THE SUMMER FIELD COURSE: Field Methods in Vertebrate Paleontology

 

Instructors: Dr. Art Chadwick (geology, sedimentology, taaphonomy), Dr Lee Spencer (vertebrate paleontology), Dr. Larry Turner (astrophysics, astrogeology).

 

Textbook: The Complete Dinosaur, ed. James O. Farlow and M. Brett-Surman. Indiana U. Press, Bloomington. 1997.

 

The summer class is planned to acquaint you first hand with the field methods and principles of vertebrate paleontology.  The class is also designed to enable students to pursue interests in the discovery of things new to science in paleontology. The class is 4 hours of science lab credit, and is open to non-science majors. Through lectures in the classroom and in the field, the student will become acquainted with the following areas:

 

          1. the general nature and science of taphonomy;

          2. the approaches and processes employed in the excavation of vertebrate remains;

          3. the techniques for identifying the fossils; and

          4. the procedures for preserving the remains after excavation.

 

Evening lectures will cover the basics of geology, the fundamentals of vertebrate anatomy and philosophical and scientific issues concerning origins.  Lectures by  Drs. Spencer, Chadwick and Turner will present a variety of perspectives on issues ranging from the origin of the universe to the geology of the Lance Formation. We will be giving consideration to the nature of scientific data and the significance of the research being carried out on the site. The faculty will also present talks on other related research projects they are involved in. Before you have finished, you will be able to identify basic rock and bone types and to find your way around the geologic column. You will have a new appreciation for the issues surrounding the history of the earth revealed through the eyes of geology. A final exam will provide additional incentive for study and an opportunity for you to express your educational outcomes.

 

WHERE WILL WE GO?

 

This year again we are traveling to the hills of eastern Wyoming for the majority of our class time, where we will work in a dinosaur quarry that has been operated for the past several years.  The unique location of this site affords us ready access to other localities of intense geological interest such as the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore and the upturned strata of the Black Hills. This is also the home of the famous Black Hills gold and Wild Bill Hickock. The dinosaur remains in the quarry include species of hadrosaurs (duck-billed dinosaurs), raptors, Triceratops, Pachycephalosaurus (boneheads), and Tyrannosaurus rex.  This past year we found the remains of T.rex in three different localities, two of which will be subjects of study this coming summer. We have found teeth of several additional species of theropods, as well as alligatoroids, sharks and other fish and turtle remains. We have presented the results of our summer’s research the past two years at the Geological Society of America annual meetings.

 

How did these remains of giant reptiles come to lie in these strata? What processes were responsible for their demise? What other amazing finds are just a bucket of dirt away from discovery? The dinosaur fauna is not only as rich as that found anywhere in North America, but the abundance of remains is unexcelled.  The unraveling of mysteries long buried beneath the eastern Wyoming hills and their relationship to the history of our planet will be the subject matter of lectures and of informal evening discussions.  You will enjoy the experience of camping under the magnificent Eastern Wyoming skies, and living together with students from a variety of locales.  It will be a rich experience.  Your life will be changed by this trip.

 

                                                             WHO MAY PARTICIPATE? 

 

 Any student who is registered for college credit or is a teacher pursuing professional development credit may take this course.  Although it is intended for science majors, it is being offered at a level that will be within the grasp of students of any college major. The collegiate class will fulfill 4 hours of laboratory science towards the General Studies science requirement.  We especially recommend this class for education majors, as a rich resource from which to draw for the classroom.  A parallel course is being taught for graduate credit towards the masters in education.

 

What to expect?   We will be leaving immediately for the field.  We will travel to Wyoming along a track of interest, and will arrive there within a day or two.  We will then set up our camp and begin preparation work on the quarry.  A field notebook and diary will be kept by all participants.  In this book notations will be made in a systematic fashion of all work done in the quarry and of field work at other localities as well.  This will serve as a source book for future reference, will provide the scientific basis for your work, and will comprise a significant part of your grade for the course.  In addition there will be two written exams covering the content of the course, as well as the field experience. Because of the complex nature of the human creatures involved in this experience you will also have an opportunity to observe and participate in group and individual social behavior.  The close association with peers will at times test you patience and tolerance, and you will emerge a better person for the experience.  

 

 

 

                                                                WHAT WILL IT COST?

 

The trip will cost $550.00 per person in addition to tuition cost of $440 (1/4 the normal rate). This cost includes costs for use of the field station, field transportation and meals.  Additional expenses you will have to plan for are food for travel days and any spending money you may wish to have.  You should plan on about $30.00 for books for the course.  Instruction will consist of hands-on experience in the field, as well as evening lectures, and formal and informal instruction in the field. You will be responsible for completing reports, preparing specimens and maintaining a logbook.

 

Field work will be conducted from June 3 through July 12. Geol 210 will start on June 3 and run through June 29.  Individuals wishing to stay for two extra weeks will be accommodated at the expense of the project.  For those who intend to go this summer, a deposit of $100.00 will be required by May to secure your place. Participation will be limited by the space available on a first come basis. See Dr. Chadwick for other details.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                              WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

 

Every student will be required to wear eye protection.  This can be prescription eyewear or safety goggles.  Any person working in the quarry without eye protection will be assigned elsewhere (read K.P.).  We will provide field tools for your work in the quarry.

                         

 

MONEY:                                                                        MEDICINE:                      

1.      Cash (washing clothes and personal items)   1.   General- Tylenol/Advil

2.      Credit card                                                           2.   Band-aids/Neosporin

3.      Phone card                                                          3.   Specific- Personal (ie. prescription meds)

4.      Identification/Driver's License

 

BOOKS:                                                                     OTHER: 

1. Recreational/devotional Reading                       1.   Liberal Measure Of Good Attitude

2.  Lab notebook (see below)                                  2.  A Great Sense Of Humor And Adventure

                                    3.   High Degree Of Personal Responsibility

 

CLOTHING: (Enough to last at least a week)     Work attire: blue jeans and t-shirt with jacket for starting out.  Your experience may differ, and weather may require more or less.

