Paleontology: Can You Dig It? Wrap-Up

Thanks for reading along about our adventures at High Plains Science Adventure Camp; Paleontology: Can You Dig It? We had a great week and learned a lot about paleontological sites across the Nebraska panhandle.

Paleontology: Can You Dig It? Days 4-5

Dinictis

Yesterday we went to Toadstool and we saw a lot of rocks. We also saw footprints bones and fossils. We saw where animals walked and the ancient rivers ran. We saw that there was an ancient river and stream. There were different kinds of rocks and sand. There were gopher teeth and jaw bones. We learned that you can go to jail if you steal fossils. But some people stole from Toadstool anyways. 

 

 More work on the fossilized tortoise shell.

We ate lunch at Fort Robinson and played games. At the museum we saw a big mammoth and we saw the mammoths that had tusks caught together. At Agate we took a hike and we saw a corkscrew tunnel. We saw that ants can carry bones to their nest and you can see micro fossils. We went outside at night and used our night vision and saw millions of fire flies. We slept at Agate Fossil Beds and saw a bed of bones and lots of Indian stuff that Red Cloud gave to them. At Agate we had bison burgers. We played fun game like shore to ship and fossil tag. 

Today we went to Harms Center and had breakfast burritos and made up a cheer. We're going to play jeopardy and we journaled.

 

The group posing next to a rock containing fossilized footprints recorded in ancient river silt.

Lonesome Georges

Day 4

Thursday was our field day. We rode the college’s charter bus to Toadstool National Park to hike around and view some pretty groovy rock formations. While we were there we came across some fossilized twigs and silicone dioxide from the ash. We learned that Toadstool is a standard timeline for evolution. We also learned that the rock formations at the park are caused by soft rock eroding from wind and rain underneath harder cap-rock.

Sediment layers at Toadstool Geological Park record what has happened there over the course of time.

            After we left Toadstool we drove to Fort Robinson to eat lunch and visit the museum. At the Museum, Shane gave us a tour of all the interesting fossils found in the area. The coolest fossil by far was the two mammoth fossils interlocked in a battle to the death. Using animal relatives today we discovered how scientists can give a pretty accurate idea of how animals in the past acted. Anne showed us mammoth tusks and by looking at the rings in the tusks we can tell how the animal grew.

            We left Fort Robb and went to Agate Fossil Beds. There, we walked a trail that had animal burrows called The Devil’s Corkscrew. The point of the corkscrew shape was it made it easier for the animal that occupied it to enter and exit its home, rather than a straight vertical drop. After the hike we had buffalo burgers, chips, carrots, watermelon, and water. For dessert we had s’mores. Then we watched Ice Age II: The Meltdown with popcorn. We went outside and watched the fireflies. Then we went to bed in Agate’s museum.                 

 The LG's and the Paleocasters hiking at Toadstool.

 Day 5

       We boarded the bus and headed to Scottsbluff’s Harms Center for the parent presentation. We put some gluey stuff on some fish fossils that LeRoy found and collected the stuff from our Great Science Adventure. 

Paleocastors

Thursday

On Thursday we went to Toadstool National Park. While we were there we saw cool rock formations, ancient rhino tracks, rabbits, and several faults. After that we went to Fort Robinson and ate lunch. Then we went to the Trailside Museum. While we there we saw the “Clash of the Titans”. It could also be Mammoths. Soon after that we went to Agate Fossil Beds and went on the Daemonalix trail. Then we left and on the way to the bus we saw a bullsnake. After our arrival at the actual museum we unloaded our luggage. Then we went outside and played Ship to Shore. Then we ate Bison Burgers and we watched Ice Age 2 The Meltdown. And then we went outside to see hundreds of  fireflies and stars and constilations. Then we spent the night at Agate.

The Paleocaster group in front of one of the formations that give Toadstool its name.

Friday

Sadly, today is our last day at paleontology camp. When we got up we ate breakfast and went on a morning hike. Then we packed our luggage and got on the bus and drove back to Scottsbluff. When we arrived we unloaded our luggage … again. Now we are doing activities.

 Carefully removing the plaster jacket from an excavated tortoise shell.

Syndyocerous

 Today we got on the bus and drove to Toadstool and did a really cool hike and got to take lots of pictures. 

Taking a break during a hike at Toadstool.

