• Why Paleontology?
• The Academy:
• A day in the life:
• Cost/Travel:
• Lodging:
• Meals:
• College Credit:
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The study of dinosaurs may be a small part of paleontology as a whole, but it certainly has a 'flashy' appeal that makes it benificial as a springboard for science education. Inquiry driven education has proved to be an effective way to engage students to be more proactive in learning. The Dinosaur Academy is just the place to bring all of these components together.

The Academy:

The Big Horn Basin Foundation 's Dinosaur Academy is a program designed to give high school students an opportunity to experience one of the most interdisciplinary fields in the natural sciences. A paleontologist must be well versed in biology, anatomy, geology, chemistry, physics, & math.

The weeklong academy explores the many aspects of paleontology, from dirt to display. Participants will spend mornings digging in the quarry, making observations, and recording data. During the heat of the afternoon the students will participate in discussions and hands-on learning in areas such as molding and casting, 3D scanning of specimens, preparation of bones from the quarry, and of course all about dinosaurs!

We need a population that can think beyond today. Paleontology is a powerful venue for creating the sense of deep time and the powerful dynamism of slow cumulative change. As a nation we are falling behind much of the world with regards to scientific literacy, and as we transition to a global economy what you know and what you can do becomes much more important. Scientific and technological know how is the currency of this new system.

One of the desired outcomes of the academy is to foster scientific thinking and a systematic and analytic approach to problems. The Dinosaur Academy engages students as they learn the process of scientific inquiry. By the end of the academy each student will have learned enough to build the scientific story of the life, death and burial of the animals in the quarry. The skills they learn will let them evaluate and answer scientific problems in the future. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "Tell me and I forget; teach me and I remember; involve me and I learn" . Franklin's philosophy is at the heart of this program, we seek to involve students in the science of paleontology as a springboard to foster lifelong learning.

A day in the life:

A typical day in the academy would start around 8:00 a.m when parents drop students off at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center.  From there we will head to the field which is only 10 minutes away, and begin the days activities. Most of the morning activities will focus on field techniques, and data collection. Discussions of various aspects of science will be conducted in the field at locations ideal for each topic. The quarrying activities would include brunton compass work, 3d-total station, excavation, plastering, taking field notes and making observations.

As lunchtime approaches we will head down to the museum where we can focus on labwork, data processing, etc. Each student will be assigned a project that they get to work on for the duration of the academy. Discussions and class-like 'meetings' may be used to demonstrate more academic ideas that relate to the experiences in the field.
The day ends around 5:30 p.m. when parents pick up students at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center. 

The program costs $938.00 per student and includes lunches, program activities and college credit. Travel to and from the program is the participants responsibility.  There is a $200 non-refundable down payment to reserve your spot. Any cancellation less than two weeks prior to the start of the registered session will result in a refund of 75% of the $938.00 Academy Fee less the $200 deposit. Cancellation with less than one week’s notice will result in a refund of 50% of the $938.00 Academy Fee less the $200 deposit.

Lodging:

Parents and students are responsible for their own lodging.  Below is a list of several hotels/motels in Thermopolis.

Ask about tent camping near our facilities if you are interested.

Meals:

Breakfast:
Parents and students are responsible for thier own breakfast and dinner each day.  Dinner will be provided the first night (Sunday) for students at the meet and greet/orientation and a lunch will be provided for parents and students the last day (Sunday).

Snacks:
Snacks for the field will be available throughout the day. It is important when in the field to stay hydrated and healthily fed. There will be soda available (one can each) for lunch. At 5000(+) feet above sea level it is hot and dry, so cold water will be supplied throughout the day.

College Credit: