Abstract

Paleo Exploration Project: Teachers, GIS, and Fossils in Montana
Track: Educational Research and Teacher Education
Author(s): Heather Almquist, Marc Hendrix, George Stanley, Jeff Crews, Lisa Blank

The Paleo Exploration Project is an NSF-funded professional development program for middle school math and science teachers from fossil-rich eastern Montana. Through a series of workshops, teachers learn to use GIS to select potential sites for fossil surveys based on geology, topography, land ownership, and road access. During the program's summer research institutes, teachers and students visit selected sites and map fossil occurrence, sediment stratigraphy, and topography. They create maps to decipher the paleogeography of the site, including paleoenvironments, biota, and time periods represented.

Because most program participants lack significant exposure to technology, we first build skill and confidence with simple tools such as Google Earth. We then move into GIS, demonstrating how spatial data can be found or created, added to a GIS, and analyzed. Results of the program, including improvements in teachers' spatial literacy and ability to embed GIS into inquiry-based learning activities, will be presented.

Heather Almquist
The University of Montana
500 North Higgins
Suite 203
Missoula , Montana 59802
United States
Phone: (406) 370-0139
E-mail: heather.almquist@umontana.edu

Marc Hendrix
The University of Montana
Clapp Building
Missoula , Montana 59812
United States
Phone: 406 243-1212
E-mail: marc.hendrix@umontana.edu

George Stanley
The University of Montana
Clapp Building
Missoula , Montana 59812
United States
Phone: 406 243-5693
E-mail: george.stanley@umontana.edu

Jeff Crews
Univeristy of Montana
School of Education
Missoula , Montana 59812
United States
Phone: 406-360-6340
E-mail: jeff.crews@umontana.edu

Lisa Blank
The University of Montana
Education Building
Missoula , Montana 59812
United States
Phone: 406 370-6084
E-mail: lisa.blank@umontana.edu