FOSSIL Kickoff Meeting
February 19, 2014
National Fossil Day Breakout Session
NATIONAL FOSSIL DAY
- Additional Resources for National Fossil Day can be viewed here.
Resources We Have:
- Fossil Kits – Paul provided some examples.
- Include local fossils in each kit
- National Park Junior Ranger Program
- National Fossil Day website.
- Local programs (not hosted in parks)
- these could take place in museums, schools, libraries, science cafés (all ages) or pubs (adults only), field trips with interpretation, post-event evaluation, ID days, paleoart activities, theater performances, fossil sand boxes, live chats with paleontologists, interactive activities.
Resources We Could Use:
- Important to ‘Fish the Right Ponds’ with respect to promoting fossils/paleontology in the best audiences.
- Videos are effective. Kids making statements about fossils/paleontology that start off with “I am…”, “I love…”, “My favorite…”
- Partners
- can a corporation like Starbucks get behind National Fossil Day?
- grants might be sought from local agencies
- (FOSSIL team might help with developing a template for getting funding).
- MyFOSSIL needs to provide a page for resources for NFD, contacts, and communication tools.
Obstacles to Overcome:
- Perception that it is a government event, or they have control over it
- Funding
- Evolution controversy in some parts of the country
- Availability to appropriate age groups.