THE “UNKNOWN” GREEK PALEOENVIRONMENT AND FOSSILS: EVALUATING GEOGRAPHY CURRICULUM PROPOSALS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Abstract

In this study we introduce teaching proposals to “inject” ammonite fossils, in the Geography
syllabus, as evidence of Greek paleoenvironment, which at the moment is the only existing
geoscience subject of Greek primary curriculum. Paleontology and mainly fossils attract
more and more elementary students and teachers. Unfortunately, in Greece, this trend solely
concerns about dinosaurs, despite the fact that the most common Greek fossils are not
dinosaurs, but ammonites. Ammonites can be found in large population and diversity inside
Greek rocks, as these rocks were part of Tethys΄ seafloor at their geological time. Apart from
the informal sources of education, these geoscience/physical geography topics are excluded
from elementary national curriculum, thus leaving out the regional paleogeography and
geological history practically “unknown” to students and future citizens of our region. Data
collected through a pre-test study among the 5
th and 6th grade students confirmed the above
belief. A post-test at the original sample, using an open ended questionnaire and students’
drawings, evaluated positively the teaching proposals designed.