Citizen Science – Vol. 19 No. 1
People across the world are helping scientists collect data to answer important research questions. Learn how citizens are getting involved in science, from counting birds and lionfish to reporting earthquakes.
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Highlights
- 4 Articles
- 9 Activities
- Lesson Plan
- Woodsy Owl's Citizen Science Resources
- Spotlights on Citizen Science Projects
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Before the introduction of personal computers, tablets, cell phones, and other mobile devices, scientific findings were more difficult to share widely. People read about some scientific advances in magazines and...Device-ive Science: How Electronic Devices Encourage Involvement With Environmental Research
Before the introduction of personal computers, tablets, cell phones, and other mobile devices, scientific findings were more difficult to share widely. People read about some scientific advances in magazines and... -
The Did You Feel It? (DYFI) system allows Internet users to report earthquake data when they feel an earthquake. The data submitted are put into computer programs that create “Did...All Over the Map: Investigating the Did You Feel It? Citizen Science System
The Did You Feel It? (DYFI) system allows Internet users to report earthquake data when they feel an earthquake. The data submitted are put into computer programs that create “Did... -
Over the past decade, humans have introduced two species of Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles) into the Atlantic Ocean. These fishes have been seen in a wide range...Lion In Wait: How Citizens Helped Scientists Identify a Rapid Invasion of Lionfish
Over the past decade, humans have introduced two species of Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans and Pterois miles) into the Atlantic Ocean. These fishes have been seen in a wide range... -
Invasive species such as spotted knapweed can have an effect on a habitat and animals in that habitat. In this study, the scientists wanted to determine how spotted knapweed affects...Invasion of the Song Snatcher! The Influence of Invasive Spotted Knapweed on Chipping Sparrow Song Diversity
Invasive species such as spotted knapweed can have an effect on a habitat and animals in that habitat. In this study, the scientists wanted to determine how spotted knapweed affects...
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The questions you will answer in this FACTivity are: What are the advantages and disadvantages of having citizen scientists perform data collection and reporting for the community? Would you vote...FACTivity – Device-ive Science
The questions you will answer in this FACTivity are: What are the advantages and disadvantages of having citizen scientists perform data collection and reporting for the community? Would you vote... -
The questions you will answer in this FACTivity are: How do the number of earthquakes from the 1990s compare to the number of earthquakes in the 2000s? How do the...FACTivity – All Over the Map
The questions you will answer in this FACTivity are: How do the number of earthquakes from the 1990s compare to the number of earthquakes in the 2000s? How do the... -
The questions you will answer in this FACTivity are: How does the seismic data compare between different States? What is the seismic activity like in your State? What does the...Alternate FACTivity – All Over the Map
The questions you will answer in this FACTivity are: How does the seismic data compare between different States? What is the seismic activity like in your State? What does the... -
In this FACTivity, you will try different methods of collecting data about types of shoes worn at your school. The question you will answer in this FACTivity is: How does...FACTivity – Lion in Wait
In this FACTivity, you will try different methods of collecting data about types of shoes worn at your school. The question you will answer in this FACTivity is: How does... -
The question you will answer in this FACTivity is: How many birds do I notice in my schoolyard habitat? Materials: Bird Observation Tally Sheet (included) Pencil Clip board Binoculars (optional)...FACTivity – Invasion of the Song Snatcher
The question you will answer in this FACTivity is: How many birds do I notice in my schoolyard habitat? Materials: Bird Observation Tally Sheet (included) Pencil Clip board Binoculars (optional)... -
The questions you will answer in this FACTivity are: What similarities and differences do you notice between bird songs? How does the way a song sounds have an effect on...Alternate FACTivity – Invasion of the Song Catcher
The questions you will answer in this FACTivity are: What similarities and differences do you notice between bird songs? How does the way a song sounds have an effect on... -
In this FACTivity, you will become a citizen scientist by collecting phenology data from your school, town, or home using Nature’s Notebook. Materials (for each student or group of students):...FACTivity – Nature’s Notebook
In this FACTivity, you will become a citizen scientist by collecting phenology data from your school, town, or home using Nature’s Notebook. Materials (for each student or group of students):... -
After reading the Citizen Science edition of Natural Inquirer, test your knowledge with a crossword puzzle.Crossword – Citizen Science
After reading the Citizen Science edition of Natural Inquirer, test your knowledge with a crossword puzzle. -
Test your understanding after reading the Citizen Science edition of Natural Inquirer. Each image is taken from an article in the journal. Explain what each of the images represents. You...eyeChallenge – Citizen Science
Test your understanding after reading the Citizen Science edition of Natural Inquirer. Each image is taken from an article in the journal. Explain what each of the images represents. You...
