Technology, Robotics, & Monitoring
Table of Contents
Educational Apps
International
Duolingo This is a free app designed to get students excited about learning new languages. It offers a growing variety of languages from English or other languages including French, German, and Spanish. Most languages are available through English, but some are some are only available through others. For example Catalan can be learned through Spanish (in other words you need to understand some Spanish before clicking "I speak Spanish" to access the Catalan lessons). Paid version is optional. Accounts available for teachers.
iNaturalist "Every observation can contribute to biodiversity science, from the rarest butterfly to the most common backyard weed. We share your findings with scientific data repositories like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to help scientists find and use your data. All you have to do is observe."
North America
NestWatch: All About Birdhouses "For many species of birds, there is a shortage of great places to nest. There may be birds that would love to call your habitat home, but they have a specific nesting requirement which needs to be met. Birdhouses can be placed in backyards, schoolyards, parks, orchards, farms, pastures, cemeteries, woodlots, deserts, cities...you name it. Support more nesting birds, and give a bird a home. Use these resources to become the ultimate nest box landlord; find out what features make a birdhouse ideal, which species you can attract to your area, and how to troubleshoot any problems that arise."
NestWatch: Common Nesting Birds "accepts data on all North American breeding birds. However, you are likely to encounter many of these species nesting in your backyards, neighborhoods, and parks. We are seeking nesting data on these species in particular because they are common, widely-distributed, convenient to monitor, and tolerant of nest checking. If you find a nest, use the filters to help discover what species could have made it. Or, click on a bird to learn more about its nesting habits."
USA
NestWatch: All About Birdhouses "For many species of birds, there is a shortage of great places to nest. There may be birds that would love to call your habitat home, but they have a specific nesting requirement which needs to be met. Birdhouses can be placed in backyards, schoolyards, parks, orchards, farms, pastures, cemeteries, woodlots, deserts, cities...you name it. Support more nesting birds, and give a bird a home. Use these resources to become the ultimate nest box landlord; find out what features make a birdhouse ideal, which species you can attract to your area, and how to troubleshoot any problems that arise."
NestWatch: Common Nesting Birds "accepts data on all North American breeding birds. However, you are likely to encounter many of these species nesting in your backyards, neighborhoods, and parks. We are seeking nesting data on these species in particular because they are common, widely-distributed, convenient to monitor, and tolerant of nest checking. If you find a nest, use the filters to help discover what species could have made it. Or, click on a bird to learn more about its nesting habits."
Africa
iLearnabout "aims to bring interactive e-learning and resources on core conservation topics to Sub-Saharan Africa. Each iLearnabout topic explores global issues aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, through digital learning and local investigations. Each module is freely available online and downloadable for offline use on mobile phones, tablets, computers and projectors and are designed to be taught as extra-curricular lessons outside of school hours in after school clubs. Children then choose and carry out local projects linked to the topic, developing knowledge, values and competencies to become actors for change."
Energy Production
Marine Renewable Energy Educational Resources "Using clean, low-carbon energy sources is more important now than ever. As we combat climate change, marine renewable energy (MRE) has the potential to play an important role. However, we need to understand the impact tidal, wave, and ocean thermal energy devices may have on the environment in order to deploy MRE devices in a responsible manner.
OES-Environmental has compiled educational resources to increase awareness and understanding of MRE and associated environmental effects as well as support the future workforce. The materials and resources on this page can be used by students of all ages and educational backgrounds. Educators, schools, aquariums and zoos, science camps, etc. may also want to use this page for fun, educational content or to develop a classroom curriculum on environmental effects of MRE."
Games
Terra Nil This is a video game which is currently free if if you have a Netflix account, or available from Steam for around $20 (USD). The player starts out with a dead wasteland and uses technology to start revitalizing the environment. After basic ecosystems have been started and clean water is available, the gamer can then scan for wildlife and adjust biomes to make them appropriate for keystone species to return. For anyone who enjoys games like Civilization or City Skylines, this has a very similar feel, minus the wars and traffic congestion. Students will learn about everything from humidify and soil toxicity to the environmental requirements of specific species including sharks, penguins, bears, beavers, dragon flies and more. The final stages of each level include the use of drones and recycling facilities to retrieve all the technology for use in the next biome!