Then we got back on the bus and went to Ft. Robinson to eat lunch. After that we went to the museum. We got back on the bus and drove to Agate Fossil Beds and did a short hike and played some games then ate buffalo burgers for dinner. We watched Ice Age 2 and had popcorn. Then we went outside and watched fireflies. After that we went to bed.

 Hanging out with a fossilized mammoth at the Trailside Museum at Fort Robinson State Park.

 

Learning how to set up a grid system to divide a dig site before digging begins. 

Today we got on the bus to leave. Then after we got back to Scottsbluff we did a journal entry. Now we are writing on our blog today we haven’t done much yet.  

Titanothere

We went to Toadstool Park and found a turtle fossil half buried in the dirt.

 

A shallow, water-formed cave at Toadstool Geological Park.

   

We spent the night at Agate Fossil Beds and ate bison burgers.

Today we are getting four types of fossils: shark teeth, petrified wood, a clam, and a fish.

We watched a great movie: Ice Age 2: The Meltdown.

           

We saw the fire flies at night and some of us picked them up even through we weren't    

              supposed to.

 

The Titanotheres preparing for their oral report on the history of Toadstool Geological Park.

 

Paleontology: Can You Dig It? Days 2-3

Dinictis

Day 2

Today we learned a lot about fossils . we went and dug fossils in the bad lands. We went up the monument and went on a hike down. We saw a bull snake. We met a park ranger name A.J. our group dug up a fossil that was descoved 4 years ago and we finished the job. The fossil was a 32 million year old land tortoise shell. we made plaster and put it on the shell to get it out with out breaking it.

 Dinictis group carefully removing a 32 million year old tortoise shell

Using chisels to remove the dirt from around the tortoise shell

Day 3

Today we dug up micro fossils. We figured out which  fossils were what.  We had to have partners to dig up fossils. We made our own dinosaurs. We made posters about how not to steal fossils. We also chiseled off the extra rock on the fossils. We went on the gps to find location numbers. We played lots of games and we made casts out of plaster.

Lonesome Georges (the giant tortoise)

Our second day of camp we went to the badlands to excavate fossils. After digging a trench around the fossil, we covered the fossil with toilet paper then with plaster.

Then we ate lunch. A park ranger talked to us about why we needed to protect the Monument’s fossils. We also took a long hike down the monument while another ranger talked to us about the layers of the monument and how they represent what happened long ago.

 

Day 3

This morning we worked on getting the dirt off of the jacketed fossils. After that we poured plaster fossils. We played fossil tag then no laugh game. We screened for micro fossils. We made “Anti fossil theft” posters. This afternoon we made our own dinosaurs. We are going to do a global positioning system scavenger hunt this afternoon. 

 The Lonesome Georges screening for microfossils

Paleocastors (digging beavers) Can you dig it!?!?     

On Tuesday we dug fossils in the bad lands of Nebraska. We were assigned to work on a giant turtle shell. I collected an Oreodont finger bone and Sal got some turtle shell fragments.  Later we went to Scott’s Bluff National Monument. We first listened to a presentation from a protection ranger. Then we hiked all the way down.  Next we looked at some off-site fossils. We also did a timeline in geographic time like eons and periods, etc. Today we dug some microfossils and made our own prehistoric creatures.

 Examining fossil fragments collected in the badlands

Syndyocerous

Yesterday we went to the badlands. The bones we got to dig up were an oreodont jaw, and two turtle shells. To dig up these fossils we used chisels, brushes, hooks and hammers. We also found fossilized burrows. The reason we had to be careful with the fossils was because we didn’t want them to break. They were so fragile because they were millions of years old. After we were done digging, we wetted toilet paper and set it on the fossil. Then we put medical tape on it to form a plaster.

After digging up fossils, we went back to the monument and listened to one of the rangers speak about why we shouldn’t take fossils. We don’t want to take fossils because the fossils belong to everyone. After the seminar, we played a timeline game, that showed the different stages of earth and what was created in those time periods. We then went inside to look at fossils. We looked at turtle shells and other fossilized parts.

 Syndyocerous working on digging out fossils at the badlands helped by Shane Tucker (NE Dept. of Roads)

Day 3

 The first thing we talked about was rocks and gems with Le Roy. Any crack in rocks can be filled with minerals.

Titanothere 

Day 2-3

                                                     

We went to badlands and dug up fossils and bring back a turtle shell.

