Citizen Science Lesson Plan

9 November 2014
Subject: Science
Grade: Second
Lesson Title: Watch the Wild
Big Ideas:

Nature has many wild aspects (wild weather, wild animals, etc.)
Have students identify the wild in their community (at home and at school)
Have students with assistance of instructor fill our reports on the Watch the Wild
Site.
Goals/Objectives:
Content Objectives: Students will be able to identify the changes in nature from summer
to fall. They will be able to discuss the differences that they see on our nature walk and
talk about the difference in temperature.
Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs):
E.ES.01.21 Compare daily changes in the weather related to temperature (cold, hot, warm, cool);
cloud cover (cloudy, partly cloudy, foggy); precipitation (rain, snow, hail, freezing rain); wind
(breezy, windy, calm).
E.ES.01.22 Describe and compare weather related to the four seasons in terms of temperature,
cloud cover, precipitation, and wind.
S.IP.00.11 Make purposeful observation of the natural world using the appropriate senses.
ISTE-T Standards:
A. Use technology resources to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate
findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning.
Materials:
-A computer
-Notebooks
-Pencils
Time and Activity
Introduction (5-7 Minutes)

Content

What the Instructor will be doing

Discuss with the students what the wild

means to them.

Activity 1
(20 Minutes)

-Have the students line up.

-Go outside in a line to a nearby
wooded/nature area (forest, field, even in a
neighborhood!)
-Have students bring their pencils and a
notebook (nature book)
-Have them write down in their Nature book
what they see and observe

-Ask questions such as:

What animals do you think are part of the
wild in Michigan?
What animals do you think are part of the
wild in Florida?
Why do you think theyre different?
What else can be considered wild other than
an animal?
-Ask the students what they have noticed is
different.
-What do you notice?
-What do you think is wild?
(This is a continuing lesson so after the first
one (summer) the second one you can have
students say what they have noticed has
changed in the wild (fall))

Transition (1 minute)

Activity 2
(10 Minutes)

Transition
(1 minute)
Activity 3 (Closing)
(10 minutes)

Gather around toward the end of the nature

walk and have the students share one thing
that they observed and why they classified it
as being part of the wild.
-Have student review their book with a
partner.
-Have the students observe some similarities
and some differences amongst what they
observed.
-Have the students with their partner pick one
observation or difference they noticed.
-As students complete their observations with
their partner have them come up to the Watch
the Wild site.
-After all of the students have come up show
the students their compilation of what they
observed and the difference that they made in
their community (even if it is a small one).
Note that this is an ongoing activity and to
always keep their nature book close by for
whenever they observe a change in the wild
or something interesting in the wild.
-Share with the students that at the end of the
year there will be a reward for the three top
citizen science Watch the Wild observations!

-Make sure each student is paying attention to

the others description. Direct conversation.

-Walk around to make sure the students

understand the directions.

-Talk with the partners about how they can

improve/revise their answers and guide them
on how to enter it on the website

Safety Plan for Outdoor Activity:

We will be touring the wooded area directly behind the school (or local neighborhood/field)
(about a 30 second walk to the school). I will inform both the Principal and another nearby
teacher that we will only be gone for approximately 20-25 minutes and to make sure we make it
back safely. I will have my cell phone with me as well as the first aid kit in case something was
to happen.
*This activity is handicap accessible. The woods have a very flat mobile path that we will be
able to use.