Kits & Lesson Plans
Classroom Activities: Teach "Bring the wonder of space to your students. Explore our universe of science, technology, engineering and math activities and resources." Filter by types, subjects, grades, and topics - Jet Propulsion Labratory, California Institute of Technology, NASA
Energy
Fuel-Cell-Powered Toy Car Requires a volunteer engineer and fuel cell kit. Could be paired with a kit from the Fuel Cell Store "Education, Research, and Fun since 1999" This company offers STEM kits for educators.
Hydrogen Production & Energy Storage Kit (In Progress!) This isn't available yet, but here’s a YouTube video of how it works, and there is a Go Fund Me page if you want to help make it a reality. This link is included partly to help remind us to check back on it's availability later, but the video also shows much more expensive versions, reminding everyone that these are available, just usually many times more expensive, heavier, and they may only come with other languages which could be a barrier to teaching/learning with the devices.
Marine Renewable Energy Educational Resources "Using clean, low-carbon energy sources is more important now than ever. As we combat climate change, marine renewable energy (MRE) has the potential to play an important role. However, we need to understand the impact tidal, wave, and ocean thermal energy devices may have on the environment in order to deploy MRE devices in a responsible manner.
OES-Environmental has compiled educational resources to increase awareness and understanding of MRE and associated environmental effects as well as support the future workforce.
The materials and resources on this page can be used by students of all ages and educational backgrounds. Educators, schools, aquariums and zoos, science camps, etc. may also want to use this page for fun, educational content or to develop a classroom curriculum on environmental effects of MRE."
Water Monitoring
Leaf Pack Network Manual this includes safety guides, data sheets, and more in both English and Spanish.
Leaf Pack Stream Ecology Kit "Discover the value of macroinvertebrates as living indicators of water quality. A totally reusable and flexible tool that can be adapted for varying time limits, number of students, and grade levels. Includes a comprehensive instructor’s manual and all the apparatus needed for collecting, sorting, and identifying aquatic insects. A set of full-color flashcards is also supplied. Developed by LaMotte Company in cooperation with Stroud Water Research Center. View on the LaMotte Company website."
Macroinvertebrate and Mudsnails "Exploring a local stream gives students the opportunity to determine its relative health, physical attributes and plant/animal populations. During the investigation students collect and classify aquatic insects and learn how they are adapted to stream life." Packet included printable dichotomous key and hand outs, including a "Candy Key" so kid can classify candy instead of creatures if you can't go outside.
Rock Pack Experiment "The Rock Pack experiment combines STEM topics of engineering, ecology, geomorphology, and mathematics in stream ecosystems through the world of the net-spinning caddisfly. Interactive and hands-on activities can be used indoors or outdoors in a 7th-12th grade lesson plan to get students excited about insects and rocks in streams and to learn interdisciplinary science skills and real-world science research applications."
Water Rangers "Our easy-to-use water quality testkits and open data platform help anyone collect water quality data for fresh and ocean water. So far, thousands of volunteers in over 20 countries have joined the movement. Ready to dive in?"
Wildlife Monitoring
The Cornell Lab: Free eBird Lessons "Download your free eBird lessons to get a taste of the birding world! The stand alone, comprehensive downloads allows educators an opportunity to explore the new K-12 curriculum suite, eBird Explorers. The complete curriculum provides educators with fun, hands-on lessons that connect kids to nature through the world of birds. Each grade-band offers youth the opportunity to make careful observations, collect and explore data and patterns, and build STEM practices, all with standards aligned science content. Entire kits with lessons and supplies are available through our partners at NASCO!"
Leaf Pack Network Manual this includes safety guides, data sheets, and more in both English and Spanish.
