We know our members could use some cool STEM projects to do with their patrons and students as we get toward the end of this tough semester. We are celebrating the fun of doing citizen science, and enjoying all sorts of STEM projects from the website SciStarter: Science We Can Do Together.
Check out this very fun, very easy program to track plants: Budburst!
Check out all the material from SciStarter: (And there is more on their website!)
| Presented By | Chicago Botanic Garden |
|---|---|
| Goal | Help scientists by observing seasonal changes in plants. |
| Task | Observe a plant just once, or over time, and submit your data! |
| Where | View map… |
| Description | Add your plant phenology observations to Budburst’s ten years of data! Contribute to help understand how plants and ecosystems respond to environmental change. Budburst (formerly Project BudBurst) is a national network of citizen scientists monitoring plants as the seasons change. Instructional materials are available to support implementation in a variety of educational settings. Join “Nativars” – a three-year research project that aims to answer the question: Are pollinators more attracted to native plants or to nativars (cultivars of the original native plant)? Three partner locations across the country! Plant your research garden and observe pollinator visits and plant phenology. |
| How-To Video | Check out the how-to video |
|---|---|
| Total expense | 0.00 |
| Ideal Age Group | Elementary school (6 – 10 years), Families, High school (14 – 17 years), Middle school (11 – 13 years), Graduate students, Adults, Seniors, College, |
| Spend the time | Outdoors |
| Ideal Frequency | Per month |
| Average Time | Fifteen minutes |
| Type of Activity | At home, On a walk, run, In snow or rain, At a science center, zoo or aquarium, At school, On a hike, |
Once you get started on this, how can you bring it into your library work? We have a few ideas to help you get started:
- Bring out your books on plants and flowers for a display
- Let patrons explore online repositories of plants, plant libraries, etc
- Give patrons colored pencils, or online tools, and let them sketch out plants and flowers they have seen. Or encourage them to “design” their own plants and flowers.
- Listen to our podcast episodes about Library Gardens: 801 and 108. What kind of garden can you do in your library? Start some growing today!
- Talk about the lifecycle of a plant, and the different kinds of plants and flowers that people might have in their yards or elsewhere.