Oral Presentation of a Fossil Group

Max W. Reams

Olivet Nazarene University

This activity has been reviewed by 2 review processes (view details)

This activity has benefited from input from faculty educators beyond the author through a review and suggestion process. This review took place as a part of a faculty professional development workshop where groups of faculty reviewed each others' activities and offered feedback and ideas for improvements. To learn more about the process On the Cutting Edge uses for activity review, see http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/review.html.

Initial Publication Date: June 4, 2009

Summary

Students present a 10 minute Powerpoint presentation on a fossil group of their interest. Illustrations and handouts are required.

Paleontology | College Introductory, College Lower (13-14)

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Context

Audience

Undergraduate introductory paleontology course designed to be taken shortly after Physical and Historical Geology.

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

Students will have completed many of the taxonomically related labs before their presentations.

How the activity is situated in the course

This presentation comes near the end of the course.

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

The student will be able to describe a fossil group in depth using Powerpoint.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

The student will describe details of the fossil group and synthesize information to provide an big picture view of the group.

Other skills goals for this activity

Powerpoint experience is gained, as well as literature research.

Description of the activity/assignment

Each student chooses a different fossil group that interests him/her and prepares a 10 minute PowerPoint presentation about that group, lavishly illustrated and richly illuminated with fascinating facts! This can be as large a group as a phylum or as small as a species. Powerpoint handouts are given out during the oral presentation. Students must have a concluding slide citing references. The discussion must go beyond what is presented by the professor in lecture.

Determining whether students have met the goals

Since students choose a wide range of fossil groups, their detailed coverages will vary. Presentation quality and depth of knowledge will be the basis of evaluation.

More information about assessment tools and techniques.