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Woodsy Owl wants you to Lend a Hand, Care for the Land! Help him out by engaging in a citizen science project. This resource provides a list of ongoing citizen...Spotlight – Citizen Science Resources
Woodsy Owl wants you to Lend a Hand, Care for the Land! Help him out by engaging in a citizen science project. This resource provides a list of ongoing citizen... -
This spotlight outlines some ways to incorporate citizen science in the classroom, including advice from Victoria Houser, a Forest Service Recreation Staff Officer: “I have worked to develop citizen science...Spotlight – Citizen Science in the Classroom
This spotlight outlines some ways to incorporate citizen science in the classroom, including advice from Victoria Houser, a Forest Service Recreation Staff Officer: “I have worked to develop citizen science... -
The Youth Forest Monitoring Program (YFMP) is a summer internship program for students in grades 9 12. Participants learn about forest ecology, explore their local forest lands, engage in forest...Spotlight – Youth Forest Monitoring Program
The Youth Forest Monitoring Program (YFMP) is a summer internship program for students in grades 9 12. Participants learn about forest ecology, explore their local forest lands, engage in forest... -
Can you imagine observing, recording, and reporting the weather every single day? That is what Richard G. Hendrickson did—for 85 years! Read more about his work with the National Weather...Spotlight – Citizen Science for Life
Can you imagine observing, recording, and reporting the weather every single day? That is what Richard G. Hendrickson did—for 85 years! Read more about his work with the National Weather... -
This spotlight explores how data collected by non-scientists can be used by scientists. The USA National Phenology Network is an organization that creates a database of non-scientists’ data about plants...Spotlight – Nature’s Notebook: Taking a Pulse of Our Planet
This spotlight explores how data collected by non-scientists can be used by scientists. The USA National Phenology Network is an organization that creates a database of non-scientists’ data about plants... -
This spotlight features one of the citizen science projects people can join, the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project. In the 1990s, researchers at the University of Minnesota decided to use citizen...Spotlight – The Monarch Larva Monitoring Project: Citizen Scientists Monitor Monarch Butterflies
This spotlight features one of the citizen science projects people can join, the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project. In the 1990s, researchers at the University of Minnesota decided to use citizen...
Standards addressed in this Journal:
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ESS1.C-M1
The geologic time scale interpreted from rock strata provides a way to organize Earth’s history. Analyses of rock strata and the fossil record provide only relative dates, not an absolute scale.
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ESS1.C-M2
Tectonic processes continually generate new ocean seafloor at ridges and destroy old seafloor at trenches.
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ESS2.A-M1
All Earth processes are the result of energy flowing and matter cycling within and among the planet’s systems. This energy is derived from the Sun and Earth’s hot interior. The energy that flows and matter that cycles produce chemical and physical changes in Earth’s materials and living organisms.
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ESS2.A-M2
The planet’s systems interact over scales that range from microscopic to global in size, and they operate over fractions of a second to billions of years. These interactions have shaped Earth’s history and will determine its future.
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ESS3.B-M1
Mapping the history of natural hazards in a region, combined with an understanding of related geologic forces, can help forecast the locations and likelihoods of future events.
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ESS3.C-M1
Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things.
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LS1.B-M1
Organisms reproduce, either sexually or asexually, and transfer their genetic information to their offspring.
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LS1.B-M2
Animals engage in characteristic behaviors that increase the odds of reproduction.
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LS2.A-M1
Organisms, and populations of organisms, are dependent on their environmental interactions both with other living things and with nonliving factors.
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LS2.A-M2
In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction.
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LS2.A-M3
Growth of organisms and population increases are limited by access to resources.
