Glen Kuban's light relief and NBC

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Glen, great fun! As a Cub Scout leader of 43 youth (not boys, Scouts Canada is now co-ed) in an act of desperation one night when our scheduled programming didn't work out (people never showed up), I introduced the youth to plate tectonics and one of my collections which I just happened to have in my van. They were enthralled, enthused, and excited. Like you I feel educators are facilitators in the art of education, and only have to channel or focus "...the natural curiosity and excitement about the world that most children are born with."

My question and challenge to you professional educators out there is "How do we demonstrate, teach, or introduce legitimate science and scientific investigation to our youth?" We are making a big issue out of the recent "pseudo-science" or "tabloid science" some of us saw in the recent NBC show. Well..... what are we doing to help further the public understanding of "true science?" I would personally like to hear some ideas about how I can further the cub scouts' interest in fossils. I'm a new avocational paleontologist, or so I've been told. Once I found out that meant I was a beginner fossil collector, I determined to learn as much as I could in the limited time I have left. I will never be in a position to dictate the fate of the various departments of the many institutes of higher learning that many of you represent, but perhaps some of "my" youth will. What can I do for them to ensure they understand both the value of "true science" and the value of paleontology? I am open to any and all ideas, either directly to me daryl.fuller@bchydro.bc.ca , or if we can start a thread of "ideas for/from children", then to the whole group.

PS. The fossils I showed the cub scouts were NOT of the Jurassic Park variety. They were some early Silurian corals, aulacerids (thanks Paul Johnston, Royal Tyrell Museum), and brachiopods. The youth loved to hear how something that once lived in a shallow sea came to rest 7800' above sea level in the Canadian Rockies. One later meeting night we "created" some fossil leaf imprints using simple wall mud and modern common leaves, which we "uncovered" with safety glasses and chisels another night. We are looking forward to going on a "real" fossil hunt with some members of the Vancouver Paleontological Society one weekend.
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"I always felt it was
one of the primary goals of educators to simply avoid squashing the
natural curiousity and excitement about the world that most children
are born with."
Glen J. Kuban