Leaf Pack Stream Ecology Kit "Discover the value of macroinvertebrates as living indicators of water quality. A totally reusable and flexible tool that can be adapted for varying time limits, number of students, and grade levels. Includes a comprehensive instructor’s manual and all the apparatus needed for collecting, sorting, and identifying aquatic insects. A set of full-color flashcards is also supplied. Developed by LaMotte Company in cooperation with Stroud Water Research Center. View on the LaMotte Company website."
Macroinvertebrate and Mudsnails "Exploring a local stream gives students the opportunity to determine its relative health, physical attributes and plant/animal populations. During the investigation students collect and classify aquatic insects and learn how they are adapted to stream life." Packet included printable dichotomous key and hand outs, including a "Candy Key" so kid can classify candy instead of creatures if you can't go outside.
Madison Audubon: Lesson Kits "Get your students excited about learning with real, hands on activities! Our education activity kits include lessons on scat, tracks, birding, and more! Our lesson and activity kits have everything you need for each interactive learning experience. Kits are FREE to borrow, and we generally lend them out for a week at a time.
If you would like to borrow a kit, just download our request form below and contact us"Nest Watch Lesson Plans "Students Discover, a project of yourwildlife.org, has launched an ambitious initiative to recruit 10,000 teachers worldwide to participate in a five-year citizen-science initiative. Students Discover is bringing teachers and their students together to do original scientific research and make their own discoveries. But they need your help.
If you are a teacher, check out their new NestWatch course packet. The free digital packet contains three science lessons about nesting birds, all aligned to Next Generation Science Standards. The lessons encourage authentic discovery through citizen-science participation in NestWatch.
Share this link with any teachers you know and, together, let’s introduce more kids to NestWatch. These resources are designed to help you and your students learn about nesting birds, so no prior knowledge or experience is necessary. Get your free course packet now."Rock Pack Experiment "The Rock Pack experiment combines STEM topics of engineering, ecology, geomorphology, and mathematics in stream ecosystems through the world of the net-spinning caddisfly. Interactive and hands-on activities can be used indoors or outdoors in a 7th-12th grade lesson plan to get students excited about insects and rocks in streams and to learn interdisciplinary science skills and real-world science research applications."
Monitoring Wildlife & Nature
Many species are going extinct at an increasing rate throughout our planet, but by learning which species are native or invasive, we can help the species who are struggling. Similarly, by identifying invasive species we can report sighting or even find solutions so that they can't continue to harm our fragile ecosystems.
Citizen Science
BioBlitz
These are generally one-day events, though they may last for only a short period such as an hour or over several days. They are a great way to get adults and children both out in nature and involved with science.
Light & Light Pollution
Dark Skies Rangers "This program educates students on how to identify inefficient lighting, provides alternatives and tools that reduce consumption, keeps energy costs in check, and helps communities regain and safeguard a precious resource - a dark nighttime sky." The Dark Skies & Energy Education Program (PDF) explains more about this educational opportunity.
Marine Monitoring
North America
Deepwater Horizon Project Tracker "provides an easy and comprehensive way to track restoration, research, and recovery projects resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill."
USA
Sea Grant Florida: Promoting Ocean and Coastal Literacy At Every Age "Through hands-on, virtual and citizen science activities, Florida Sea Grant educators provide timely science-based information to audiences so that they better understand how their decisions affect coastal environments."
Water Monitoring
There are a few ways to monitor our water resources. You can use a rain gauge to track precipitation (just remember to empty it out and clean it once in a while), use chemistry tests to check for pollution and pH, or dip net to discover what species live in your local bodies of water then learn what the presence of these species can tell us about pollution levels.
Kits
Leaf Pack Stream Ecology Kit "Discover the value of macroinvertebrates as living indicators of water quality. A totally reusable and flexible tool that can be adapted for varying time limits, number of students, and grade levels. Includes a comprehensive instructor’s manual and all the apparatus needed for collecting, sorting, and identifying aquatic insects. A set of full-color flashcards is also supplied. Developed by LaMotte Company in cooperation with Stroud Water Research Center. View on the LaMotte Company website."
Water Rangers "Our easy-to-use water quality testkits and open data platform help anyone collect water quality data for fresh and ocean water. So far, thousands of volunteers in over 20 countries have joined the movement. Ready to dive in?"
