Splash the Whale was delivered to Concordia Elementary School on Tuesday, January 27. Splash is a 4-9 million year old baleen whale fossil that was moved to Concordia from Dana Point. When it was first discovered at a new home development in Laguna Niguel in 1996, the fossil was named “Splash” by local students. At the time, scientists believed that Splash may have been one of the most complete specimens of its kind ever found on the North American continent. A good portion of the fossil remains intact and will provide wonderful learning experiences for our students in the area of science. 

The acquisition of the whale fossil will enable our school to create a hands-on science discovery center that will introduce students to the study of paleontology while providing real-life math and science experiences. The program will focus on enrichment activities fully aligned with California state standards, with students working in teams to excavate, document, and identify fossils in hands-on simulated learning experiences.    Components of the future Paleontology Park include:  

• On-site excavation of Splash, the whale. Students and visitors will be trained and provided the opportunity to help exhume Splash and participate in the preparation of a variety of displays in the Paleontology Park.
• Students visiting the center will experience the excitement of scientific discovery while learning how to excavate and identify fossils. 
• The Paleontology Park will ultimately feature a variety of fossils, interactive displays and exhibits that the entire community can visit, study, and enjoy.

To learn more about Project Splash, check out the Project Splash PowerPoint presentation and the original Excavation Report for Splash the Whale from RMW Paleo Associates.   A slide show of Splash's arrival can be seen at right.