Students Discover:  Prehistoric Forensics & Dinosaur Evolution-   with Dr. Terry “Bucky” Gates

This fellowship is in collaboration with NC State University and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. We will begin this summer, working with Bucky Gates at the Nature Research Center of The NC Museum of Natural Sciences to design lessons where students will be “Citizen Scientists”, studying shark teeth that have been found at the Aurora Phosphate Mine. This study is part of a bigger one, where Paleontologist are studying the Aurora mine fossils to determine what was happening millions of years ago in that area, distribution of fossil species, and also find out what happened to those prehistoric species after their individuals died- taphonomy.

The lessons will be designed in such a way that other schools can use them later, to introduce ‘citizen science’ practices in the Science classrooms, enhancing science learning through a more  authentic, “real science” approach. Students become real scientists.

I had the opportunity to introduce this project to my 6th grade students this past May, when we were studying the pros and cons of the Aurora Phosphate mine. After doing some research on it , we went to the NRC and interviewed Bucky Gates (see picture above). The students asked him very good questions about its environmental impact, learning a lot more about the mine and its importance for paleontologists. I am looking forward to learn more about shark teeth and about the Aurora area, which was covered with water millions of years ago.