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LS2.A-M4
Similarly, predatory interactions may reduce the number of organisms or eliminate whole populations of organisms. Mutually beneficial interactions, in contrast, may become so interdependent that each organism requires the other for survival. Although the species involved in these competitive, predatory, and mutually beneficial interactions vary across ecosystems, the patterns of interactions of organisms with their environments, both living and nonliving, are shared.
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LS2.C-M1
Ecosystems are dynamic in nature; their characteristics can vary over time. Disruptions to any physical or biological component of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations.
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LS2.C-M2
Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth’s terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an ecosystem’s biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health.
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LS4.B-M1
Natural selection leads to the predominance of certain traits in a population, and the suppression of others.
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LS4.C-M1
Adaptation by natural selection acting over generations is one important process by which species change over time in response to changes in environmental conditions. Traits that support successful survival and reproduction in the new environment become more common; those that do not become less common. Thus, the distribution of traits in a population changes.
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LS4.D-M1
Changes in biodiversity can influence humans’ resources, such as food, energy, and medicines, as well as ecosystem services that humans rely on—for example, water purification and recycling.
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PS2.A-M2
The motion of an object is determined by the sum of the forces acting on it; if the total force on the object is not zero, its motion will change. The greater the mass of the object, the greater the force needed to achieve the same change in motion. For any given object, a larger force causes a larger change in motion.
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PS3.B-M1
When the motion energy of an object changes, there is inevitably some other change in energy at the same time.
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Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.
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By the end of grade 8, read and comprehend science/technical texts in the grades 6-8 text complexity band independently and proficiently.
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Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.
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Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.
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Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6-8 texts and topics.
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Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to an understanding of the topic.
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Analyze the author's purpose in providing an explanation, describing a procedure, or discussing an experiment in a text.
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Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).
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Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
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Compare and contrast the information gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that gained from reading a text on the same topic.
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Civic Ideals and Practices
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Individuals, Groups, and Institutions
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People, Places, and Environments
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Science, Technology, and Society
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Time, Continuity, and Change
What Is a Natural Inquirer Journal?
A Natural Inquirer journal is a collection of 4-8 articles on a related science topic. Journals are written for a middle school audience, but they can also be adapted for both high school students and advanced upper elementary students. Some journals are particularly suited to high school students; you can find our grade level recommendations in the tags on the product page or by filtering journals by grade level.
Journals include:
- Four to eight articles based on published, peer-reviewed research papers; the articles keep the research paper format (see more below) but are written in language students can understand.
- A FACTivity for each article, which is an activity to complete after reading the article. The FACTivity helps reinforce major science concepts from the article. These activities are designed to be easy to implement, with few material requirements and options for adapting them for your audience or available resources. Some articles in a journal may have two FACTivities.
- A short “Welcome to the journal” article about key background information and science concepts that unify the articles included in the journal
- A glossary of new terms for each article and the introductory materials.
- A list of related Natural Inquirer publications for each article as well as outside references.
- Standards correlations, including Next Generation Science Standards, addressed in the articles and the FACTivities.
Journals may also include additional essays (called spotlights), other activities (like crossword puzzles or vocabulary challenges), and more.
Reading Modes
Journals are available in three different formats:
- Hard copies can be ordered from the website and shipped, all free of charge.
- PDF versions of the printed journal can be downloaded free on the website. The PDF version directly replicates the content and layout of the printed version. You can also download individual articles as pdfs.
- The “Read Distraction Free” option allows the individual articles to open in their own window, without the rest of the website being visible. These articles can be found under the “Articles” tab. This version allows readers to scroll to particular sections of the article using the sidebar menu on the left side of the screen. This version also has interactive Reflection Sections and Number Crunches. Students can enter their answers, submit them, and then receive the correct answers to double-check their work. Submitted answers are not saved on the website and will disappear once the window is closed.
What's in a Natural Inquirer Article?
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Meet the Scientists
This section introduces the scientists (and others) who worked on the study. In their own words, they each share a memorable science experience, a favorite research project, or something they learned during the course of their education or research.
Use this section to:
- Introduce kids to the variety of people who work in science
- Introduce kids to the variety of scientific fields and give brief descriptions of science-related jobs
- Explore ways that people interact with science every day
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) applications:
- Science and Engineering Practices
- Crosscutting Concepts: Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World
Note that specific standards for this particular journal are linked on this educator guide tab.
