Stomp, Chomp, Roar: Third Graders Experience (Pre)historic Day

The halls of Gearhart Hall were alive with exuberant roars as third graders from Leverett Elementary visited the Honors College to research dinosaurs this October. 

The field trip was inspired by the Honors Signature Seminar, “The Science, Politics and Culture of Dinosaurs” taught by Celina Suarez, associate professor of geosciences, and subsequent student research trip to New Haven, Connecticut, to conduct research at Yale University’s Peabody Museum of Natural History. 

In visiting one of the oldest and largest collections of natural history specimens in the world, honors students got to examine rare paleontology materials up close and in person to enrich their understandings of the field.  

Building upon the undergraduate experience, elementary-age students were invited to campus to not only learn about fossils and paleoecology but to envision themselves as both honors researchers and scholars.

“We were thrilled to have these fiercely curious students here at the Honors College, see themselves as researchers and express such joy at their love of learning,” said Megan Hull, director of curricular planning and student engagement at the Honors College. 

The atmosphere was frenetic as students engaged in seminar rooms, their fascination with prehistoric life boundless. 

“I touched a megalodon tooth today,” a student’s voice rang through the hall. “I’m never washing my hands again!”

Students had the opportunity to engage in biostratigraphy with Suarez by digging through layers of colored kinetic sand to unearth fossils and date the “rocks” in the process.

“Biostratigraphy is a big word for third graders, but they all figured out the concept that fossils buried deeper are older and fossils above them are younger,” Suarez said. “Some of the students’ excavations skills were great, and they were very detailed in excavating and documenting their fossils.”

They also joined Laurel Lamb, curator of education and engagement at the U of A Museum, to learn about the discovery and identification of our official state dinosaur, the Arkansaurus fridayi.

“It was exciting to see these students directly interact with fossils from the museum’s teaching collections,” Lamb said. “Distinct from our research collections, these specimens foster a more tangible and memorable learning experience.”

For many, the highlight was handling real fossils, like the massive megalodon tooth—larger than an adult’s hand and dwarfing a third grader’s. With these specimens, the students learned how the shape of animals’ teeth reflects their diet.

To wrap up the morning, the students headed to the Honors Student Lounge, where they colored their own dinosaurs—some imagining them as both extinct and hot pink. Following in the steps of studious undergrads, the young scholars enjoyed snacks while chatting with current honors students and the Futures Hub about their dreams and passions, which were as imaginative as they were ambitious. 

“I’m going to be a paleontologist,” one student declared proudly, while another introduced himself as none other than the legendary Obi-Wan Kenobi. 

Third grade teachers Cassie Taylor and Payton Hartman accompanied the students from Leverett Elementary for this pilot scholarly experience in honors. 

“Our third graders had such a great time,” Hartman said. “They ask to come back every day.” 

About the University of Arkansas: As Arkansas’ flagship institution, the U of A provides an internationally competitive education in more than 200 academic programs. Founded in 1871, the U of A contributes more than $3 billion to Arkansas’ economy through the teaching of new knowledge and skills, entrepreneurship and job development, discovery through research and creative activity while also providing training for professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the U of A among the few U.S. colleges and universities with the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the U of A among the top public universities in the nation. See how the U of A works to build a better world at Arkansas Research and Economic Development News.

This story also appeared in the University of Arkansas News publication.