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Citizen Scientist - Collect some data.
Broaden your observation skills and contribute to the body of science information.

Numerous Americans have been citizen scientists. From 1729 to 1730, a regular weather record was kept at Boston, Mass., by Hon. Paul Dudley, Chief Justice of Massachusetts. Benjamin Franklin on a voyage from England, in 1739, kept records of the weather and water temperatures. He then proposed a method of determining the approach of vessels to the American coast by the temperature of the water. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark kept extensive journals of their observations during their explorations. During the 1800s, John and William Bartram documented and collected over 200 American plants.

Benjamin Rittenhouse kept a daily record of the temperature, wind direction and sky conditions at 6 am and 3 pm. in Worcester, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. This provided important information during the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. Today the National Science Foundation is funding several Citizen Science Projects.

question Thinking about Collecting Data Activity pdf / doc. | Having collected the numbers - Science and Data

Participate in a Citizen Science project. Carefully maintain your records.
Report your findings to a local governmental body.

green bullet Bud Burst Protocol collect data for your community. late winter - spring

green bullet Bioluminescence - Firefly Watch - Learn about them and conduct your own study. summer - fall

green bullet NestWatch- Cornell University citizen science sponsored project - spring- early summer

green bullet Project FeederWatch - can be done in winter months.

green bullet Great Backyard Bird Count - choose a spot and count the number and types of birds you observe. Gather and report data. Compare your findings with earlier results. What trending do you detect?

green bullet Christmas Bird Count sponsored by the Audubon Society Reflect which meadow species in your region shows the greatest increase in population and which suffered the greatest decline. December

green bullet Monarch Larva Monitoring Project. spring - summer - fall

green bullet Milkweed and Nectar Plant Phenology Project - observe "firsts" -- first emergence from soil, first flower bud, first open flower, etc. The focus is the milkweed on which larvae feed, and the nectar plants -- like lilac, sunflower and purple coneflower -- on which adults feed. spring - summer

green bullet Project RoadKill - choose a road adjacent to a meadow or field. Monitor it twice daily and report what animals are killed there, along with data about speed limit, weather and estimate number of vehicles per hour. Compare results around your community. year round

green bullet eBird - year round bird observations

green bullet Lost Ladybug Project

green bullet The Great Sunflower Project - to understand more about how bees feed themselves, and hopefully how we can help reverse recent staggering declines in bee populations. To participate plant sunflowers -- you receive a seed packet in the mail when you sign up -- and when they bloom, observe bee activity on the flowers. It takes no more than 30 minutes per observation. summer - fall

green bullet Journey North engages students in a global study of wildlife migration and seasonal change. Spring and Autumn

green bullet Wildlife Phenology Program - "Phenology is the study of the seasonal timing of plant and animal life-cycle events such as bird, fish and mammal migration; emergence from hibernation; and the leafing, blooming and fruiting of plants."

green bullet Earth Exploration Toolbook

green bullet FrogWatch USA

green bullet Map & Inventory Trees in your Community

green bullet Map & Inventory Wetlands in your Community

 

butterfly iconFields, Meadows, and Fencerows: Habitat / Mammals / Birds / Insect - Butterflies & Moths / Trees & Plants / Conclusions

Screech Owl Activity | Bats are our Buddies Activity | Food Web Activity | Food web relationships - Predator or prey?

Milkweed and Monarch Butterfly Science Journal Entry | Digital Science Journal | Outside - In Showcase Project

Bluebirds Project | Wildflowers info | Water and Watershed Studies | Environmental Education Curriculum in Pennsylvania

Internet Hunts / Puzzles and Projects / Civics & History / Pennsylvania Projects / Nature / Home

Posted 1/2009 by Cynthia J. O'Hora Updated 11/2021
2009 Cynthia J. O'Hora This project may be printed for use in a nonprofit setting.

Released to public domain in honor of physicist and ecologist, Barry Commoner.

1 Science NetLinks Benchmark 1- Nature of science - How science works

The goal of this web project is to inform people through research while employing higher order thinking skills. This study unit encourages the use of free Internet information resources. Activities develop writing, information literacy, technology and mathematics skills. The resources posted here may be freely adapted or modified to meet each student's unique skills or interests.

Aligned with Pennsylvania Academic Standards: Reading, Writing, Science & Technology, Ecology & Environment, Mathematics, Geography, Career. Aligned with National Academic Standards: Technology, Science, Geography. Common Core of Standards