For the Transcript
Noble middle school student Katlin Wallace was one of 12 students from across the state who took part last week in Oklahoma Science Adventure, a weeklong summer field program hosted by the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History.
Wallace — who will be a seventh-grader in the fall — worked with museum curators in real field situations, “doing science,” and learning more about the life of working scientists. Like professional scientists in the field, the students were asked to make hypotheses, collect data and draw conclusions based on their findings.
“I think the most important thing I learned was that Oklahoma was a huge lake, which changes how I think of Oklahoma now,” said Wallace. “Also, I got over my fear and held a frog.”
The students conducted field research at two locations in Oklahoma. They began the week at the Rogers County Conservation District in Claremore. There, they worked with museum ichthyology curator Edith Marsh-Matthews on a project in which the students investigated a hypothetical new world filled with unknown species.
After setting nets in two ponds and collecting their catch, the students were asked to sort the fish they had collected by type, name each new species and determine which of the two sites had a greater diversity of species based on their findings.
The students also did some paleontology sleuthing at a site near Perry. There, they investigated an ancient pond bed where, more than 280 million years ago, an assortment of animals left thousands of tracks in a layer of soft dolomite.
Under the direction of vertebrate paleontology curator Richard Cifelli, the students mapped and measured the tracks to learn what they could about the number and types of animals may have made them, and the conditions in which they were made. The students also made charcoal rubbings and plaster casts of some of the prints.
Local news
Noble resident experiences Oklahoma Science Adventure
- Local news
-
-
Special zoning requested
The Norman Planning Commission meets Thursday and will consider special zoning for Joy’s Palace and a preliminary plat for the Fountain View North addition....
-
Norman looks at transportation package to fix traffic, flooding issues
The Robinson Street Underpass Project currently under way from Flood Avenue to Stubbeman Avenue is one project approved by Norman voters in the 2005 Bond Election. By securing funding with the bond, city staff was able to qualify for ...
-
Lexington city manager resigns
Lexington City Manager Jason Orr resigned in the city’s special council meeting Monday night, which was scheduled to discuss his employment in light of a misdemeanor charge of domestic abuse....
-
Norman North student is finalist in statewide contest
Norman North High School senior Joseph D’Amato is one of four finalists in the high school category for the Keep Oklahoma Beautiful’s End Litter video contest....
-
Services Friday for longtime car dealer Tommy Ferguson
Friends and family will gather Friday to remember longtime local automobile dealer Tommy Ferguson, 72. He died Monday after a lengthy illness....
-
Senate hopefuls reach out to county Republicans
Four men seeking the Republican nomination in Cleveland County’s Senate District 15 seat pledged Tuesday to cut taxes, eliminate unnecessary government services and open their personal tax returns....
-
Police chief: Investigation of official ‘a bad deal all around’
Police Chief Deana Allen has worked in Lexington for 18 years, and she likes it because it’s been calm, quiet and peaceful — at least until recently....
-
Technology, art combine
The Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art at the University of Oklahoma invites the public to a live video chat with artist Kiki Smith at 4 p.m. Thursday....
-
Norman robot teams invade competition
Two Norman area robotic teams have excelled in respective competitions, with the Sooner Norman Advanced Robotics Collaboration taking top honors and a First Lego League team, the OzBots, advancing to compete at a World Festival in April....
-
Panel kills bill to end exemption
A bill to end Oklahoma’s sales tax exemption for newspapers and magazines has been defeated in a Senate committee....
- More Local news Headlines
-
Special zoning requested