Simulators
Leaf Pack Network Simulator: Virtual Stream Study "Review and analyze the results from all the tabs (habitat observations, macroinvertebrate PTI rating, and chemistry tests) to develop your own overall stream health rating. Are all of the results the same (Poor, Fair, Good, or Excellent)? “Average” all of the results to develop an overall health rating for the stream you selected."
Frost Valley Education: Pond Exploration 6:47 minute video
This video shows a dichotomous key for species in the USA, which may be more or less useless in other countries. If you can't find one locally or on this page, then check in with your local wildlife organizations, or try to find a book with pictures to identify your local wildlife. A small identification book for your local wildlife should work fine, it just takes a little longer than a one-page key.
Lesson Plans
Leaf Pack Network Manual this includes safety guides, data sheets, and more in both English and Spanish.
Macroinvertebrate and Mudsnails "Exploring a local stream gives students the opportunity to determine its relative health, physical attributes and plant/animal populations. During the investigation students collect and classify aquatic insects and learn how they are adapted to stream life." Packet included printable dichotomous key and hand outs, including a "Candy Key" so kid can classify candy instead of creatures if you can't go outside.
Rock Pack Experiment "The Rock Pack experiment combines STEM topics of engineering, ecology, geomorphology, and mathematics in stream ecosystems through the world of the net-spinning caddisfly. Interactive and hands-on activities can be used indoors or outdoors in a 7th-12th grade lesson plan to get students excited about insects and rocks in streams and to learn interdisciplinary science skills and real-world science research applications."
U.S. National Park Services: Using Dichotomous Keys (Lesson Plan) "A dichotomous key is an important scientific tool, used to identify different organisms, based the organism’s observable traits. Dichotomous keys consist of a series of statements with two choices in each step that will lead users to the correct identification."
Dichotomous Keys
Identification Guide to Freshwater Macroinvertebrates (PDF) this guide includes colour coding to help show the pollution tolerance of each species.
Water Quality Indicator Groups (North American)
Wildlife Camera Traps
Camera traps can be a great way to help kids learn about nocturnal life, urban wildlife, and generally what kinds of animals live in their community. Kids will start to see the animals as part of the community, and may enjoy projects that help animals survive such as creating shelter, water sources, food sources. To take things a step further, you may want to use these as an opportunity to engage in citizen science. Some organizations have camera traps and need people to sift through the footage to find endangered animals, or you may be able to report the species caught on your own traps to support conservationists and animal-friendly policies.
Resources & Guides
Camera Tutorial 4:13 minute video from the Urban Wildlife Information Network (UWIN)
Conservation Technology: Camera-Trapping (PDF) "Camera-trapping for conservation: a guide to best-practices"
YaleEnvironment360 Camera Traps Emerge as Key Tool in Wildlife Research
Wildlife Monitoring Apps
We have a growing list of citizen science projects including monitoring apps and camera trap programs on our Citizen Science page.
Search the international options, as well as by continent or see if there are options specific to your country.
Organizations
International
Dark Skies Rangers "This program educates students on how to identify inefficient lighting, provides alternatives and tools that reduce consumption, keeps energy costs in check, and helps communities regain and safeguard a precious resource - a dark nighttime sky."
Water Rangers "Our easy-to-use water quality test kits and open data platform help anyone collect water quality data for fresh and ocean water. So far, thousands of volunteers in over 20 countries have joined the movement. Ready to dive in?"
North America
eMammal "is a system for collecting, storing, and sharing camera trap data. The system is designed not only for scientists, but also for anyone who wants to join in the fun and discovery of camera trapping through citizen science. Professional and volunteer camera trappers use our software to look at pictures, identify animals, and upload them to the Smithsonian Data Repository for review and storage. These data are useful for addressing important scientific and conservation questions, and the pictures provide a unique view into the hidden world of wildlife."
Oceana
Australia
ACT
Australian National Botanical Gardens: Pond-Dipping learn about "aquatic ecosystems and indicator species"