The three KFP Professional Development Institutes have enriched me as a teachers, as a professional, and as a person. “They have helped me lift my wings to start flying”.

I have learned new strategies to apply in the classroom, have used new tools in the classroom, feel comfortable creating new lessons, and feel more passionate about what I do, and how I do it. As I have said before, I feel empowered to do anything.

A good example of this has been related to the need I felt about creating a new partnership with the Aurora-Potash Corp Phosphate Mine. Partnerships and collaborations are very helpful when doing Citizen Science projects. Thinking about our Shark Teeth lessons, I thought it would be great if together with my students we could create a “virtual tour” video of the mine. That is the place where the shark teeth we study come from, and schools cannot visit the mine. Therefore, I found out who I should contact at the mine and sent an email with a a brief collaborative proposal for the creation of that virtual tour video. The email was taken in consideration, but the answer was that no one could tour the mine. Then, I took my students to the Aurora Fossil Museum, and saw the great importance, in motivation and excitement, for these students to have been there; to have had that experience, getting them excited about the lessons to begin. I, again thought, that “virtual tour” video is very important, and feeling empowered, decided to continue insisting on this. I have contacted Potash Corp again, and have met with the Public Affairs manager, meeting that turned out to be very successful. They are now considering the possibility of creating this video with my students; they have seen the importance of it, and recognized the impact this video would make on the community, and the whole state, realizing how important they can be in NC education. A collaborative process has begun with Postash Corp!

Another aspect that has brought a lot to me is having met, and shared with all the Kenan Fellows, teachers who really care about what they do and want to work hard on making a difference. It’s been a wonderful experience to be with all of them in the PDs days, and collaborate in a closer relationship with the Students Discover teachers. I keep learning from them every day, as well, and have felt very fortunate to be with all of you.

I never imagined how far our 6th graders could go in their work. I have been implementing  the Case Study I designed: JAWS- Forensic Case Study, and I am amazed of my students’ work and results. They have been real scientists in the classroom and have taken the role seriously, enjoying it as well.

They have found shark teeth, have identified them, have come up with questions to answer with the data collected, have taken different teeth measurements and analyzed them using measures of center and variability, finding that the shark teeth sizes do not vary much, based on the range of sizes measured. They are coming up with conclusions now, mentioning what types of sharks were at the Aurora region 25-5 million years ago, when it was covered with ocean water.

As scientists do, they are ready to publish now, creating a”Piktochart” to present their results, and I am  perplexed to see groups working ” so naturally”, like regular scientists together to finish this journey.

This has been amazing!!!

I can’t find words to express how grateful I am for this Kenan Fellowship experience. Through Dr. Bucky  Gates and his Paleo lab I have learned so much, I feel empowered, and ready to put all that knowledge into practice.

We have started our “JAWS- Forensics” Case study where our students are becoming scientists and Taphonomists. We have been studying prehistoric Earth, and now beginning to “dig for fossils”. This past Thursday we took our 6th graders to the Aurora Fossil Museum, place where we had the opportunity to meet and listen to Ray McKeithan, Manager of Public and Government Affairs at Potash Corp, the Aurora Phosphate Mine, who talked to our students and answered their questions. It’s great to see the beginning of a collaborative relationship with the Phosphate mine.

After that session, all students went to the museum exhibits, looking at fossils, and especially looking at shark teeth. As scientists do, they were gathering information about the different shark teeth on display, how they are arranged in the upper and lower jaws, and how they vary by species.

And the best part came later. All students had the chance to go find shark teeth! at the pile of discarded material from the phosphate mine, at the Museum. They enjoyed that so much, as they became familiar with finding shark teeth (skill necessary fort he upcoming lessons). Some collected around 20, some even 30 or 40 different shark teeth. But the happiest student was the one that found the biggest half tooth in the pile; a Megalodon tooth.

It was funny because we continued our trip, going to Manteo, then Plymouth, and the next day to little Washington. Everywhere we stopped there was a road, a side walk or pathway made with the discarded material from the mine, and every chance the students had, we could see them on the ground looking for shark teeth…..

What a wonderful trip with the kids! And a great experience for them.