Middle and high school students
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Citizen science, according to the Natural Inquirer issue of the same name, is a scientific project that includes citizens—defined as people who live in a community—as a part of the information collection process. The GLOBE Program has many ways for people around the world to contribute data to its publicly available database. Many of the scientists collecting data are students, from Kindergarteners to undergraduates.
By reading the Citizen Science issue, your middle and high school level students will learn about several different ways that non-scientists contribute to scientific projects. I hope at least one of the articles—and corresponding GLOBE resources—will attract their attention and lead them to participate in one of GLOBE’s many citizen science opportunities.
I like to think of this as a “choose your own adventure” lesson!
In the article “Citizen Science for Life” on page 6, students read about Richard G. Hendrickson’s lifetime of sharing weather data with the National Weather Service.
GLOBE students can collect weather data, too. GLOBE educator Jeff Bouwman wrote about how his students observe clouds and collect other environmental measurements in his blog post titled “It’s Cool to Have Your Head in the Clouds.”
GLOBE Protocols that relate to this article can be found on GLOBE’s Atmosphere webpages and include:
If you’re not familiar with the GLOBE Protocols, I recommend you take the eTrainings described below.
Optional: If your students are going to collect cloud data but they aren’t familiar with the different cloud types, use the My NASA Data Cloud Sort Activity for practice.
In “Device-ive Science” starting on page 8, your students will read about how technology changes over time, and how electronic devices (for instance, smart phones and tablets) can help make participating in citizen science efforts easier.
One way your students can use technology to participate in citizen science is by using the GLOBE Observer app. The app is available for anyone to use—you just need to create an account—and includes four publicly available protocols:
Each protocol includes a basic tutorial to get you started. If you want to learn more before committing to downloading the app and creating an account, an overview of each protocol is available on the GLOBE Observer webpage.
Sometimes, an additional protocol is added to the app for a short time, like during a solar eclipse. During an eclipse, this tool can be used to document air temperature and clouds. Scientists have used some of the data collected by GLOBE Observers during recent solar eclipses to help them understand how the weather (air temperature and cloud cover) might change during an eclipse. Although this paper may be more complex than your students are ready for, here is one example of a scientific article about data contributions using the GLOBE Observer app during an eclipse.
Optional: Students can analyze air temperature data from the 2017 total solar eclipse (just like the scientists who wrote the article above) using the My NASA Data activity “How Does a Solar Eclipse Affect Air Temperature?”
The article “Citizen Science in the Classroom” (page 86) provides your students with ideas on how to get started in a citizen science project. Students can think about a problem in their local environment that they want to learn more about and find related citizen science projects.
There are SO MANY opportunities to get involved in citizen science. Here are a few data collection campaigns and intensive observation periods from the GLOBE Program:
These campaigns are a concerted effort to collect data and collaborate with other citizen scientists from around the world.
If you’re not familiar with the GLOBE data collection protocols, I recommend you take the eTrainings for any of the protocols mentioned in this post or associated with the campaigns. Trainings are accessible through GLOBE’s Protocol eTraining webpages.
If have collected data through this lesson, your students are beginning to learn about their local ecosystem. Now it’s time to consider submitting your student research and reports to GLOBE’s International Virtual Science Symposium (IVSS) or attend a regional Student Research Symposium (SRS).
An important aspect of science is communicating ideas. Scientists receive feedback from their peers and must learn to explain their findings to the general public. To help your students in the process of communicating their research—either through the IVSS, SRS, or a local science fair—visit GLOBE’s Steps in the Scientific Process webpage.
Acknowledgement: This material is based upon work supported by USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Agreement no. 20-PA-11090100-026). Any opinion, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USDA Forest Service.
This blog post is part of the GLOBE and the Natural Inquirer Crosswalk Project . Other blog posts are available on the U.S. GLOBE Teacher Resources page .
Natural Inquirer issues can be downloaded and classroom sets of many issues can be ordered from their website. Find the complete list of issues available and instructions for ordering on the Natural Inquirer website .
