PULLMAN, Wash.– Fifty second-graders from Franklin Elementary School in Pullman, and 70 teacher preparation students from Washington State University’s College of Education, will be digging “dinosaur” bones for a hands-on study of science, math and language arts. The dig takes place on Monday, Oct. 9.
The second-graders are from the classrooms of Marlys Johnson and Sue Schell of Franklin Elementary. Johnson and Schell have organized similar dinosaur digs for the last eight years, Johnson said. This year, their project benefited from funding from the U.S. Department of Education, which resulted in the involvement of the WSU students, Johnson explained.
Lynda Hatch, Boeing Distinguished Professor of Science Education at WSU, will bring her science education students to help the second-graders with their lessons and to evaluate the success of the project.
On Sunday, Oct. 8, parent volunteers and teachers will bury various animal bones at the site. On Monday, the bones will be excavated, studied, encased in plaster and recorded.
Both the second-graders and the WSU students will benefit from the interaction between the two groups and from the opportunity for some hands-on learning in science, mathematics and language arts, Hatch explained.
bl110-00
NOTE: Media representatives who wish to interview/photograph students at the “dinosaur dig” should come to the parking lot across the street from Franklin Elementary School, 850 S.E. Klemgard Ave. in Pullman, from 8 a.m.-11a.m. or noon-2:30 p.m., on Monday, Oct. 9. Media representatives must first check in with either Lynda Hatch or Marlys Johnson at the site.
