That’s how our day began one hot March morning. While the answers ranged from silly (a samurai sword?) to plain offensive (the first Nintendo?) and everywhere in between; no one guessed that we would be handling fossils that were approximately 500 million years old. Thanks to the generous trilobite donation of San Bernardino Catholic Elementary Schools Board Member Hector Murrieta, fourth graders at Our Lady of the Assumption School had a science lesson to remember.
In class we reviewed the topological history of Earth. We had to stretch way back to the days of Pangea and work our way forward. In a few minutes we zoomed through billions of years, right up to the present day. I thought I would throw my class a curve ball by asking them, “How would a trilobite (a water-based life form) end up in the Nevada Desert where Mr. Murrieta found them?”
The class didn’t hesitate to explain that the surface of the Earth has changed greatly in the past 500 million years and that at one point the Nevada Desert was obviously underwater. I was so proud!
The students believed I was the only person lucky enough to handle a specimen so old and so precious. Through the aid of my iPad and smart board I was able to project a close-up image of the trilobite for the whole class to see. Their faces lit up when they could actually make out tiny fossils embedded in the rock. I decided to reward their enthusiasm and passed around the trilobite samples for them to hold and inspect. Their assignment was to sketch their favorite specimens and label the different body parts.
Thanks to the efforts of a generous donor, fourth graders had a tactile experience they won’t soon forget. The lesson inspired me to create a rotation science exhibit in our hallway; with the aid of donors and fundraisers I hope to continue to introduce fun and exciting opportunities to the students of OLA. If you’re in the neighborhood and want to see something interesting stop by Mr. Vasquez’ class!