Rowe Elementary School second-graders got a firsthand demonstration of their classroom learning about ancient life forms when they visited the new fossil museum at Portland High School (PHS) on April 14.

PHS’ Rosenthal Museum of Natural History features an impressive collection of fossils, thanks to a generous donation from Sam Rosenthal, PHS Class of 1971. The fossils are Rosenthal’s own extensive collection and include ammonites, ancient alligator jaws, massive megalodon teeth and dinosaur bones.

The museum is open to Portland Public Schools educators and students, enhancing biology instruction and offering hands-on learning experiences. The Rowe students were the latest group of PPS second-graders to visit the museum this school year. In alignment with the Achievement goal of the district’s Strategic Plan, the museum provides an opportunity to spark curiosity and excitement about natural history in students of all ages.

About 40 Rowe second-graders, who had just finished a learning unit centered on fossils, were able to enhance their learning by exploring the collection. The visit included looking at rocks, minerals and insects under a microscope and listening to Mr. Rosenthal tell his stories on how he found the fossils featured in the glass cases of the exhibit.

Rosenthal made the fossils “come to life” with his stories, connecting the long-ago past to the present day. For example, when he talked to the youngsters about some fossilized clams that are 75 million years old, he joked to the students, “That’s older than me.” A second-grader echoed him. “That’s older than my grandma!” the student exclaimed.

Rosenthal described to the students about how Portland was once covered by a sheet of ice about 50,000 to 100,000 years ago. And he invoked a modern movie when talking about a fossil display of the bones of raptors, a type of predatory dinosaur. “Remember the raptors in “Jurassic Park?” he asked the students. “These bones are from raptors.”

The students also were enthusiastic about using microscopes to examine rocks and insects.

Rosenthal said afterwards that the reaction of the students is evidence that "the museum is a big hit with the Portland schoolchildren. This is exactly as I hoped it would be."

Eric Begonia, the PHS biology teacher who worked with Rosenthal to establish the museum at the school, called the museum “a gift that I think is immeasurable.”

Rowe teacher Grace Bermeo said, “I am so grateful that our second-grade students had the opportunity to participate in this field trip. This experience directly supports the Achievement component of our district’s Strategic Plan by providing students with an engaging, hands-on extension of their classroom learning.Over the past several weeks, students have been studying fossils, skeletons, amber, and paleontology. Being able to see and interact with these concepts in a real-world setting allowed them to take their learning to the next level and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways. When students can actively engage—by seeing, touching, and exploring—they develop a deeper and more lasting understanding.”

Some of the students on the field trip were multilingual students learning English. Bermeo said, “As a teacher of many multilingual learners, experiences like this are especially impactful. They provide rich, visual, and interactive opportunities for students to build vocabulary, make connections, and access content in ways that go beyond traditional instruction."