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What is Citizen Science? As we face global challenges, we may want to find local ways to make a difference in protecting endangered species, safeguarding water sources, preventing disease, or accelerating medical research. Science needs more eyes, ears and perspectives than any scientist possesses. Enter citizen science: a collaboration between scientists and those of us who are just curious or concerned and motivated to make a difference. For researchers, citizen science provides expanded opportunities for engaging with the public and vice versa. Citizen science is an invitation to everyone to participate in real science--on topics they care about--typically by following protocols [...]

Note: This blog is Part 2 of a previous post, Make Every Tree Count: Getting Started in Sustainability Programming   Host a Community Tree Walk. Because the destination must be easily accessible for library patrons of all abilities, the site, whether the library’s property, a community park, or someplace further that might require driving, such as a conservation area, should be considered with the patron in mind. Local resources, such as the state extension office or conservation department, can often offer no/low cost facilitators to lead your walk. The program can include information on tree identification by shape, bark and leaf, information about [...]

Trees provide one of the most versatile themes for library programs. Whether your audience is families, adults, children or classrooms/youth groups, “Trees” can provide a foundation for affordable and useful programs for libraries of all sizes -- uniting art and community with citizen science. Now is an ideal time to plan “tree-themed” programming for 2020. Not only is April 2020 Citizen Science Month, it’s also the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and NASA GLOBE Observer is planning an international Trees Challenge (see below) in honor of the 25th anniversary of the GLOBE Program. In January 2019, the American Library Association adopted [...]

by Quyen Hart, Space Telescope Science Institute Join NASA's Universe of Learning for an exciting opportunity to use real astronomical data and tools to create your own beautiful images of the iconic starburst galaxy M82. You can capture your own real-time telescope image of M82 using the MicroObservatory robotic telescope network, or you can work with an archived set of NASA data files of M82, taken with 4 multi-wavelength space telescope missions: Hubble, Chandra, Spitzer, and GALEX. The challenges include instructions on how to turn those data into beautiful composite images with a simple version of an image processing tool used by professional astronomers.  Submit your astrophoto [...]

A conversation about superpowers during a STEAM Engines (Skokie Library's K-2 science club) program on the science of flight culminated in a split vote. Me: flight - I mean COME ON - vs. the kids: invisibility, which naturally meant that our next program would have to be about being invisible. It’s a real bonus when the kids are excited about the subject matter, and to be fair, I was too. As much as I would prefer flying, I have to admit that the ability to scoot around unnoticed would be very cool. I started the program with a picture of floating [...]

Computer Science Education Week is an annual program started in 2009 to raise awareness about the growing prevalence of computing in all careers and to underscore the importance of computer science education for people of all ages. It is held every year in December (9th-15th this year) in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper (December 9, 1906). Libraries, schools, and afterschool programs around the world participate by holding Hour of Code Events, with 29,327 registered events happening in the United States alone! The STAR Net team hosted an “Exploring Space” workshop at the Boulder Computer Science Education Week at Boulder Public Library on Tuesday, [...]

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing, Be the Scientist, a STEAM program for grades 3-5, explored the lunar surface this month. This program series generally has a short slide presentation to introduce the topic and the hands on challenge. Additionally, this month we were able to feature a lunar sample disk from NASA Johnson Space Center. Here’s what we did. The program was based off of this Explore the Moon activity from NASA. We began with a slide presentation that asked participants to share what they knew about the moon (Earth’s moon, to be precise) and we [...]