Teaching Sequence

Work through this resource material in the following sequence:

15 minutes – Part A: Introduction to ClimateWatch
20 minutes – Part B: Creating a Local Species Map
40 minutes – Part C: Creating Field Guides
5 minutes – Reflection

Note: The following lesson guides students to plan a fieldwork excursion to a local green space to use the ClimateWatch app to record species data. If you can, organise so that students can really go on their planned fieldwork excursion! Part C of the Using Citizen Science to Explore your Schoolyard lesson can be used to run a fieldwork excursion where students collect data using the ClimateWatch app. If a fieldwork excursion is not an option, the fieldwork excursion planning part of this lesson could be run as a hypothetical or students could be invited to collect species data on their way to and from school.

Part A: Introduction to ClimateWatch

The following lesson uses data from the Earthwatch Institute's citizen science program, ClimateWatch. Students will be introduced to the ideas of citizen science and phenology so that they can better understand how both concepts relate to geography.

Step 1.

The following 'Stand on the Line' activity can be used as a barometer to test students' prior knowledge of the topic of citizen science.

Read the following statements to students. Use the additional notes to engage students in further conversation around each point:

I know what climate change is.
Climate change is a change in the pattern of weather, and related changes in oceans, land surfaces and ice sheets, occurring over time scales of decades or longer.
(Source: https://climate.nasa.gov/causes/)
I know what biodiversity is.
Biodiversity is the variety of all living things: the different plants, animals and microorganisms, the genetic information they contain and the ecosystems they form. Biodiversity is usually explored at three levels: genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity. These three levels work together to create the complexity of life on Earth.
(Source: https://australianmuseum.net.au/what-is-biodiversity)
Climate change is already impacting biodiversity.
There is evidence that climate change is affecting the habitats of many species, who must either migrate to new suitable habitats or adapt to the changing conditions (source: NOVA). Warmer ocean temperatures are causing coral bleaching throughout our own Great Barrier Reef (source: Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority), and climate change is believed to be responsible for changes in birds’ migratory patterns (source: Nature World News). In addition, some plants appear to be flowering earlier or changing their distribution, affecting those animal species that rely on those plants for food (e.g. nectar) or shelter.
I know what science is.
Science is an area of study that deals with the natural world. It is knowledge about the natural world that is based on facts learned from observations and experiments.
We can all be scientists.
Although professional scientists typically undertake extensive study and work in the scientific fields, some of the work they do can be replicated by non-scientists, with just a little bit of guidance and instruction. Many of us already ask questions about the world around us, make observations, apply critical thinking and draw conclusions about these observations – all skills required by professional scientists.
I have heard about citizen science.
Citizen science can be described as scientific work that is undertaken by people who don’t have any formal training. This work is usually overseen by professional scientists who devise the work, collaborate with the public and provide guidance.

Step 2.

Explain to students that in this lesson they will be investigating what citizen science is, by examining a program created by Earthwatch Institute called ClimateWatch. Explain to students that ClimateWatch is a citizen science initiative that engages people all across Australia in phenological data collection to help shape the country’s scientific response to climate change. ClimateWatch is a program run by Earthwatch: a global not-for-profit organisation that engages professional and non-professional scientists (citizens) in projects collecting biological data used to help protect and preserve biodiversity.

Explain to the class that phenology is a branch of science concerned with how the climate influences the recurrence and duration of seasonal behaviours of animal and plant life. In other words, phenology is the science of reocurring plant and animal life cycle stages, such as plant budding and bird nesting or migration. These observable stages in the annual life cycle of a plant or animal are called phenophases.

Provide some more background information to Earthwatch's ClimateWatch program by sharing the following clip with students. Encourage students to note anything they find interesting or important in the space provided on the Student Worksheet.

ClimateWatch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFg3PnS70Fs)

Facilitate a class discussion about the clip, using the following questions as a guide:

What is this clip about?
What is the ClimateWatch program about?
What did you see in this clip that you found interesting or important?

Part B: Creating a Local Species Map

Step 1.

Explain to the class that they will now be using data from ClimateWatch to create a map showing local species distribution. These maps will be used to create field guides with tips on which specific features of the local environment may be habitats for selected species. Explain to students that they will need to investigate the species' needs and compare this to the local environment to make informed suggestions about where best to sight these animals.

