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Yes, the old method of drawing fossils and labeling parts (although a good way to see morphology) can be a bit dry week after week. In addition to Marc's suggestion of using paleoecology I have found that students like exercises that require the reconstruction of fossil specimens. I sometimes use clay and ask students reconstruct a fragmented fossil found in a rock. I have also done labs where they even reconstruct whole faunas such as the Edicarian. Pictures of this can be seen at http://uregina.ca/~radenbat/paleo/labs2002/EdiReconFall2002.html Although this looks like a kindergarten exercise we spend lots of time discussing functional morphology and paleoecology - and the addition of playing with a childhood toy adds much fun and giggling... Good luck with your lab, Todd Todd Radenbaugh Department of Geology University of Regina Marc Laflamme wrote: > Jennifer, > My name is Marc, and I am in a similar position as you. I find it > helpful to put a paleoecological twist to the topic. Most students get > really bored with the simple taxonomy which is often the key aspect of > most lower level paleo classes. on the other hand, paleoecological > implications of fossils often fascinate young minds, and give them a > much more applicable look at the fossil record. what do these ancient > organisms tell us about ancient environments? what can be said about > how our geography, temperature, climate, etc has changed since? > > Another interesting aspect is paleo behaviour, which can be displayed > with trace fossils, dinosaur trackways, death assemblages, dinosaur > nests... trying to figure out how animals lived their every day life > with only fossils as your guide is always a hoot. > > a third topic of interest is controversies. what major debates have > changed the way we view ancient groups? this may included the > feathered dinosaur topic, or warm-blooded dinosaurs, or even the > origin of the first animals. > > What is important is that they see fossils as living, breathing, > organisms, and not as boring rocks. > > Cheers, > Marc > > Marc Laflamme, > Queen's University > Kingston, Ont. Canada > > > > > > >> From: Jennifer Stempien <jstempie@vt.edu> >> Reply-To: paleonet@nhm.ac.uk >> To: PaleoNet@nhm.ac.uk >> Subject: paleonet Suggestions for intro paleo lab >> Date: Fri, 18 Oct 2002 17:38:51 -0400 >> >> >> I have been selected to teach an introductory paleo lab aimed at the >> sophomore level in the near future. The basics of the lab, fossils and >> labels, have been set up already but previous students have >> complained that >> the presentation is dry. Since this is the first exposure most of these >> students have to paleontology I would like to get them excited about >> fossils instead of bored by them. >> >> If you have any teaching ideas or suggestions, fond memories of your >> first >> paleo intro lab, or moments that hooked you I would like to hear them. >> >> Thank you >> >> Jennifer Stempien >> Department of Geological Sciences >> Virginia Tech >> jstempie@vt.edu > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE* > http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus > > >
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