October 2002
PaleontologyIf you think that paleontology is just the study of dinosaurs, you are not alone. But it is much more. Paleontologists study fossils to understand what happened at different points in our planet's history. Paleontologists study many different fields of science to combine knowledge gained from anthropologists, archaeologists, biologists, computer science engineers, ecologists, and geologists to learn about the human race's place in the world. Sometimes the distinctions between these different fields become blurry, because they do often overlap. The University of California at Berkeley's website (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/exhibit/paleontology.html) does a great job of explaining "What Paleontology is NOT" by describing the different methods and areas of focus of paleontology, anthropology, and archaeology. One of the most exciting aspects of paleontology is that you don't have to be a professional to contribute to the field. Some significant contributions have been made by amateurs. To help you teach the budding paleontologists in your classroom, we've included ideas, articles, news stories, and websites to fire up their imaginations and inspire their curiosity. Dig in! Paleontology in the News Article summaries provided by the NSTA WebNews Service. Paleontological discoveries are hot news right now! Discover what's new in old fossils. Use these opportunities to link today's headlines to your science unit on fossils, dinosaurs, or paleontology. Click here for the latest news stories. http://ecommerce.nsta.org/enewsletter/2002-09/news_stories.htm Paleontology on the NetSciLinks is an interactive, Web-based service from NSTA that connects your lesson and/or course materials (certain textbooks, NSTA books, and journal articles) with online content chosen just for your selected topics. NSTA members can search by keyword or phrase and receive a list of teacher-approved Internet resources. Elementary: Paleontology http://www.scilinks.org/retrieve_outside.asp?sl=9263562111101022 Intermediate: Paleontology http://www.scilinks.org/retrieve_outside.asp?sl=9263565511101022 High School: Paleontology http://www.scilinks.org/retrieve_outside.asp?sl=9263569911101022 Paleontology in NSTA Journal ArticlesThe following journal articles are sorted by grade level to provide you with ideas for classroom lessons and activities related to paleontology. Elementary: http://ecommerce.nsta.org/enewsletter/2002-09/elementary.htm • Primary Paleontologists • "Weighing" Dinosaurs • Ancient Fossil Challenges Theory of Bird Origin Intermediate: http://ecommerce.nsta.org/enewsletter/2002-09/intermediate.htm • Dino-mite! • A Prehistoric Odyssey • Prints to Ponder High School: http://ecommerce.nsta.org/enewsletter/2002-09/high_school.htm • Fossil Forecasting • Laboratory Excavations • Digital Dinosaur Discoveries Books on Paleontology Check out these titles from NSTA Press and NSTA Recommends: http://ecommerce.nsta.org/enewsletter/2002-09/books.htm • Learning About the Earth •Rising to the Challenge •Rocks & Minerals, Hands-on Science Series •The Cambridge Guide to Minerals, Rocks, and Fossils Professional Development"You wouldn’t dream of walking into a classroom without
any idea what you want to accomplish. Why The ENC developed a comprehensive form to empower NSTA members to develop their own professional plan for learning. Print it out and start your plan today! Click here to view the form: http://ecommerce.nsta.org/enewsletter/2002-09/pd_steps1.pdf If you are interested in Professional Development from NSTA, click here: http://ecommerce.nsta.org/institute HighlightsNSTA Highlights are provided by the NSTA WebNews Service. For additional NSTA Highlights, as well as the latest science and education news, visit http://www.nsta.org/mainnews.NSTA Wants To Hear From You!
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