Edgewood fourth graders check out ancient mammals at the Peabody. Edgewood School fourth graders turned into geologists and museum curators for the day during a field trip to the Peabody, as they examined skeletons and critiqued exhibits they themselves had created to show how the planet has cha nged over time. That was the scene last Wednesday as Edgewood science teacher Jaclyn Tolkin’s fourth grade class visited Yale’s Peabody Museum on Whitney Avenue. The trip provided not just a hands-on lesson in centuries of natural history, but also a gallery walk of the students’ own exhibits that they made in class to tell the stories of the Earth’s changes. Tolkin arranged last week’s trip to the Peabody for a second time this year as her students have been learning about what goes into making a museum exhibit. The class of 37 fourth graders worked off of what they previously learned about museum curation to see their own projects on display and learn from their classmates’ work. Several parent chaperones also attended the trip. Students use Minecraft knowledge to identify ore, rock, and minerals in education workshop. Wednesday’s lesson also included a workshop with the students focused on rock, ore, and minerals. As students discussed minerals in small groups during their workshop, some noted they were already familiar with materials like obsidian from video games like Minecraft. When asked to closely examine three different samples, students used magnifying glasses to determine whether each was a mineral, a rock, or an ore. While identifying minerals such as rose quartz, students observed that minerals often resemble crystals, a feature that helps distinguish them from rocks and ores. One fourth grader described ore as looking like “a mix of pointy rocks,” adding that a black, speckled piece reminded him of an Oreo cookie. During the final workshop activity the students became geology detectives by looking at pictures of rooms inside a house and identifying where rocks, ores, and minerals appeared in spaces such as the bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom. After learning that minerals like quartz can be heated to extreme temperatures to create glass, students pointed out that the home’s windows, microwave glass, and a bedroom alarm clock face were all likely made from quartz. They also pointed out that a bathroom mirror likely had the mineral fluorite in it while the kitchen floors and walls were made of granite. The lesson helped them recognize the major role each of the materials play in day-to-day human life. For months, the class has been studying evidence that shows the Earth is constantly changing. Students created their own exhibits highlighting processes such as weathering, erosion, and landscape change over time. They attended a workshop in November at the Peabody where they learned about the parts of museum exhibits and how to make one.  When the class transitioned to critiquing their peers’ museum exhibit projects, Tolkin reminded students that the goal was to identify if they provided evidence showing how Earth has changed — a concept they’ve been studying through their course’s Smithsonian science curriculum.  Each student was required to define what evidence is and create an interactive activity to help museum visitors better understand the evidence presented in their exhibit. Jasmine and Aiden Candelaria capture the moment with “Lucy.” While fourth grader Aiden Candelaria paused to inspect the museum’s 3.2-million-year-old fossilized skeleton “Lucy,” he told his mother Jasmine Candelaria that it is one of his favorite fossils. Although Jasmine said she has tried this school year to step back from attending every field trip, Aiden specifically asked her to join him for his second Peabody visit. “I thought this year I would leave them alone a lot more but showing up matters especially if he wants me here,” she said. Soon after Aiden pointed out the extinct giant deer skeleton on display, he told his mom and classmates, “I would run for my living life if saw that thing.” He also pointed out that the humungous woolly mammoth skeleton had “pretty white teeth to be that old.” Another parent chaperone, Chad Curry, joined his fourth grader Izaire Curry on Wednesday’s trip. Curry said he grew up visiting the Peabody in the late 1980s and fondly remembered the woolly mammoth — though on this visit, he learned his son was especially captivated by the museum’s giant dodo bird. As students moved through the museum, many chatted with chaperones about how exciting it would be to have a job digging up fossils or piecing together skeletons for museum exhibits. The day ended with a walkthrough of the museum’s galleries, where students took in the towering skeletons of giant deer and human skulls indicating dental care may not have been so accessible years ago. “Is this what will happen if I don’t brush my teeth?” a fourth grader called out. As students boarded the bus to return to Edgewood School, Tolkin said the partnership with the Peabody has helped students think “deeply” about science concepts. Tolkin said museums are often a great experience for the elementary students because it allows them to each find something that speaks to their interest. She thanked the Peabody for encouraging students to come with families to experience and learn history and science. She described the museum as an amazing resource for New Haven Public Schools (NHPS) students and families. Edgewood fourth graders with Tolkin on field trip to Peabody. The post 4th Graders Become Geologists, Curators On Peabody Field Trip appeared first on New Haven Independent. ...read more read less