Never Too Old To Learn New Things - Especially About Bear Dexterity
This is a guest post by BBPI Assistant Crew Chief Laura Rooney. Laura interviewed Melissa Tomanelli, a teacher who has joined our expeditions twice.
When did you first become interested in dinosaurs?
Growing up in the '90s, I watched a lot of 'Land Before Time,' but dinosaurs were actually more my brother's interest; my awesome nerd passion was 'Star Wars'. Sometimes I would make my Star Wars action figures ride my brother's toy dinosaurs. It wasn't until I was an adult and went on the first trip to the Bighorn Basin that I realized just what goes into a dig and that dinosaurs are, well, really amazing.
How did you find out about the dig, and what made you sign up?
This is a complicated question. I joined an outdoors club in college, which led me to caving, so I joined a caving grotto where I met Ralph Johnson, a fossil enthusiast. He took me on a few local digs, then told me about the trip out west. It sounded like a great opportunity to both travel to somewhere new and learn about something new.
What is your most memorable experience(s) while on the dig?
It would have to be the time the bear broke into Jason's car and took all his beef jerky. I have never seen a man look so heartbroken over jerky.
Editor's Note: In Jason's defense, it was really good jerkey.
Was there anything that you learned on the dig, that you didn't know before coming out?
I didn't know anything before going on the dig. I learned about different formation and species, how to tell a rock from a fossil, and the different steps that go into a dig, from keeping a field journal to making a plaster cast for the fossil. I also learned that bears have zero problems with opening car doors.
What piece of advice would you give someone coming out on the dig for the first time?
Cover up your skin. You're going to be in the desert, and it's going to be hot, but if you're not covered you'll get a wicked sunburn.
What grades and subjects do you teach? What did you want to be when you grew up?
I teach 9th and 10th grade English. I wanted to be an English teacher for most of my life, except for a really brief period when I was very little when I wanted to be an angel. I also considered archaeology at one point. I guess paleontology is pretty close to that.
Do you feel like this experience was valuable to you from a teaching perspective?
Well, I like using it as a fun fact during ice breakers at the beginning of the year. "Hi, I'm Ms. Tomanelli, and I once helped dig up a dinosaur." In all seriousness though, I think it's great to show kids that you're never too old to learn new things, and that, even though I studied English in school, I can have interests in other fields of study. The digs and classes also reminded me what it's like to be a student who is faced with something completely new and challenging. Sometimes it's easy to lose that perspective when you're teaching.
Do you think that you could incorporate your experience into your curriculum somehow, so that your students can also benefit?
Not my current curriculum; Shakespearean plays feature very few dinosaurs, sadly. However, the science department might be able to incorporate some of the things I have learned, or use some of the fossils I have collected.
Anything else you'd like to add?
Overall, what I have enjoyed most about the trips is the opportunity to spend time in the great outdoors with a bunch of really fun people.
Editor's Note: Melissa is always the life of the party and is welcome to join us any time. If you'd like to learn more about our expeditions and how you can join us, visit Experiment.com/BBPaleo2017
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