Oklahoma Geological Foundation

TO IMPLEMENT A MODEL OF "EXCELLENCE IN EARTH SCIENCE EDUCATION". THIS MODEL IS DESIGNED TO CHALLENGE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO MAKE EARTH SCIENCE EDUCATION A PRIORITY AND IS DIVIDED INTO THE FOLLOWING DIRECTIVES:

THE EVERYDAY EARTH PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN MID-2017 BY THE OKLAHOMA GEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION TO PROVIDE EARTH SCIENCE EDUCATION MATERIAL IN AN ENTERTAINING ONLINE FORMAT THAT STUDENTS WILL ENJOY. IT IS PRESENTED AS A LIGHT COMEDIC NARRITIVE THAT FILTERS IN MULTIPLE LESSONS FOR THE STUDENTS TO EXPLORE CERTAIN ASPECTS OF THE EARTH'S HYDROSPHERE, GEOSPHERE, BIOSPHERE, AND ATMOSPHERE. THIS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY USING OKLAHOMA AND OTHER NEARBY LOCALITIES AS THE BACKDROP SCENERY FOR THE STUDY OF THE EARTH SCIENCES. THE PROGRAM CONTAINS AN ACCUMULATION OF VIDEOS AND INTERACTIVE LESSONS ALLOWING STUDENTS TO PARTICIPATE IN SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS ONSCREEN AS THEY FOLLOW A SIMPLE STORYLINE NARRATIVE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE STUDENTS ENGAGED.THE PROGRAM WILL CONSIST OF TEN STAND-ALONE MISSIONS WITH EACH MISSION BEING AN IMPACTFUL PRODUCT DELIVERED FREE OF CHARGE TO SPONSORED SCHOOLS. THE FIRST TWO MISSIONS ARE CURRENTLY ONLINE IN WHICH THE STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO INVESTIGATE THE HYDROSPHERE (HYDROLOGIC CYCLE), AND WEATHERING AND EROSION (WATER'S ROLE IN MODIFYING THE EARTH'S SURFACE). MISSIONS 3 AND 4 ARE ALSO ONLINE WHERE INDIVIDUALS STUDY THE ROCK CYCLES. THE EVERYDAY PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO BE USED AS SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING, AS A TEACHER-LED EXPERIENCE, OR BY PARENTS OF HOME SCHOOLED CHILDREN.THE TARGET AUDIENCE FOR EVERYDAY EARTH IS 4TH THROUGH 8TH GRADE STUDENTS, AND IT FOLLOWS THE NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (NGSS), AS WELL AS THE OKLAHOMA ACADEMIC STANDARDS FOR SCIENCE (OASS). THE OKLAHOMA GEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION, ALONG WITH OTHER SUPPORTING PARTNERS, ARE CURRENTLY PROVIDING FUNDS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS S.T.E.M. BASED PROGRAM. OTHER SUPPORTING PARTNERS INCLUDE: DEVON ENERGY, CHESAPEAKE ENERGY, ECHO ENERGY, THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF GEOSCIENCES, HALLIBURTON, THE PICK AND HAMMER CLUB, AND THE DIRECTORS OF THE FOUNDATION.

IN APRIL 2015, THE OKLAHOMA GEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION, ALONG WITH OGF DIRECTOR LARRY LUNARDI, BEGAN ASSEMBLING AND DISTRIBUTING PERMANENT, ON-SITE COLLECTIONS OF MUSEUM QUALITY ROCKS, MINERALS, AND FOSSILS FOR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS LOCATED IN OKLAHOMA. THE POSITIVE COMMENTS FROM STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HAVE BEEN INCREDIBLE. AS A RESULT, IN 2018, THE LARRY LUNARDI & THE OKLAHOMA GEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION'S ROCK MINERAL, AND FOSSIL COLLECTION PROGRAM WAS OFFICIALLY ESTABLISHED.AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2022, OVER 200 COLLECTIONS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO OKLAHOMA SCHOOLS. IN RETURN, SCHOOLS THAT APPLY FOR THESE ROCK, MINERAL, AND FOSSIL COLLECTIONS ARE ASKED HOW MANY STUDENTS AND TEACHERS USE THE COLLECTIONS. TO DATE AND BASED ON THEIR RESPONSES, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OVER 90,000 STUDENTS AND 1,350 TEACHERS HAVE BEEN IMPACTED FROM THE COLLECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DONATED TO THE RESPECTIVE SCHOOLS IN OKLAHOMA.THE FOUNDATION CURRENTLY PROVIDES FUNDING OF THESE COLLECTIONS THROUGH THE ROCK, MINERAL, AND FOSSIL COLLECTION PROGRAM.

SINCE 2012, THE OKLAHOMA GEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION HAS PROVIDED FUNDING FOR OVER 200 COLLEGE LEVEL STUDENTS TO ATTEND SUMMER GEOLOGY FIELD CAMPS. THESE STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED AT OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY, THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, AND THE UNIVERSITY OF TULSA. THE GEOLOGY FIELD CAMP GRANTS RANGE FROM $500 TO $2,000 PER STUDENT. THESE GRANTS ARE FUNDED BY THE OKLAHOMA GEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION FROM TWO FIELD CAMP PROGRAMS.