Johns Hopkins Glacier at Glacier Bay, Alaska
August, 2014 |
Research
|
Summer Research
Hello Middle Schoolers,
This summer we want you to be a scientist! Not just any scientist, but one that is going to make a big difference. That’s right, as an everyday middle schooler, you can contribute to important scientific studies that are being conducted around the world. We call this “citizen-science”. It isn’t going to be super-easy, but it will be a lot of fun. Besides, you will be sure to learn a thing or two while you do it.
First things first, you need to know what a citizen-scientist really is and how this whole concept works. Start by reading this great article on scifinder: https://scistarter.com/citizenscience.html
Next, you need to find a project that interests you. There are a ton of amazing resources available for you to find a project that you find interesting. We suggest you start here: https://scistarter.com/finder
Using the toolbar on the left side of the page, you can enter subjects that interest you and a list of citizen science projects will come up.
Have a particular interest in space? Check out the projects being run by NASA: https://science.nasa.gov/citizenscientists
Interested in nature and want to collaborate with local scientists? Check out National Geographic’s suggested projects: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/idea/citizen-science-projects/
Want to do your citizen science on the go? Check out these apps: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/8-apps-that-turn-citizens-into-scientists/
Once you’ve found a project you are interested in, your job is to participate in the data collection and data analysis process. This could take anywhere from 2 weeks to the entire summer. Make sure you give yourself enough time, this is not a project you can complete in an afternoon!
Finally, you need to summarize what you’ve done. For your presentation, you will need to include:
Have a great time and help scientists around the world with their research. We can’t wait to learn about your project…
Mrs. Cronin
Mr. Deeble
Ms. Osten
Ms. Malafronte
This summer we want you to be a scientist! Not just any scientist, but one that is going to make a big difference. That’s right, as an everyday middle schooler, you can contribute to important scientific studies that are being conducted around the world. We call this “citizen-science”. It isn’t going to be super-easy, but it will be a lot of fun. Besides, you will be sure to learn a thing or two while you do it.
First things first, you need to know what a citizen-scientist really is and how this whole concept works. Start by reading this great article on scifinder: https://scistarter.com/citizenscience.html
Next, you need to find a project that interests you. There are a ton of amazing resources available for you to find a project that you find interesting. We suggest you start here: https://scistarter.com/finder
Using the toolbar on the left side of the page, you can enter subjects that interest you and a list of citizen science projects will come up.
Have a particular interest in space? Check out the projects being run by NASA: https://science.nasa.gov/citizenscientists
Interested in nature and want to collaborate with local scientists? Check out National Geographic’s suggested projects: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/idea/citizen-science-projects/
Want to do your citizen science on the go? Check out these apps: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/8-apps-that-turn-citizens-into-scientists/
Once you’ve found a project you are interested in, your job is to participate in the data collection and data analysis process. This could take anywhere from 2 weeks to the entire summer. Make sure you give yourself enough time, this is not a project you can complete in an afternoon!
Finally, you need to summarize what you’ve done. For your presentation, you will need to include:
- An overview of the project (what is it the scientists are trying to figure out)
- What you did to contribute to the project (what data you collected and how you submitted it)
- Examples of what you did (screen shots of your work, actual samples you collected, photographs, etc)
- What you learned from the process
- How other people can become involved in your citizen-science project
Have a great time and help scientists around the world with their research. We can’t wait to learn about your project…
Mrs. Cronin
Mr. Deeble
Ms. Osten
Ms. Malafronte