Super Troop | One STEM Activity | Citizen Scientist

Super Troop

Super Troop Highlight

Four Badges or Other Earned Awards One STEM Activity

Learn to Be a Citizen Scientist

Help Girls Earn the Think Like a Citizen Scientist Journey

“Science needs more eyes, ears and perspectives than any one scientist possesses. Enter citizen science: a collaboration between scientists and those of us who are just curious or concerned and motivated to make a difference. People just like you are collecting data by taking photos of clouds or streams, documenting changes in nature, using smartphone sensors to help scientists monitor water and air quality, or playing games to help advance health and medical research.

Here are four common features of citizen science practice:

a. Anyone can participate.

b. Participants use the same protocol so data can be combined and be high quality.

c. Data can help real scientists come to real conclusions.

d. A wide community of scientists and volunteers work together and share data to which the public, as well as scientists, have access.

The elds that citizen science advances are diverse: ecology, astronomy, medicine, computer science, statistics, psychology, genetics, engineering and many more. Community science, amateur science, crowdsourced science, volunteer monitoring, and public participation in scienti c research are also common aliases for citizen science.”

Take a Girl Scout Virtual Field Trip

Enjoy this awesome virtual eld trip from SciStarter featuring Texas Girl Scouts and our former national CEO, Sylvia Acevedo! (25 minutes)

Scan the QR code to go on the virtual eld trip.

The eld trip features these SciStarter project examples, perfect for Girl Scouts; watch these videos with your girls to get them excited about the possibilities.

Stream Sel e

NASA Globe Observer (GO) Clouds

The Think Like a Citizen Scientist Journey is for all program grade levels.

ZomBee Watch

Daisy Cadette

Brownie Senior

Junior Ambassador

Think Like a Citizen Scientist

Did you know that you can help scientists with their scienti c research from your troop meeting space?

Scientists collect a lot of information, and you can help them with a Citizen Science Journey. Through this journey, girls learn about the scienti c method, help a scientist conduct research by getting outside, and complete a Take Action project.

Girls can earn the two awards for the journey in three easy steps. Girl Scouts has partnered with SciStarter to provide you with a number of amazing Citizen Science projects. All the details for these badges can be found on the Volunteer Toolkit (VTK).

Step 1:

Learn about the scienti c method

Girls will learn about the scienti c method through fun activities. As girls move through the levels, they learn more parts of the scienti c method. Daisies learn about observation and collecting data, Brownies add to it by analyzing their data, and Ambassadors put all the parts of the scienti c method together to complete their Citizen Science project.

Step 2: Choose and complete a Citizen Science project through SciStarter.

Your girls will choose a project from https://scistarter.com/girlscouts/info. They will use their knowledge of the scienti c method to complete the project, collect their data, and share it with the scientists through SciStarter.

Step 3: Choose, plan, and complete a Take Action project related to Citizen Science.

To complete your Journey, you must complete a Take Action project. A Take Action project is one that helps and affects your community, while leaving a lasting effect, even after the project is nished. To complete a Take Action project girls must: identify a problem in their community, come up with a sustainable solution, develop a team plan, put the plan into action, and re ect on what they have learned.

Did your girls enjoy taking part in a citizen science project? Many scientists and organizations are asking for help with their research. Check them out!