Citizen Science - A Community of Citizen Scientists

Australian curriculum content descriptions:

Year 7 Science:

• Science knowledge can develop through collaboration across the disciplines of science and the contributions of people from a range of cultures (ACSHE223)
• Communicate ideas, findings and evidence based solutions to problems using scientific language, and representations, using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS133)

Year 8 Science:

• Science knowledge can develop through collaboration across the disciplines of science and the contributions of people from a range of cultures (ACSHE226)
• Communicate ideas, findings and evidence based solutions to problems using scientific language, and representations, using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS148)

Syllabus outcomes: SC4-9WS, SC4-17CW.

General capabilities: Critical and creative thinking.

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability OI.6, OI.7, OI.8, OI.9.

Relevant parts of Year 7 Science achievement standards: Students describe situations where scientific knowledge from different science disciplines and diverse cultures has been used to solve a real-world problem. Students will communicate their ideas, methods and findings using scientific language and appropriate representations. 

Relevant parts of Year 8 Science achievement standards: Students describe situations in which scientists collaborated to generate solutions to contemporary problems. Students use appropriate language and representations to communicate science ideas and findings in a range of text types.

Unit of work: ClimateWatch: Citizen Science – Science – Years 7 & 8.

Time needed: 150+ mins (plus time for students to complete action projects).

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee discussion, lead students in activities.

• Student Worksheet – 1 copy per student
• 1 copy of the Social Action Question
• Enough copies of the Social Action Quotes sheet for each group of 3-4 students to get 1 quote each
• 1 printed copy of Project Planning Tool for each group
• Project Checklist
• Butcher’s paper and marker pens
• Online stopwatch

This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:

• Collaboration
• Communication
• Community Engagement
• Creativity
• Critical thinking
• Global Citizenship

This lesson has been developed in partnership with Earthwatch. Earthwatch developed the ClimateWatch program with the Bureau of Meteorology and The University of Melbourne to understand how changes in temperature and rainfall are affecting the seasonal behaviour of Australia’s plants and animals.