257 Diversifying Geoscience Education Across the Academic Playing Field: Using Creative Methods to Foster the Current and Next Generations of Geoscience Professionals (Posters)

A wide range of geoscience educators across several disciplines will share a multitude of diverse and innovative ideas regarding lesson plans, projects, and pedagogical techniques best suited for today’s ever-changing classrooms.

Wednesday, 22 October 2025
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
HBGCC, Hall 1

Rocky the Raccoon: An illustrated children’s book series for the next generation of geoscientists

Paper number: 257-5
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 8:00 AM

Authors

Abstract

The Niagara Escarpment is a topographic high composed of Ordovician to Silurian sedimentary rocks and contains a rich and diverse Paleozoic fossil record. The lithological characteristics of the Niagara Escarpment have a profound influence on the modern landscape in southern Ontario and its associated commercial and social activities.  Hiking trails and conservation areas along the Niagara Escarpment are accessible to several major urban centres in southern Ontario with a combined population of over 7.5 million. However, there are limited resources available to the community that highlight the environmental significance of this natural wonder in accessible and exciting formats. Over the past decade, we have developed geoscience education materials for the public including field trip guides (e.g., GeoHikes, GeoPaddles) that can be utilized in person or virtually, (available at GeoscienceINFO.com). To showcase the importance of the Niagara Escarpment to the next generation of geoscientists and their teachers, we have created an open access, illustrated children’s book and teacher’s guide. The book follows Rocky the Racoon as he explores the Chedoke Radial Trail (Hamilton, ON, Canada) and learns about the geological history of the Niagara Escarpment from a crinoid named Lily. The content of the book aligns with the Ontario Curriculum Grade 4 standards and a 48-page teacher’s guide that accompanies the book features printable information sheets, virtual activities (e.g., GeoHikes), worksheets, reviews and quizzes. This project is part of an ongoing collaboration between the APGO Education Foundation, the Bruce Trail Conservatory, and the Aspiring Niagara Peninsula Geopark to promote geoscience education to elementary students. Upcoming trail signs will feature book pages at Ball’s Falls Conservation Area located along the Bruce Trail and within the Aspiring UNESCO Niagara Global Geopark. This book series seeks to inspire younger generations to become stewards of their own environment and learn more about career opportunities in paleontology and geoscience.

 

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-413415

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