Sam Davis
5th grade teacher, St. Louis, MO
Sam’s background as an elementary school teacher has given her a broad foundation of knowledge in many topics. DIG Field School allowed her to delve deeper into a specific field of study and take that focus back to her students.
“Along with the adventures in the field: finding microfossils, helping extract macrofossils, searching sites, etc., there was also plenty of time for fun and collaboration with peers and specialists that I would've never gotten a chance to experience [without DIG].”
Sam’s class joined a DIG webinar and got to learn from Burke paleontologists live. This virtual visit to the museum gave her class the foundation for their own scientific studies, which Sam facilitates in hands-on activities. “We've been able to... use pictures and my personal collection of bones and fossils to answer engaging writing prompts and do our own research."
“This was a once in a lifetime experience that still feels like a dream. It feels like being a part of history in the making.”
Ester Stanton-Daly
High school biology teacher, Monroe, WA
Ester has been teaching for thirty years and thrives in an environment so focused on lifelong learning. “Teaching is a unique profession in itself; every day presents opportunities for both the learner and the educator... It’s a privilege to feel that I positively impact today’s youth through shared educational experience.”
“I particularly enjoy the interaction and meaningfulness of teaching through hands-on activities and field study. This approach, for students, allows them to feel valued, appreciated and important. They feel like contributing in a meaningful way."
Recently, Ester’s students got to work with a DIG Burke Box. “Students were very excited about having actual field samples to sort and catalog; they recognized and appreciated being actively involved in research and inquiry.”
“Their learning culminated with a field trip to the Burke. This experience allowed them to delve more deeply into the intriguing big picture and high interest subjects of paleontology and biodiversity as it relates to the mass extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous period.”
“Not only did participation in the DIG Program strengthen my understanding and sheer awe of the process as fossils move from the field to the museum exhibit, it also allowed me to make professional connections to others who also share a passion for educating youth... through this interconnectedness, I have expanded, renewed and enriched my teaching repertoire.”
Samia Afrin
High school science teacher, Brooklyn, NY
Samia is an environmental science teacher at a title 1 school. Most of her students are immigrants and first-generation high school students, coming from over ten different countries.
“My students had engaging experience with Burke box. They had never seen or touched so many varieties of fossils... taking time to sort out the microfossils from the sample and identify them based on the ID taught them valuable skills as a scientist. Students were beyond excited to find and hold dinosaur fossils.”
While using the DIG Burke Box, Samia’s students got to learn more about her experiences in the field. “I showed them my pictures from the field collecting the fossils, which increased their motivation in the lesson.”
“During microfossil collection day, we learned if something sticks to our tongue, it's likely a microfossil. So, I licked everything I found that day.” However, when Samia showed her finds to one of the DIG instructors, he told her that she had found some coprolites- fossilized poop! “That was very interesting for me, knowing that I licked poop from an extinct [66-million-year-old] animal.”
Cecilia McCaffrey
High school science teacher, Rochester, NY
Cecilia teaches Earth and Space Sciences and has a degree in meteorology. Though an expert in climate and weather, Cecilia realized she wanted a stronger background in geology and paleontology.
“One of my favorite parts of the DIG Field school was drawing a column of strata from real rock in front of me. I feel more confident in my stratigraphy.”
The DIG Field School enhanced her knowledge and gave her new ideas of how to engage with her students.
Cecilia’s class is about to receive their first DIG Burke Box, which features real microfossils from Hell Creek. “We are in our Earth’s History unit now, so the timing is working perfectly. [New York’s science curriculum] focuses on index fossils, and I look forward to giving my students hands on experience on how fossils are found and identified.”
Imelda Acosta-Uzarraga
3rd grade teacher, Shelton, WA
Imelda is a general education teacher with a focus on science. “As a self-contained teacher in a dual-language program, I often reflect on how to make complex scientific concepts accessible to my students, most of whom are multilingual and come from diverse cultural backgrounds.”
At DIG Field School, Imelda got to experience fossil excavation first-hand. “Getting my hands dirty, mixing plaster, and carefully covering fossils was a thrilling, hands-on experience. It showed me how powerful it is to create learning experiences that spark curiosity and excitement in students, just as I felt when I was there.”
For Imelda, DIG has been a transformative force for her classroom: “Many of my students have never been to a museum, and I want them to experience the excitement of real scientific discovery. Now, I bring that excitement into my classroom, helping my multilingual students see themselves as young scientists who are capable of discovery and exploration.”
