Each class K-8 has chosen a species of local animal to study and collect NatureMapping data. K-spiders, 1st-butterflies and moths, 2nd- birds, 3rd-insects, 4th-reptiles, 5th-wildflowers and weeds, 6th-fossorial mammals. We have produce a native plant garden, a field guide that we add to each year, a school mural. We study on the schoolgrounds, at a local creek area, in a local canyon and on a local mountain so the students can compare common animals and plants from 4 different areas.
Each year over 120,000 Tasmanians go fishing at least once. Imagine...120,000 potential scientists collecting valuable data about the marine environment! We did. Welcome to Redmap! We invite the community to spot, log and map marine species that are uncommon in Tasmania, or along particular parts of our coast, addressing key knowledge gaps in partnership with industry and community. Redmap has proven to be a useful engagement tool to raise awareness about climate change.
This project is designed to monitor and prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species through heightened awareness and education. This is an ongoing project throughout Chippewa, Eau Claire, Barron, Dunn, and Rusk counties that started the summer of 2007 and will end the fall of 2009. Each summer 40 different lakes are visited three times each. Volunteers commit to spending at least one day helping the Citizen Science Center Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator sample different AIS on lakes in the area, with training taking place on the same day.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Beaver Creek ReserveWisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesUniversity of Wisconsin ExtensionAna BradySarah Braun
On May 15th & 16th, 2009, citizens, area landowners and experts team together to conduct a 24-hour biological inventory of the taxa in an the Biodiversity Management Area near the towns of Roy and McKenna just east of Fort Lewis in Pierce County, WA. Teams will include botany, invertebrates, mammals, prairie species, butterflies, amphibians and reptiles. Teams will use CyberTracker software and handheld devices to input data into the UW's NatureMapping program. Overnight camping, t-shirts, and meals will be available to volunteers.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Tahoma Audubon SocietyPierce County Biodiversity AllianceWashington Department of Fish and WildlifeNorthwest Trek Wildlife ParkTacoma Nature CenterKrystal KyerJohn Garner
The Global Garlic Mustard Field Survey is a collaboration of scientists, students, conservationists, resource managers and 'amateur' scientists. Our goal is to collect high-quality data on the abundance and distribution of garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) in its native (Europe) and introduced (North America) ranges. This sampling protocol is designed to be simple and achieved with just a few hours of work, once populations have been located. It well help to fill an large gap in data on native and introduced plant populations.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Global Invasions NetworkRobert Colautti
The Cricket and Katydid Crawl of New York City and Surrounds is a citizen science pilot project in which participants will venture out between dusk and midnight to locations of their choosing throughout the NYC metro area to listen for the calls of crickets and katydids and document their observations. Counts will be immediately text, emailed, or cell phoned in. An extended network of databasers will enter the data online, and maps and anlayses will be generated in near real time. By dawn we hope to have a series of reports generated by observers, artists, mathematicians, and citizens. Following the survey on September 11, 2009 we will document the event and provide advice for those who would like to replicate this event elsewhere. We will be doing this purposely without copyrights and without institutional funding...a wiki approach to a survey.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
USGSAmerican Museum of Natural HistoryAppalachian Mountain ClubProteus GowanusSam Droege
A BioBlitz is a rapid biological survey of a property in which as many species from as many taxonomic groups as possible are counted during a 24-hour period. It is used to provide a snapshot of wildlife in any area, and identify any rare or endangered species there. As a volunteer you would participate in training to learn how to collect data during the BioBlitz, and on the day of the event you work with experts to identify species. By participating in the BioBlitz, you get the opportunity to meet and spend time with people who are interested in the environment, and learn about critters in Wisconsin!
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Beaver Creek Reserve Citizen Science CenterSarah Braun
This white paper is the product of the CAISE Public Engagement with Science Inquiry Group. It describes how public engagement with science (PES) in the context of informal science education can provide opportunities for public awareness of and participation in science and technology. The term engagement is characterized by mutual learning by publics and scientists rather than a one-way transmission of knowledge from experts to publics.
This white paper is the product of the CAISE Public Participation in Scientific Research Inquiry Group. It describes how public participation in scientific research (PPSR) through informal science education can provide opportunities to increase public science literacy.
The Coalition for Watershed Education, consisting of the Land Access Information Association, Great Lakes Children's Museum, Interlochen Public Radio and Northwestern Michigan College Great Lakes Studies Institute will implement a comprehensive science education project for youth and adults. The major components include: Watershed Discovery field experiences, Soundscapes radio broadcasts, Waterscapes exhibits, a project website, and the expanded Great Lakes Coalition for Watershed Education. Watershed Discovery is a field-based experience for youth ages 11-17. Teams of 6-10 youth will work with mentors who specialize in GPS, GIS, geology and geography to research and collect data on the Great Lakes watershed. These students will also use their new knowledge to produce radio segments as part of the Soundscapes component. Youth teams will be trained to interview sources, gather information and write scripts for use on the local National Public Radio affiliate. The Great Lakes Children's Museum will design a permanent, interactive watershed of 1,500 square feet, as well as a traveling exhibit of 500 square feet for visitors ages 7-12. Other deliverables include "A Community Guide to Watershed-based Science Education" (available in print and CD-ROM), a one-day regional dissemination conference, and an interactive website. Strategic impact will be realized through the development of a novel model for watershed education, its subsequent replication and summative evaluation outcomes. It is estimated that over 40,000 children will be reached by this community-wide initiative.
The University of Minnesota is partnering with several nature centers in the Midwest to transform citizen "technicians" into citizen "scientists." The Driven to Discover project will use existing citizen science programs with strong educational components to engage 12-14 year old youth and their adult mentors in authentic research. The goal of the project is to develop a training model for adults who work with youth in a variety of informal education settings to involve them in authentic scientific inquiry via citizen science rather than just data collection activities. In the proof-of-concept phase, teams consisting of 4-H youth, adult leaders, and several scientists are conducting participatory action research to understand what factors lead youth to full engagement in ecological research. In phase two, project personnel are training 4-H educators, naturalists, and teachers how to engage youth and their adult leaders in other 4-H programs and other informal education programs to conduct ecological research with scientists in advisory roles. Phase one involves approximately 10 adults and 70 youth, whereas phase two involves approximately 40 adults and 300 youth. A front-end study defined the project's target audiences and partners. Formative evaluation study will monitor interactions among members of the research teams and summative evaluation will measure impacts on participants' knowledge, skills development, attitudes, and behavior. Project deliverables include youth-generated ecological research findings, web-based program implementation materials, an annual conference, and a model for engaging youth groups in informal settings in authentic scientific inquiry. The model is expected to impact more than six million youth nationwide.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Karen OberhauserNathan MeyerAndrea Lorek StraussPamela NippoltKatie ClarkRobert Blair