WRITING A SCIENCE BASED HIGH SCHOOL LESSON PLAN: GEOLOGIST IN THE PARK, HAGERMAN FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT

As a Geologist in the Park (GIP) intern for the Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument (HAFO) my core project was to create a science based high school lesson plan. To complete a successful lesson plan I learned and implemented the education standards for Common Core, Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS) and the Idaho school system. By the end of the 12-week internship I provided the National Park Service (NPS) with, Understanding Evolution Through the Study of Horses, a comprehensive lesson for 9-10^th grade high school students. The lesson is equipped with PowerPoints, worksheets, activities, quizzes, and handouts. Evolution is the focus of the lesson plan. The students learn about evolution by studying the evolution of the horse. The lesson begins with the students learning about the geologic time scale and proceeds into teaching the students about horse evolution. My lesson was put into action when I taught local sophomore students during their 7^th and 8^th periods.

Other GIP duties included: writing a weekly Facebook post for the HAFO Facebook page and helping the staff teach kindergarteners to 4^th graders about animal morphology and other science related topics. I also created and taught a lesson on glaciers to several 2^nd and 4^th grade classes and hosted an event during HAFO’s 2016 film festival.

 Many opportunities were made available for me as a GIP. I not only learned how to create lesson plans, I learned a great deal about the Park Service by completing courses and taking part in multiple staff meetings. I acquired the skill of writing Facebook posts that were read and shared by other government agencies and colleges, I learned about the history of HAFO and Minidoka National Historic Site and about the geological history in the surrounding areas. Moreover, other interns and I were given a private tour of Malad Gorge State Park and attended presentations at the Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve.

 Later this year teachers nationwide will have access to my lesson plan through the NPS website. My lesson plan is also available to HAFO and can be taught to high school students on site or in high school classrooms.