Combining a historical geology project with a campus student organization's fundraising efforts

Journal of Geoscience Education, Sep 2003 by Guertin, Laura A, Nguyen, Catherine

To keep the campus and outside community returning each year for the project, a different theme will be applied to the event. For example, next year will focus on how Pennsylvania has changed through geologic time. Students will have print outs of the plate tectonic reconstructions and they will explain what is going on with plate tectonics in the different periods of geologic time, along with a discussion of where Pennsylvania was and what the environment was like. Fossil samples collected in the state of Pennsylvania will also be featured.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, we offer that this project is an example of the success that can result from combining significant academic work with university activities through service learning. It was evident through the enthusiasm of students, THON members, and members of the campus and outside community, that this project is worthwhile as both a teaching and learning activity, and a fundraiser for pediatric cancer research.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank the students enrolled in GEOSC 021 during Spring 2002 for their outstanding effort and excitement towards this project. In addition, we applaud all the student members of THON and the campus community for their support for the project and their participation. Reviews provided by Robert C. Thomas, Andrew Buddington, and Associate Editor Martin Miller helped focus the paper significantly.

REFERENCES

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Everitt, C.L., Good, S.C., and Pankiewicz, P.R., 1996, Conceptualizing the inconceivable by depicting the magnitude of geological time with a yearly planning calendar, Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 44, p. 290-293.

Francek, M., 2002, Community service, Journal of College Science Teaching, v. 32, p. 246-251.

Richardson, R.M., 2000, Geologic time (clothes) line, Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 48, p. 584.

Ritger, S.D., and Cummins, R.H., 1991, Using Student-Created Metaphors to Comprehend Geologic Time, Journal of Geological Education, v. 39, p. 9-11.

Thomas, R.C., 2001, Learning geologic time in the field, Journal of Geoscience Education, v. 49, p. 18-21.

Laura A. Guertin Earth Sciences, Penn State Delaware County, 25 Yearsley Mill Road, Media, PA 19063, uxg3@psu.edu

Catherine Nguyen Earth Sciences, Penn State Delaware County, 25 Yearsley Mill Road, Media, PA 19063

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Laura Guertin received her Ph.D. in marine geology and geophysics from the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. She is currently teaching general education courses at Penn State Delaware County in geoscience and oceanography. Cathy Nguyen is an undergraduate student at Penn State Delaware County and president of the Delaware County chapter of THON 2001-2002. She plans to work in Public Health after earning her degree in Health Policy & Administration from the Penn State University Park campus.