Now, project the Atlas of Living Australia's Explore Your Area page. Explain to students that the Atlas of Living Australia is a national project that stores biological data (an online data repository of information about Australian plants, animals, and fungi). The Atlas of Living Australia collects data from a range of reliable sources, including ClimateWatch. You will now be showing students how to use the Atlas of Living Australia's Geographical Information System (GIS). Explain to students that GIS technology is used to map layers of geographical information, including phenological data so that it can be better understood by being visually presented.

Step 2.

Inform students that you will be demonstrating how to filter for ClimateWatch species sighting in your local area. There are some notes on this process in the Student Worksheet; however, students should be encouraged to follow along with the demonstration and take notes as needed.

Firstly, if the pin on the Atlas of Living Australia map is not already over where your school is located, click and drag it to your location.
Narrow the search by pressing the drop-down on 'Display records in a' to a '1 km radius'; see screenshot below:

If you find that the range of biodiversity in your local area is limited, you may choose to keep your search at 5km or expand it further.

Explain to the class that they are now looking at a list of all recorded species around the school. Show the class how they are organised on the left of the screen by group and species.
Identify the ClimateWatch-provided data by pressing, then click on the 'map' tab
Click on the button.
In this new map, scroll down to the 'Edit layer option' on the left-hand side and find the 'Facet' dropdown.
Select 'Data provider' from the 'Facets' drop down (fourth from the bottom).
In the filter below the 'Facet' dropdown type 'Climatewatch' and click the box next to the Climatewatch option that appears.
Now press .
Zoom back into your local area and your students will now have an interactive map with all verified ClimateWatch sightings in your area.

Ask students to keep this map open on their computer for later use.

Now, invite students to work in pairs and repeat this process on an internet-enabled device using their annotated notes on the Student Worksheet.

Step 3.

Invite pairs to explore their maps and search for areas of richer biodiversity. Encourage pairs to investigate the species that have been sighted in the area. Students can do this by pressing on individual data points. They will see a summary of the data provided. By pressing on the species' scientific name, a new tab on the plant or animal sighted will open. Students should continue to do this on the data points in their area, leaving these tabs open for later in the lesson.

Extension – For a detailed summary of all recorded species in the area, invite students to select the 'tool' drop-down followed by 'detailed area report (PDF)'. This will take 5–10 minutes to generate but can be used to better understand the biodiversity in their selected area.

Step 4.

Encourage groups to keep their maps and species lists open for the next part of the lesson. They should also press 'save session' on their maps and save the URL somewhere safe.

Step 5.

Now, press the 'Add to Map' drop-down and select 'Layer'. Now, scroll down this list, explaining to the class that these are some of the datasets that could be overlaid on their maps. Point out any features that the class may be familiar with, such as climate, humidity, temperature, and fire. Select a layer and overlay it on your map.

You may need to reduce the opacity of this layer and zoom out so that students can see the overall effect of this layer.

Ask students to Think-Pair-Share about why mapping environmental features (like the ones listed) against species sightings could be useful when making decisions about how to manage biodiversity and the environment.

Think Pair Share
Think pair share is a collaborative learning strategy in which students work together to solve a problem or answer a question.
Think - students independently think about an issue or question and record their thoughts.
Pair - students work in pairs to discuss their ideas and record new thoughts.
Share - students share their thoughts with the whole group or with other pairs to reach consensus.

Bring the class to the understanding that GIS technology can be used to see how certain changes in the environment affect species. Inform the class that the species that ClimateWatch collect data on are known as indicator species. This means that these species are sensitive to certain environmental changes and can be used as a health check for the overall environment. This information can help us make informed decisions about how best to manage our environment and the likely consequences of mismanaging the land.

However, if ClimateWatch is to continue this work they need people in their local environments collecting data. Explain to the class that this where they will be coming in, helping the community to collect reliable data.

Part C: Creating Field Guides

Step 1.

Explain that the students' task is now to create an animal field guide for your local area. The aim of students' field guides will be to educate the local community about where these important animals can be found locally. To do this, students will be investigating the local biome's geographical features, and identifying areas that students believe could provide suitable habitat for these species.

Now, show students this example of a series of ClimateWatch field guide.

You may choose to visit the ClimateWatch species page and select a field guide of a species that you know is in your local area.

Consider defining the boundaries of the area that they can research. For instance, this could be your Local Government Area or a set radius around your school.

