Submitted by Flo Trujillo, Youth Services Coordinator at the Farmington Public Library
The Farmington Public Library’s “Fossil Fiesta” on Saturday, September 21 from 9am to 2pm was a partnership to introduce “David H. Koch Hall of Fossils – Deep Time,” with engaging hands-on activities that use fossils to teach visitors about the history of life on Earth and what it means to us today. The library hosted the first outreach for the Lineage, a National Science Foundation funded initiative to engage families in learning about evolution through media, hands-on activities and virtual reality. Lineage is led by Twin Cities Public Television and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) and targeted to families with children 8-12 years old. It will engage individuals and families in learning about deep time and evolution, and help audiences make connections between the past, present, and future of life on Earth. Amy Bolton, lead educator for “The David H. Koch Hall at the Smithsonian, Gale Robertson, Smithsonian Office of Outreach and Education, Colleen Popson, educator Q?rius at the Smithsonian and Michel Lee, Senior engineer from Schell Games were at the event along with Jennifer Borland from Rockman doing the evaluation for the program.
— Dinosaurs Take Flight
— Whale Evolution
— VR Game Whales Walked: Journeys in Deep Time
The standards-based learning around paleontology, evolution and deep time offered families an opportunity to learn together. New Mexico Museum of Natural History’s Paleontologists, Paleo-artists and program team set up various centers to engage families in STEM. Indiana Bones presented three “Bones to Stone” puppet shows. The New Mexico Museum of Natural History’s Fossil Fiesta is scheduled for Sunday, (free museum day) October 6 from 9am to 4pm. Youth Services Coordinator, Flo Trujillo will provide the VR to the public and Youth Services Technician, Melanie Leeson will provide Dinosaurs Take Flight presentations from the Farmington Public Library at the museum.