1.      Hiking Boots

2.      Tennis Shoes

3.      Socks

4.      Underwear

5.      Blue jeans or cotton pants

6.      Shorts

7.      T-shirts

8.      Some long-sleeved shirts

9.      WARM jacket, waterproof, or bring a poncho

10. Hat/Baseball Cap

11. Casual dress clothes

 

ACCESSORIES:

1.      Ground cover

2.      Tent capable of withstanding strong wind and rain

3.      Small backpack for day trips

3.  WARM sleeping bag

4.  Pillow

5. Good sleeping pad

6.  Binoculars (optional)

7.  SWAU orange field notebook ($5 at the university bookstore)

8.  Mechanical pencil.

9.  Flashlight with spare batteries

10.  Toiletries

11.  Towel (thin towels dry faster)

12.  Water Bottle

13.  Sun Block (>30 SPF)

14.  Magnifying hand lens

15.  Zip-lock freezer bags (optional)

16.  Some garbage bags

17.  Travel alarm clock/watch

18.  Sunglasses (optional)

20.  Insect Repellent

21.   Camera (optional)

22.   Gloves for protecting delicate hands from quarry tools.

 

We will be spending approximately 24 hours in transit on the trip, each way.  You might want to plan some creative worthwhile activity for those hours.  Suggestions:  knitting, studying, reading, meditating, sleeping, developing new theories for gravitation, planning for the summer etc.  

 

TYPICAL CLASS SCHEDULE

 

In addition to scheduled activities will be occasional evening lectures and classroom exercises in preparing and labeling specimens, etc.

Weekend schedules will be as announced.

 

      6/1            Sunday

            6:00 If leaving from Keene, bring gear to Scales Hall for packing, and help load trailer

            

      6/2            Monday

             5:00 A. M. Leave for Wyoming

            

      6/3            Tuesday

            Arrive at Hanson Ranch

            Set up camp

            Tour of facilities and quarry site                                                Staff

            

      6/4            Wednesday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab: Introduction to quarrying techniques (sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

            6:00 Dinner

            7:30 Lecture: Field Techniques and Preparation             Staff

            

      6/5            Thursday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab: Advanced quarry techniques (sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

            6:00 Dinner

            7:30 Introduction to geology and rocks                                    Dr. Chadwick

            

      

      6/6            Friday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            2:00 Return to camp. Travel to Newcastle for laundry and groceries.

            5:00 Dinner in town

            

      6/7            Saturday

      

      6/8            Sunday

      

      6/9            Monday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

            6:00 Dinner

            7:30 Vertebrate Anatomy                                                       Dr. Spencer

            

      6/10            Tuesday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

             5:00 Return to camp

            6:00 Dinner

            7:00 Vertebrate Paleontology                                              Dr. Spencer

            

      6/11            Wednesday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

            6:00 Dinner

            7:30 The Dinosaurs, part 1                                                  Dr. Spencer

            

      6/12            Thursday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

            6:00 Dinner

            7:30 Introduction to vertebrate paleontology

            8:30 The Dinosaurs, part 2                                                  Dr. Spencer

            

      6/13           Friday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            2:00 Return to camp. Travel to Newcastle for laundry and groceries.

            5:00 Dinner in town

            

      6/14           Saturday

                  9:00 P.M. Our Cosmology                                                   Dr. Turner

      

      6/15            Sunday

                  9:00 P.M. Comets and Dinosaurs                                         Dr. Turner

      

                  9:00 P.M.

      6/16            Monday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

             6:00 Dinner

            7:30 Use of GPS and GIS in dinosaur research                        Dr. Turner

            

      6/17            Tuesday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

            6:00 Dinner

            7:30  The Nature of Science                                                Dr. Chadwick

      

      6/18            Wednesday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

            6:00 Dinner

            7:30 The Geologic Column                                                            Dr. Chadwick

            

      6/19            Thursday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

             6:00 Dinner

            7:30  The Geologic Column                                                Dr. Spencer

      

      6/20            Friday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            2:00 Return to camp. Travel to Newcastle for laundry and groceries.

            5:00 Dinner in town

            

      6/21            Saturday

                  9:00 Origin of Man                                                                        Dr. Spencer

      

      6/22           Sunday

                  9:00 Dinosaur Reproduction                                              Dr. Spencer

      

      6/23            Monday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

             6:00 Dinner

            7:30 How the Model Works                                                Dr. Chadwick

            

      6/24            Tuesday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

            6:00 Dinner

            7:30 Evolution and Complexity                                                Dr. Chadwick

      

      6/25            Wednesday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

            6:00 Dinner

             7:30 Final Exam

            

      6/26            Thursday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

            6:00 Dinner

 

            

      6/27            Friday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            2:00 Return to camp. Travel to Newcastle for laundry and groceries.

            5:00 Dinner in town

 

 

      6/28            Saturday

      

      6/29           Sunday

      

      6/30            Monday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (quarry experience, sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

             6:00 Dinner

            

      7/1            Tuesday

            6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Lab (Close the Quarry, sack lunches)

            5:00 Return to camp

            6:00 Dinner

      

      7/2            Wednesday

             6:00 Breakfast

            7:00 Preparation for day’s activities

            7:30 Leave for Home

 

      7/3            Thursday

            Sometime:  Arrive home in Keene