There is very big science happening at our Montbrook fossil dig site, and although we do have a great variety of volunteers and visitors, we had a very special group come for a tour last week.

A class of earth science students from a nearby school came over to see what a paleontology dig is all about. Dr. Jonathan Bloch walked the kids and their teachers around and showed them some highlights, some tools, and how to carefully reveal fossils in sediment. And then they were allowed to sift through the spoil pile (discarded sediment outside the dig site) to discover their own treasured fossils.

“They were so excited!” said Rachel Narducci, the dig coordinator. “I’ve never seen a group of kids ask so many questions!”

The kids found shark teeth, pieces of turtle shell, mammal bones, and a snake vertebra.

Although volunteering at Montbrook is closed to students under 15 years old, their teacher, Shari Sexton, worked hard to get special permission in order to give the kids in her specialty science course a fantastic hands-on visit to a real working fossil dig.

Photos by Shari Sexton and Rachel Narducci