance from Alf Museum Director Donald Lofgren and Director of Outreach Kathy Sanders. “We hope they are excited and that they take that enthusiasm back to their schools,” Mr. Farke said. “We also hope they take what they learn and incorporate those things in the classroom.” From Tuesday through Thursday, the K-12 educators toured the museum, prepared fossils, learned about the relevance of paleontology toward understanding evolution, and participated in lectures. California State University, San Bernardino professor Stuart Sumida presented the keynote lecture on Wednesday regarding his work as a consultant on paleontology and anatomy for multiple Hollywood studios. The interactive component of the program was a highlight for Upland High School science teacher Marizka Rivette. “The most amazing thing was being in the laboratory and working with the real fossils,” she said. “This is geological time and is part of our history. It was an honor to do that and it’s not something you get to do every day.” The museum worked in conjunction with the office of the San Bernardino Country Superintendent of Schools to put on the event. The E. E. Ford Foundation helped fund the program. While the museum had originally planned for one 3-day session, but the overwhelming response by teachers led to the scheduling of a second session. The next program will take place in mid-February. “We had one-day workshops before and they were not long enough,” Mr. Lofgren explained. “With the support the E.E. Ford Foundation gave us through a grant, we were able to host a 3-day workshop where they provided money for each school for substitute teachers and also for our supplies.” (story continues below)
According to Barstow High School biology teacher Lequisha Brown-Joseph, having funding for substitute teachers made the program more attractive. The conceptual physics instructor was delighted to find a significant amount of the museum’s collection was a result of findings in Barstow. “Preparing fossils was fun but it was nice to find out that Barstow had such a role in where many of the fossils were found,” Ms. Brown-Joseph said. “I’m happy to be bringing that information back to the school. Many people view Barstow as just a place you pass through to get to Las Vegas but there is more to the city than that.” Mr. Farke used horse fossils to explain the process of evolution. The curator showcased fossils of the popular racing animal, showing its evolution process from a mesohippus of 30 million years ago to an equus (modern horse) of today. Following his lecture, teachers examined the fossils with the use of a 6-inch caliper and noted observations. “We’re providing understanding for teachers about the importance of the fossil record for the history of life,” Mr. Farke explained. “Fossils provide evidence for evolution but sometimes it’s not explained too well.” Santiago High School biology teacher Susan Cook believes the experience allows them to be more generally informed about evolution and the geological time scale. “I needed more depth to what I knew and this provided an in-depth experience,” she said. “I like that this museum is local and it’s a place where our kids [realistically] can come.” Ms. Rivette agrees. “We’re fortunate to have the Alf Museum as a big and local resource,” the Upland High School instructor said. “What would be neat is if they took the educators out on one of their expeditions and allowed us to really be involved at that level. But our experience this week is something we can take back to the kids. Three days for something like this is never enough time because there is so much to go over but what they are doing is a step in the right direction.”
—Landus Rigsby |