Discuss with the class how the information on these field guides would be useful for someone using the ClimateWatch app. Make sure that the class notes how the field guides show the main physical features of the species and when to look for them. The students' challenge today is to make an accompanying quarter page field guide that could be printed on the back of these existing guides to provide information about where this species can be found locally.

Step 2.

Invite students to continue working in their groups to explore the recorded species sightings in their maps by revisiting the species pages they have opened in other tabs. Explain that groups will be selecting a single animal species that they would like to further investigate. Invite students to write their selected species on the Student Worksheet.

Step 3.

Invite students to investigate the area on their map where there have been sightings of their selected species. Advise groups to open Instant Street View (https://www.instantstreetview.com or a similar site) and explore the area where their species has been sighted. Invite students to make some observational notes about the environment in the Student Worksheet. You may need to prompt students with suggestions on what to note, such as vegetation, ground cover, urban development, etc. Challenge groups to discuss any common features across the sites that may be important to their species, for example, tall trees, a healthy shrub layer or large rocks.

This aspect of the lesson could be conducted as a brief field trip to one of the local areas with rich biodiversity.

Step 4.

Now, invite students to research their selected species, looking for what the animal requires from the environment to survive. If students are having trouble starting, you may want to prompt them by asking what the basic needs of any animal are (food, water, and shelter). You may want to start your class off with the example of black flying-foxes (Pteropus alecto), explaining that these bats eat pollen and nectar and require flowering and fruiting plants.

Invite students to list their species' needs in the Student Worksheet. Encourage discussion within groups about whether students noted any of these environmental features when they investigated the sites on Instant Street View.

Step 5.

Invite students to begin individually drafting their field guides in the Student Worksheet. Explain that these field guides should be made for a local audience so that people can easily find areas where they would be most likely to find the selected species. The guides should explain why the species could be found in the area you are suggesting people visit, and can include maps or images. Share the following sample text that could be a part of a field guide on the black flying-fox:

The habitat of black flying-foxes (Pteropus alecto) is tall trees, which they roost in during the day. Visit the the reserve at the end of My Geography Teacher is Awesome Street; there are a number of spotted gum trees likely to be a flying-fox roost.

At night flying-foxes travel long distances to collect nectar and pollen. Visit the park at the end of I Love Geography Avenue where you may find flying-foxes feasting on the flowering melaleucas.

Encourage students to informally seek feedback during this process from their peers as well as yourself. When students are happy with their drafts they can begin their final version on a new page or using a device.

Free online design programs such as Canva are a great option for students' final field guides.

Step 6.

When field guides are complete, either print or collect them up. Invite the class to do a gallery walk, giving feedback on their classmates' species guides.

Step 7.

To finish this lesson, hold a class discussion on how these new field guides could be shared. This could include displaying them in a central place in the school, sharing via school newsletters and social media accounts, or sending them to local councils.

Reflection

Invite students to complete the following reflection questions on the Student Worksheet:

Do you think you would be likely to download the ClimateWatch app and begin collecting data? Why/why not?

Note: The above reflection question can be used as informal feedback on the effectiveness of this lesson to connect with students in your setting. We suggest that you note any trends in student feedback so you can adjust the lesson accordingly for delivery in the future.

How could you continue to improve your species guide to better inform people on how to identify and find your species?
What do you think could be done to convince people your age to engage in citizen science projects like ClimateWatch?

Differentiated Learning

Extension – Connect this activity to other geographical analysis tools you have previously covered, by inviting students to add a new layer to their interactive maps for Part B. To do this simply press 'add to map' and select 'layer'. Now, press the 'add from search' drop-down. From here you can scroll down to add features such as humidity, temperature, rainfall, elevation. Invite students to add these layers to their maps and discuss how these environmental features may affect species in the area.

Provisions for Learning Support – In Part C of the lesson, plan a single field guide for a species voted on by the class. As a class, decide on subheadings for this page; for example, location details, wildlife information and plant species present. Break the class into small groups and allocate each group a subheading. Invite groups to write their contribution to the field guide. Come together as a class and finalise your field guide.

Teacher Reflection

Take this opportunity to reflect on your own teaching:

What did you learn about your teaching today?
What worked well?
What didn't work so well?
What would you share?
Where to next?
How are you going to get there?

Citizen Science - Species Mapping

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