About this photo of the Northern Lights…
We’ve gotten a bunch of questions about this beautiful picture of the Northern Lights glowing over the Lost in Time Ranch in Montana.
The photo was taken by Adler astronomer Dr. Mark Hammergren. He’s a terrific planetary geologist and a highly-talented educator. He’s also passionate about asteroids, including the one that struck the earth 65 million years ago. For example, here’s a picture of him telling our Science Teacher Field Institute field crew to “DIG!” in search of evidence of the clay layer marking the K-P (aka K-T) boundary… Continue reading
Reflecting on an Outstanding Experience
What a week this has been! I am considering all the things we have learned, the people with whom we learned, the things we found, and how I will use this experience to enrich my classroom. Here are some highlights:
1. This was a week of firsts for all of the teachers here. One first was that on Tuesday evening, I was able to see the Northern Lights for the first time. I have discussed this amazing event with my students for years, but I have… Continue reading
Fieldwork, Lost in Time Ranch, oscar, Science Teacher Field Institute | 
4 CommentsPonderings on time and place
I am awestruck by this place. Trying to find a balance between letting myself meld into the serenity of such a vast primal land and zeroing in on microscopic details of rock and bone. The ancientness of this land is part of its secret. That it looks so still and silent, stately and expansive, suspended in another dimension as if life is afraid to disturb its tranquility. Yet look closer. Look into the side of that crumbling butte, with walls soft and puckered like a biscuit. Look at that tiny… Continue reading
The End of Field Duty
Last night we went to Mishikoa (sp??) State Park and astronomer Mark Hammergren gave one of his splendid talks on the stars (his explanations are so easy to understand – just ask him to explain the Big Bang!), then shared his telescope with us and townspeople from Glendive. The night before we had seen the Northern Lights – my first sight of them! Mark was so excited because they should not have been visible at this time. We were so excited because we can’t see them in the ambient light… Continue reading
My reaction to the KP Boundary
We went to a new site to look how the changes took place on our planet Earth several millions of years ago. The K-P boundary is perfectly marked on the surface of the Earth. The layers of the crust present special characteristics that probably explain the end of the dinosaur era and the beginning of the complete new population. The Scientists, Paleontologists and Astronomers, that are guiding this exploration showed the connections for the materials present that are only as a result of an explosion and a massive destruction. All… Continue reading
How I felt to be a Real Scientist
Today is the first day in the field. Morning was spent prospecting in the Hell Creek Formation. The afternoon we went to the Pierre Shale formation.when I reached at this site I was excited to find more fossils. This site is a marine formation.I was kind of hesistant to climb the hill. Once I reached the top of the hill I for got where I was. All I wanted was to find fossils on Ammonites ans shells. The excitement of finding a fossil is beyond explanation.
After the Scientist find… Continue reading
Gathering data
So Gabe wanted someone to compare the info gathered in a species inventory (living) with the data collection involved with a paleo dig (and I thought YIPEE! I don’t have to be reflective), so I leaped at the opportunity. I do a couple of species inventory type things; ‘River Watch’ (I count macro-invertebrate biodiversity at sites in the Chicago river) and ‘plants of Concern’ monitoring (we count plants). When I riverwatch, I 1st make note of the area – where it is (usually includes picture/ photo),… Continue reading
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