The difference between Las Vegas now and the lush, green landscape with marsh lands covering most of the Vegas Valley back in the time of the ice age is stark. Large mammals like mammoths, dire wolves, and even bison (nearly double the size of ones we see today) thrived in the area with an abundance of water and vegetation for them to live off of. 

It’s fascinating and strange to imagine, but local teachers are learning about this interesting geologic history and using it in their classrooms to better engage students. And, it’s all thanks to a partnership between UNLV, Desert Research Institute (DRI), and the Clark County School District (CCSD).

The GeoPaths Legends program, a result of that partnership and funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), has been held annually for three years to support CCSD teachers in incorporating information about the Southern Nevada environment, both past and present, into their earth science curriculum. Relating these units to our local area makes them more engaging for students.

“Connecting with our local environment brings me a great deal of joy and I want to share that experience with others. Teaching others about the environment is a great way to do that,” says Pamela Burnley a professor in the Department of Geoscience at UNLV.

Burnley helps to lead this workshop for teachers each summer along with collaborators from UNLV’s College of Education, DRI, and CCSD. Local teachers find the program has helped their teaching to be more interactive, providing them with experiences and knowledge to reference during their earth science units.

“It has been very beneficial to tie local phenomena to what we learn in the classroom as part of the geoscience curriculum. Using the local geology around the Vegas Valley gives students a better perspective than reading about faraway places in a book or article,” says Brian Kourik, a science teacher at Basic High School in Las Vegas.

Michelle Hinz, a science teacher at Sierra Vista High School, has used materials created during the GeoPaths Legends program for the past two years in her classroom. “Engaging with geoscience faculty and having them share their knowledge about our local geology has enhanced my ability to explain the geology to my students,” says Hinz.

This weeklong workshop, offered annually during the summer to high school teachers, includes classroom time as well as three field trips to areas in Southern Nevada. The trips provide local examples teachers can incorporate in the classroom. 

This year participants visited Frenchman Mountain to learn about the Great Unconformity, saw the remains of a mega landslide at the Late Night Trailhead, and explored the Ice Age Fossils State Park. Teachers can look at rocks up close, learn about the local landscape, and also get an idea of how that landscape has changed over time. 

Ice Age Fossils State Park has been a great partner to the program. UNLV alumna Dawn Reynoso, '11 BS Earth Science and '14 MS Geology, is a ranger at the park and recently led a tour on site and spent time in the classroom with teachers. 

Funding for the GeoPaths Legends program ends in January of 2025, but facilitators hope to secure an extension so they can continue to offer it. In its first three years, about 40 teachers have participated with some attending the program more than once. 

“I plan on being a part of this program as long as UNLV offers it. The training has helped me focus lessons to be more student-centered and interactive rather than just lecture based,” says Kourik. “Students may not know about the behind-the-scenes effort put into developing these lessons, but it is satisfying to see them receive a higher quality education with the help of UNLV and the science curriculum development team at CCSD.