BudburstLessonPlan: Difference between revisions
(New page: Project Budburst Lesson In this lesson, students will * take part in a citizen science experiment * discuss mass collaboration * make and read a scatter plot ==What is citizen science?==...) |
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Project Budburst Lesson |
'''Project Budburst Lesson''' |
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In this lesson, students will |
In this lesson, students will |
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==What is citizen science?== |
==What is citizen science?== |
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| ⚫ | One of the greatest sources of information in science is not scientists or equipment, but the contribution of volunteer "citizen scientists." One of the most famous examples, an experiment which has been run for more than one hundred years, is the Audobon Christmas Bird Count. People all around the United States will identify and count birds near them, and scientists use these numbers. |
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| ⚫ | Project Budburst is a newer project which has volunteers from around the world report when spring comes to their community, by reporting on flowers and other plants near them. Reports tell when the first leaves, buds, and blooming flowers appear. Scientists can use the data to learn more about the climates in different places and the patterns of seasons over several years. |
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| ⚫ | One of the greatest sources of information in science is not scientists or equipment, but the contribution of volunteer "citizen scientists." One of the most famous examples, an experiment which has been run for more than one hundred years, is the Audobon Bird Count. People all around the United States will identify and count birds near them, and scientists use these numbers. |
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==Collect Data== |
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Project Budburst is a newer project, but it is easier for you to get involved. Scientists can use the data to learn more about the climates in different places and the patterns of seasons over several years. |
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It is easy for your class to get involved. |
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1. Find a garden, courtyard, or park with many types of plants. |
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==Experiment== |
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2. Find plant(s) from Project Budburst's [http://www.windows.ucar.edu/citizen_science/budburst/plantlist.php plant list], or identify a plant near you. |
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3. Describe the site and location, including latitude and longitude - [http://www.windows.ucar.edu/citizen_science/budburst/participate_latlong.php help] |
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Consider a scatter plot with weights of animal brains compared to animal bodies. The trend shows that bigger animals have bigger brains. Humans and dolphins have unusually big brains for their size, which gives us an idea about the intelligence of other animals on this scale. |
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4. Have students observe the plant for its first leaf, flower, and/or fruit in the spring. |
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5. [http://www.windows.ucar.edu/citizen_science/budburst/report.php Report your results] |
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Latitude is the number of degrees north or south of the equator. Longitude is the number of degrees east or west of the Prime Meridian, which was defined to be 0 degrees longitude by [[[[SCIENTISTS]]]]. |
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You may also want your students to: |
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Half of the students in the class should analyze the statement: |
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* Research to identify plants |
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Changes in LATITUDE will be related to the DAY OF BLOOMING. |
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* Take pictures in [[Record]] of the plant before and at its first leaf / flower / fruit |
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** Upload pictures (to Flickr or another site) and link to them in your report comments |
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* Create charts in [[SocialCalc]] |
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* View data from past experiments |
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* Write reports |
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The other half should analyze the statement: |
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Changes in LONGITUDE will be related to the DAY OF BLOOMING. |
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The latitude or longitude should be the x value, and day of blooming should be the y-value. Many answers will be plotted on the scatter chart, and we will try to find conclusions. |
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MAKE A HYPOTHESIS |
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(data to-be-added) |
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ENTER NUMBERS |
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SORT NUMBERS BY X |
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EXPLAIN WHY SORT |
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PLOT |
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REPORT |
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CONCLUSIONS |
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Latest revision as of 13:59, 28 May 2009
Project Budburst Lesson
In this lesson, students will
- take part in a citizen science experiment
- discuss mass collaboration
- make and read a scatter plot
What is citizen science?
One of the greatest sources of information in science is not scientists or equipment, but the contribution of volunteer "citizen scientists." One of the most famous examples, an experiment which has been run for more than one hundred years, is the Audobon Christmas Bird Count. People all around the United States will identify and count birds near them, and scientists use these numbers.
Project Budburst is a newer project which has volunteers from around the world report when spring comes to their community, by reporting on flowers and other plants near them. Reports tell when the first leaves, buds, and blooming flowers appear. Scientists can use the data to learn more about the climates in different places and the patterns of seasons over several years.
Collect Data
It is easy for your class to get involved.
1. Find a garden, courtyard, or park with many types of plants.
2. Find plant(s) from Project Budburst's plant list, or identify a plant near you.
3. Describe the site and location, including latitude and longitude - help
4. Have students observe the plant for its first leaf, flower, and/or fruit in the spring.
You may also want your students to:
- Research to identify plants
- Take pictures in Record of the plant before and at its first leaf / flower / fruit
- Upload pictures (to Flickr or another site) and link to them in your report comments
- Create charts in SocialCalc
- View data from past experiments
- Write reports
Results: Scatter Plots
When you have only a few sets of information, you can put them together to make a line chart. When there are many different data sources, scientists are able to draw conclusions using a scatter plot. This is similar to a line chart without connecting the dots.
The data you are going to put in a scatter plot is taken directly from reports to Project Budburst during 2008. (data to-be-added)