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

Thinking about Collecting Data Activity pdf / doc.

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

Bud Burst Protocol contribute data for your community. late winter - spring

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

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

Project FeederWatch - can be done in winter months. Create/Print a local bird list

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?

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

Science and Data

Monarch Larva Monitoring Project. spring - summer - fall

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

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

Celebrate Urban Birds - year round

eBird - year round bird observations

Lost Ladybug Project

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

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

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. Global warming is causing a resurgence in interest in phenology, as the growing season lengthens, winters shorten and fears grow that some wildlife adapted to live with one another get out of sync (think bees pollinating flowers or migratory birds feasting on spring bugs)."
Learn more at Help Us Keep an Eye on Climate Change podcast from USGS

Spider WebWatch is a biodiversity monitoring effort for biologists, naturalists, educators and students. From more than 4,400 species of spiders in North America, 9 were chosen as eight-legged ambassadors. Learn to identify the spider.

Fall Color, Temperature and Day Length design your own project The Foliage Network

Earth Exploration Toolbook

USA FrogWatch

Map & Inventory Trees in your Community.

Map & Inventory Wetlands in your Community

 

Wetlands: Habitat / Mammals / Birds / Aquatic insects / Plants & trees / Amphibians / Conclusions

Food Web Relationships / Collecting Data doc. / pdf / Mammal Morphology: Compare - Contrast - Conclude

Just Ducky - crossword puzzle / Wetland Bird Nests / Eagles Evaluation / Lentic or Lotic ecosystem?

Wetland Ecology Vocabulary Exercise / Riparian Buffers - investigate / Wetland Ecology Dilemmas

Wetland Poem Project / Wetland or Frog Song activity / Digital Science Journal / Environmental Issue Video Project

Bats are our Buddies / Bats at the Beach Activity / Citizen Science Projects - collect some data

Water & Watershed Studies / Make a schematic representation

Pennsylvania HS Envirothon / Firefly Watch - fun project / Monitor Wetland / Wildflowers info

Bluebirds Project | Plants and People | Fields, Meadows, and Fence rows EcoStudy Unit