What is Citizen Science for Educators?

A partnership between students and professional scientists to conduct large-scale research.

• Guided by scientists at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, students collect meaningful data according to easy protocols.

• Scientists use that data to understand how bird populations are changing across the continent.
  

An opportunity for teachers to promote scientific inquiry, interdisciplinary learning, and environmental awareness.

Through participation in Citizen Science projects, students

• design and develop their own research projects.

• experience interdisciplinary learning through research, data analysis, artwork, poetry, and more.

• become concerned stewards of the environment, starting at their schools and at their homes.

A way of teaching about the natural world while incorporating teaching standards.

According to the National Science Education Standards:

• Students should engage in extended inquiry
• Teachers should model the skills of scientific inquiry
• "Real" research should occur in the classroom

Click here to see how one Citizen Science curriculum, Classroom FeederWatch, correlates with National Science Education Standards. And Citizen Science projects are easy for classroom teachers to merge with their existing science curricula.   Informal educators also use our Citizen Science projects with a variety of groups.

This web site seeks to provide resources and support for educators wishing to implement citizen science in an educational setting.   If you are not familiar with the Citizen Science program at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, click here for an Introduction to Citizen Science and link to our Citizen Science web site.