Other resources:
Many of the scientists and engineers featured in this section are also featured on our collector cards. Learn more about their work, how they got interested in their fields, and interesting projects they worked on. Cards can be printed as posters, too.
Thinking About Science
This section briefly describes a concept about science or scientific research. This overview can touch on topics like
- study type (longitudinal study, quantitative vs. qualitative data),
- behaviors of scientists (conducting literature reviews, collaborating with other specialists, replicating earlier studies),
- the practice of science (the scientific method, engineering design, data collection, randomization, controls and variables),
- or other aspects of science (bias, correlation vs. causation).
Use this section to:
- Reinforce steps in the scientific method and the process of science
- Encourage students to think about the practice of science and what it can and cannot tell us
- Consider the many types of scientific study and what information each type can provide
Next Generation Science Standards applications:
- Science and Engineering Practices
- Life Science Disciplinary Core Ideas (depending on topic)
- Most Crosscutting Concepts (depending on topic)
Note that specific standards for this particular journal are linked on this educator guide tab.
Other resources:
You can use key words to search for other or related scientific topics on our website (e.g. “longitudinal study,” “bias,” or “sampling”).
Thinking About the Environment
This section provides a brief overview of a topic or concept in environmental/life science. The topic or concept is directly related to the research study that follows. Examples of topics include the carbon cycle, the water cycle, habitat fragmentation, phenology, biodiversity, and ecosystem services.
Use this section to:
- Provide important background information to help students understand the research study
- Serve as a quick reference during reading or class instruction
- Connect the research article with other activities or media on the same topic
Next Generation Science Standards applications:
- Life Science and some Earth Science Disciplinary Core Ideas (depending on topic)
- Most Crosscutting Concepts (depending on topic)
Note that specific standards for this particular journal are linked on this educator guide tab.
Other resources:
You can use key words to search for more resources on life or earth science topics on our website (e.g. “habitat,” “carbon,” or “genetics”).
Introduction
This section begins the scientific article format. Much like the published, peer-reviewed study this article is based on, the introduction provides background information for the study – what is currently known and what remains unknown. The introduction culminates in the question(s) the study hopes to answer.
The introduction is also the first section with a Reflection Section. This section includes two or three questions to help kids reflect on what they’ve just learned in the Introduction. If they are using the online distraction-free reading mode, they can answer these questions directly on the website.
Use this section to:
- Review important background information that kids need to understand the study
- Connect the study to the concepts addressed in the Thinking About Science and Thinking About the Environment sections
- Understand research questions and hypotheses, including generating their own hypotheses given what they already know
Next Generation Science Standards applications:
- Life Science and some Earth Science Disciplinary Core Ideas (depending on topic)
- Most Crosscutting Concepts (depending on topic)
Note that specific standards for this particular journal are linked on this educator guide tab.
Other resources:
Use one of the guided reading lesson plans to help kids follow the format of a scientific paper.
Methods
This section is the nuts and bolts of the study design – the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the research. Contained within the Methods section are usually maps of the study location or the set-up of study plots, as well as details about what data was collected and how.
The Methods section also ends with a Reflection Section – two or three questions to help students think through what they just read. These questions are interactive on the distraction-free reading mode.
Use this section to:
- Show students how experiments and studies are designed and carried out
- Explore sampling methods and randomization
- Introduce various data collection tools (e.g. camera traps, surveys, insect collection tools, weather stations, etc.)
- Explain bias and how studies are designed to remove bias
- Help students gain experience with map reading
Next Generation Science Standards applications:
- Life Science and some Earth Science Disciplinary Core Ideas (depending on topic)
- Most Crosscutting Concepts (depending on topic)
Note that specific standards for this particular journal are linked on this educator guide tab.
Other resources:
Many Methods and Findings sections contain Number Crunches, which are simple math exercises designed to help students interact with the data from the study.
Findings
This section summarizes the data collected during the study. The Findings section usually includes data tables or graphs and highlights the significant data points from the study. This section often mentions statistical analysis or the use of computer programs to model or analyze the data, though these methods are only discussed generally.
The Findings section also ends with a Reflection Section – two or three questions to help students think through what they just read. These questions are interactive on the distraction-free reading mode.
