Join us for citizen science month!
Citizen science month is a celebration of science that encourage all humans, neighbors and community members to participate in the scientific process. Check out these initiatives that allow you to participate in various science activities. Some of these activities will increase your knowledge, others will report your findings to scientists who analyse the data and others will allow you to help analyse and use the data. There are many types of science and scientists; you can find a project that inspires you. You do not have to be a US citizen to participate in citizen science month, nor do you have to share your information on any website unless you to choose to do so; pick projects that are fun for you! All patrons are welcome to borrow library kits, and if you need help navigating any of these options, please ask for assistance at the Help Desk. Check out these many options to get involved in community science and engineering projects.
Play games online
- Learn about the social, environmental and economic impacts of climate change as a climate refugee in the The Climate Trail
- Explore aspects of our natural world and the many roles humans play in in an Earthgames
- Fold proteins for COVID-19 research FoldIt
- Classify coral reefs for NASA with NASA NeMO-Net on iOS or Windows
- Snap photos of flora an fauna and upload them on Questagame
- Help researchers understand the relationships of staffs and Alzheimer’s with Stall Catchers
Contribute to science and engineering projects
Check out these repositories of community science opportunities: Anecdata.org, EPA Citizen Science, NASA’s Citizen Science Projects, SciStarter, USGS.gov and Zooniverse. Here are some of their projects:
- Add to a map of water pipes with Crowd the Tap
- EPA Smoke Sense
- Add to an international database of environmental observations on clouds GLOBE Observer: Clouds
- Add to an international database of environmental observations on misquitos GLOBE Observer: Mosquito Habitat Mapper
- Add to an international database of environmental observations on trees GLOBE Observer: Trees
- Add to an international database of environmental observations on light pollution Globe at Night
- Note climate observations and more with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute – Ecosystem Investigation Network
- Add to a global catalog of biodiversity sittings with iNaturalist and Seek
- Monitoring Water Quality
- Map for humanity and disaster relief at Missing Maps and MapSwipe
- Make noise pollution measurements NASA Silent Earth Project
Check out some kits
- Check your radon levels
- Go geocaching!
- Use the microscope to examine some biology slides
- Explore under the water with our Seascope
- Discover electronics with Sparkle Electronics
- Go digging with some rock and mineral kits or explore fossils without the mining
- Start birding with birding cards
- Explore our life building blocks with Happy Atoms
- Play the Periodic Table or Genotypes
- Observe pollinators
- Launch a rocket
- Check out our air quality
- Go on a guided walk
- See farther with a telescope or binoculars
- Head out to help invertebrates cross the road with Maine’s Big Night kit
- Take a STEAM challenge card
- Explore electricity with snap circuits
- Start building with cardboard with a Makedo Set, a building set, or kiva planks.
- Check out anatomy and physiology cards
- Check out our microworld with a digital microscope
- Build a solar light
- Play with gyroscopes
- Learn to code with Scratch Cards
- Light up a bike helmet with adafruit
- Understand nuances of magnetism
- Mechanical engineer with electronic motors catalyst
Join us at local events
At Curtis Memorial Library we have hosted citizen science kits for a number of years. Yet, we have long wanted to extend our offerings to be more locally focused, and collaborate with other good entities in the area, to bring access to real, useful scientific activities to our patrons. This year we won a small grant from the LENE Network to collaborate with Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust educators and create science kits, which we will include in our Library of Things.
Join us for hands-on science events on April 27, April 30, May 14 and May 28. Register to join!
Contribute to STEAM kits focused on Local Climate Solutions
Even if you can’t make these events, anyone who wants to help create lendable STEAM kits is welcome! All labor for the creation of these kits has been volunteered in-kind by numerous locals including Maine Master Naturalists, Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust educators and more. We hope to publish a draft of these kits later this Spring, and welcome community additions. You’ll be able to link to your favorite science projects, suggest further kit additions, or copy these kits for other libraries. If you have any interest in participating please join us! Email hazel@curtislibrary.com to get invited to all the fun, or stay tuned on our library newsletter.
