This report presents findings from the evaluation of four Pulsar Search Collaboratory (PSC) activities: online training, use of website, capstone events at hub institutions, and the PSC summer camp.
Vital Signs a community-based education program that links middle school students, citizen scientists, and scientists in the collection and analysis of environmental data related to invasive species. Vital Signs leverages technology to enable students to practice scientific inquiry, collect rigorous and consistent data, share the data and knowledge they have collected, and to serve as a distributed data collection network for the scientific community.
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.
OPIHI (Our Project in Hawaii’s Intertidal) is a school-based monitoring program of Hawaii’s rocky intertidal where students improve their scientific skills while gathering data in an area that has not been well studied in Hawaii. While taking part in OPIHI, students learn about topics in marine ecology and conservation, species identification, and sampling techniques. Most importantly, students build their confidence and interest in science. We hope this place-based learning connects students to their local environments and natural resources and encourages wise stewardship.
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University of HawaiiReefcheck HawaiiJoanna Philippoff
This poster was presented at the April 2011 workshop, Engaging and Learning for Conservation. It describes a citizen science project at the Seattle Aquarium and outlines the essential elements of a successful citizen science program.
Kansas teachers participate in workshops at Konza Prairie on prairie ecology and long-term data collection. They choose a native prairie site near their school where students can collect data annually. This real world research experience allows students to use their own data and data collected by other schools and in previous years for comparison in classroom units developed by their teachers. Student collected data is added to our databases on the Internet and is available for use in any classroom. Several activities are offered to fit the class curriculum.
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Konza Prairie Biological StationValerie Wright
Monarch is an educational outreach program based at the University of Kansas with a focus on education, research and conservation. To facilitate science education, we promote the use of monarch butterflies in classrooms and for independent studies of monarch biology by students. Through monarch tagging we engage the public in research on the monarch migration and dynamics of the population. Our conservation message is articulated through our Monarch Waystation program that encourages the public to create, conserve and protect monarch habitats.
In 2004, the City of Menomonie updated its storm water management plan to minimize storm water runoff, encourage storm water infiltration and reduce sediment and nutrient deposition in the storm water conveyance system and waterways. This plan complies with the requirements of the EPA Phase II and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource (WDNR) NR 151 and NR 216 storm water regulations that affect the City of Menomonie. Under the education and information chapter of the plan, the following recommendation is mentioned: “We recommend that the City and the University of Wisconsin-Stout partner and work together to ensure that positive steps are taken within the City of Menomonie watershed and Galloway Creek sub-watershed”. In order to meet that specific storm water management recommendation, students enrolled in the BIO 111 course (Science, Society and the Environment) collect and analyze water quality data within specific sections of Galloway Creek and submit their results in a stream report.
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Krista JamesWisconsin Water Action Volunteers ProgramCity of Menomonie
To quantify how much of the night sky has been lost to light pollution, students in grades 3-8 compare their backyard view of Orion to six star charts of the constellation with varying limiting magnitudes. Using thousands of observations from across the local community, teams of students from individual schools plot the collective results by constructing a 3D model out of LEGO blocks. Beforehand, all teachers integrate some aspect of the topic in their regular classroom instruction. The website offers supporting lessons, resources, and ideas for teachers and families alike.
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Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation
NASA cloud observation project. Ground observation reports are compared to cloud information retrieved from satellite instruments in Earth orbit. Learn how to make and report a cloud observation at the time of a satellite overpass. Observations welcome from any interested observers, especially in places where official weather observations are rare. Get satellite overpass times, learn about making observations, report an observation, and explore the database of reported observations (which includes corresponding satellite data once they are available).