05/11/2008

On Saturday May 10th, Roper Mountain Science Center, in conjunction with teachers and students from ten Greenville County schools, hosted the interactive and multidisciplinary learning exhibition, Walking Through Time with Indiana Jones. Approximately 2000 guests from across the Carolinas and Georgia were treated to an exciting day of learning and fun as they explored The Mountain in true "Indy style". From trekking the rainforest and digging for fossils to mapping an archaeological site, adventurers both young and old were provided hands-on activities that left more than one participant claiming, "I feel like Indiana Jones!" And thanks to Andrew Stezco of Art in History, like Indy, one hundred children made off with their own priceless treasure, a reproduction ancient artifact that they were able to create themselves.

All across The Mountain, numerous student-created displays told Indy’s story through the real history that he learned and events that he witnessed. The themes of these displays included: Ancient China, Ancient Greece, World Mythology, Teddy Roosevelt and the Conservation Movement, the Harlem Renaissance, the Suffrage Movement, Innovations in Transportation, World War I and World War II. One visiting teacher noted, "It’s wonderful how you have woven together such a wide variety of topics using the character of Indiana Jones as the common thread."

Despite the active work of technology gremlins shortly before the gates opened, several of David Schneider’s outstanding "Young Indy" documentaries were shown throughout the course of the day, including, Ecology: Pulse of the Planet, Archaeology: Unearthing Our Past, Howard Carter and the Tomb of Tutankhamun, Norman Rockwell: American Dreams, and Louis Armstrong: Ambassador of Jazz. Many thanks go to Mr. Schneider for assisting with the technical difficulties as well as for sharing his expertise on documentary filmmaking and storytelling with our teachers and students on Friday and Saturday.

While there was truly something for everyone, the highlight for many was The Archaeology of Indiana Jones presented by none other than real-life adventurer/archaeologist, Dr. David West Reynolds. Beginning with two school group talks on Friday morning, followed by a standing-room only performance on Friday night for the members of the Roper Mountain Association, Dr. Reynolds was informative, engaging and entertaining as he not only delivered the real history behind Raiders of the Lost Ark but was equally uplifting in his message to children to never give up on their dreams. On Saturday, he continued to enthrall audiences with his captivating tales of adventure and scientific exploration and was kind enough to stay afterward for a book signing. Through five shows (including a live-feed to a packed overflow room) nearly 1000 people were able to learn from and be inspired by the adventures of Dr. Reynolds.

Everyone who attended was complementary and appreciative of all that went into making the day a success. And everyone has a special memory that they’ll take away. For me, the best part of it all was seeing the countless children decked out in fedoras, leather jackets and kit bags with bits of rope dangling from their belt where a whip should be. Wide-eyed they moved from exhibit to exhibit, desperately trying to take it all in, all the while asking, "Is this where I get my passport stamped?" Maybe, just maybe, one of those young adventurers will look back in years to come and remember that day as the day they realized that learning can be fun.

-TR

School Displays
Archaeology Display Beck Academy	World War I Display Mauldin High
World War II Display Travelers Rest High	Harlem Renaissance Display Travelers Rest High
Innovations in Transportation Display Riverside Middle	Ancient China Display Woodmont Middle
Ancient Greece Display Riverside High	Teddy Roosevelt and the Conservation Movement Display Berea High

World of Mythology Displays	Sterling School
Japanese Mythology Display Sterling School	African Mythology Display Sterling School
Inuit Mythology Display Sterling School	Norse Mythology Display Sterling School
Celtic Mythology Display Sterling School	Chinese Mythology Display Sterling School
Hinduism Mythology Display Sterling School	Egyptian Mythology Display Sterling School
Aztec & Mayan Mythology Display Sterling School	Native American Mythology Display Sterling School
Aboriginal Mythology Display Sterling School	Maori Mythology Display Sterling School

Activities of the Day
Chocolate Chip Cookie Excavations	Chocolate Chip Cookie Excavations	Art in History
Art in History	Archaeological Digs	Archaeological Digs
Woodworking	Chinese Calligraphy	Chinese Calligraphy
Silk Display	Reconstruct a T-Rex	Forensic Analysis Display
WWI Artifacts Presented by Mr. Dicey	WWI Artifacts Presented by Mr. Dicey	WWII Artifacts Presented by Lynn Duncan & Ron Sluder
Ron Sluder Recounting His Days in WWII	Passport Starting Point	Throwing an Atlatl
Archery	Exploring the Rainforest	Exploring the Rainforest

Life of Indiana Jones Display
Life of Indiana Jones Display	Life of Indiana Jones Display	Artifacts from Indy's Time in Chicago
Indy & Ernest Hemingway	Indy in World War I	Indy in World War I
Indy in World War II	Indy's Childhood Travels	Indy in China

Props brought by Dr. Reynolds
Fertility Idol Prop	Grail Diary Prop	Holy Grail Prop

Student Created Documentaries & CrazyTalks
Documentary on The Outcomes of WWI Created by: Michael Hanners, Mauldin High School
CrazyTalk of Czar Nicholas II Created by: Tyler Stuck, Mauldin High School