We dug for microfossils in soft sand it was fun.

We had a good time walking down the monument on saddlerock trail.

We made plaster casts today.

There was a bull snake in the tree.

 Fossilized titanothere jawbone.

Paleontology: Can You Dig It? Day 1

Yesterday morning we kicked off our High Plains Science Adventure Camp for 2012 which has a theme of 'Paleontology: Can You Dig It?', at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center. We have 26 4th-7th graders in camp this year, all of whom arrived eager to explore and learn more about how fossils are formed and where they can be found. I could ramble on longer about everything we packed into our first day, but I'll let the campers tell what they learned in their own words. Each group of campers is named after a different prehistoric animal, and so their posts are titled with that animal's name. Tune back in tomorrow for another day's adventures at HPSA camp!*


Clouded Leopard

We had a lot of fun today. The games were fun, but we learned a bunch about the outdoors and fossils. We learned how to use and navigate with gps units. Shane showed us some fossils he dug up with his tools. We learned about how fossils were made.  Shane also taught us how to dig up fossils, using cow bones, trowels, and paintbrushes. We learned how to graph and use cameras, and we learned about the rock cycle too. We went on a trail and saw cool animals, like a cottontail rabbit. We went on an adventure, and met new people. We played outside and met new friends. We watched birds play and we also wrote in our journals. We had an awesome and fun day.

 Learning how to dig for fossils in the 'fossil sandbox'.

 Lonesome George (the giant tortoise)

Day 1

This morning we learned how global positioning system (GPS) units work and tested them out. We also learned how to excavate fossils, as well as how bones are scattered. 

This afternoon we played a game about the rock cycle. We also discovered how difficult it is for organisms to become fossils. Then we played a game called fossil tag (VERY similar to freeze tag).

Sediment layers at Toadstool Geologic Park.

Paleocastors (Digging Beaver)

Today we worked with GPS units and we didn’t lose our way. We also practiced digging and recording bones. We learned about prehistoric mammals. We learned how sediment covers the bones of dead prehistoric animals. We learned how to identify the bones in fossils.

                                    END OF DAY 1 TO BE CONTINUED……

Mountain Lion mount at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center.

Syndyoceras

The first thing we did today was a slide show. On the slide show we learned that there could be anywhere we step. The fossils could be only a centimeter deep or 100 feet deep. We also learned that there are many different eras of fossils. The fossils don’t all die the same. After the slide show we learned about GPS. They’re not always accurate. When we were done with GPS we got to graph a rose chart. The chart showed if the fossils died in a stream or a pond. Depending on the weight of the bone can determine the direction the bone. After the chart we got to dig up bones and graph where the bones were laid in the square. You can’t just pick up a bone or you lose all of the data of where it was or possibly how it got there. So you have to chart where the bones were dug up. After lunch we played a game that taught us that not everything will become a fossil. We also learned that the more abundant the species the more likely one will be fossilized. Once we were done with that we went and learned that not every rock cycle was the same. Rocks all have different cycles. We then learned how to use a digital camera. They showed us so that we can take pictures of interesting things. 

Digging for fossils in the sandbox to prepare for digging in the field.

Titanothere

What we learned, we use gps to find lanyards in trees all around the Wildcat hills.

We dug up bones for a man made dig site.

 We also hiked in the wild cat hills.

We watched a power point on paleontology.

In the morning we played mammal mammal dinosaur while waiting for the camp to start.

 Bobcat mount at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center (the mounts were definitely a favorite with the campers).

 *The words are all those of the campers. However, these posts were edited for spelling and grammar.

High Plains Science Adventure Camp 2012!!

Will you have finished 4th, 5th, 6th, or 7th grade by this May? Are you interested in science and hands-on activities? Come join us for High Plains Science Adventure Camp: Paleontology: Can You Dig It? this summer! Camp runs daily, from 8-4, the week of June 18th-22nd, and is based here in Scottsbluff. Come see a side of the Monument you've never seen before, learn how real paleontologists and archeologists conduct their work in the field, and stay overnight at Agate Fossil Beds and sleep amongst the fossils of ancient creatures.

Please click on the below link to access and download a copy of the registration forms for HPSA Camp 2012. Registration is now open and will remain open through May 1st, 2012. If you have any questions, please send us an email at HPSAcamp (at) gmail (dot) com. We look forward to seeing you at camp this summer!