Use this section to:
- Have students practice reading and interpreting graphs and tables
- Compare results between variables and controls
- Explain the concept of statistical significance
- Discuss how no data or negative results still provide valuable information
Next Generation Science Standards applications:
- Life Science and some Earth Science Disciplinary Core Ideas (depending on topic)
- Most Crosscutting Concepts (depending on topic)
Note that specific standards for this particular journal are linked on this educator guide tab.
Other resources:
Search the website for “map” or “graph” to find activities where students can practice making and reading maps and graphs.
Discussion
This section concludes each article. In it, we summarize the main findings of the scientists’ study. Additionally, we present the scientists’ ideas about the limitations of their study, the big-picture impacts of their research, and the scientists’ plans for future study or action.
The Discussion section ends with a Reflection Section – two or three questions to help students think through what they just read, especially general take-aways from the study. These questions are interactive on the distraction-free reading mode.
Use this section to:
- Discuss what conclusions can and cannot be drawn from the available data
- Explain the difference between correlation and causation
- Explore study limitations and opportunities for further study
- Brainstorm ways the study findings could be applied to real-world situations
Next Generation Science Standards applications:
- Life Science and some Earth Science Disciplinary Core Ideas (depending on topic)
- Most Crosscutting Concepts (depending on topic)
Note that specific standards for this particular journal are linked on this educator guide tab.
Other resources:
Use the “Designing Your Own Study” resource page for videos of scientists discussing their own research studies. The page also includes educator resources to help students plan their own scientific studies.
Additional Resources on the Website
On the website, we pair each journal with a variety of other resources, as well. Use the tabs on the product page to browse through the following:- Related activities, including the FACTivity for each article
- An “About” essay that gives some larger context for the research the scientists conducted or more information about the science topic from the journal
- A glossary of all boldfaced terms from the journal
- A “Scientists and Collaborators” page that lists the people involved in the studies in the journal; click on a researcher to reach their bio page and see what other articles they might be featured in
- A “Related Content” page that lists both Natural Inquirer resources about similar topics and also outside reference materials
Article Selection and Review
Natural Inquirer partners with the USDA Forest Service, so we source research studies by Forest Service scientists that have been peer-reviewed and published in reputable journals. Some of our articles have also been created in collaboration with scientists from other Federal agencies, such as U.S. Geological Survey and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, universities, and other non-profits.
All journal articles are reviewed by scientists who conducted the original research study to verify scientific accuracy. Journals are also reviewed by student editorial review boards of middle or high school students before publication. Additionally, all journals are reviewed by the Forest Service and the U.S. Department of Agriculture before publication.
Every journal article includes a citation of its source study. Many educators pair the original research paper with our article to help more advanced students learn how to read formal research papers. The journal article then serves as adapted primary literature, bridging the two articles.Lessons
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In this lesson, students will use graphic organizers to help guide their reading of an article. Materials: Graphic organizers (included) Writing utensil This lesson plan can be used with any...Lesson Plan – Reading Graphic Organizers
In this lesson, students will use graphic organizers to help guide their reading of an article. Materials: Graphic organizers (included) Writing utensil This lesson plan can be used with any... -
In this lesson, students will create a storyboard to graphically represent the main points from the research article they read. This lesson plan can be used with any Natural Inquirer...Lesson Plan – Storyboard
In this lesson, students will create a storyboard to graphically represent the main points from the research article they read. This lesson plan can be used with any Natural Inquirer... -
In this lesson, students will increase their reading comprehension, critical thinking skills, and summarization and explanation skills. Students will role-play as members of the Natural Inquirer Twitter Team (now X...Lesson Plan – Twitter Team
In this lesson, students will increase their reading comprehension, critical thinking skills, and summarization and explanation skills. Students will role-play as members of the Natural Inquirer Twitter Team (now X...
Project Learning Tree
If you are a trained Project Learning Tree educator, you may use “Publicize It!,” “Have Seeds Will Travel,” “Did You Notice?,” and “Improve Your Place” as additional resources.
Glossary
View All GlossaryClassroom Review Board
Ms. Hagengruber’s 7th Grade Science Classes
- Anderson Middle School