Lesson 6 Better Together
Citizen Science: Be Part of the Solution
A common misconception in science is that only highly ____ experts can participate in research and data analysis.
However, with the right opportunity, anyone can become ____ scientist, and yes, that means even you!
Dealing with a vast amount of data can take scientists decades, but with the eyes, ears, and perspectives of citizen scientists, this job can be completed in a few ____ or even just a few months.
Citizen ____ collect, classify, or analyze data so that scientists can use it for research.
By making observations of their surrounding environments or even by playing a simple mobile game, they can help the professional scientific community expand knowledge and speed ____ new discoveries and innovations.
____ Budburst
Most flowers bloom in spring, and ____ leaves change color in autumn.
Due ____ global warming, however, the timing of seasonal cycles is changing.
Scientists have been trying to find out exactly how and where these cycles are ____ as well as how fast the changes are occurring.
The problem is that it is impossible for them to keep track ____ every single plant in the country.
This is where citizen science ____ in.
Project ____ is a program that engages citizens across the nation to observe and record details about nearby plants.
How ____ Works
Project Budburst can be easily accessed anywhere you have an internet ____
To get involved, you first need to go through a simple tutorial that helps you understand what to ____ for when you observe a plant.
____ you choose a particular plant to observe, such as a tree in your backyard or a bush in a neighborhood park.
As ____ conduct your observations, you will fill out a form to record the plant’s location and track its changes throughout the seasons.
____ will record when it grows leaves, flowers, and fruit, and when its leaves change color and fall off in the autumn.
You can submit ____ observation notes on the website or the app.
Benefits ____ Outcomes
Project Budburst ____ beneficial to scientists, educators, and participating individuals.
With the information you provide, scientists and researchers can better understand how plant species respond to climate change at local, national, ____ international levels.
They can compare the data you record with ____ they already have in order to forecast future changes in climates and ecosystems.
The information on the project’s website can ____ used as educational material by educators as well.
By collecting and utilizing real-world data, participants can ____ improve their science literacy and help tackle significant environmental questions.
Moreover, the project is a fun and rewarding outdoor activity for participants of all ____
Review
One of my favorite parts of this project is that I don’t need to be an expert to take ____
I’ve always been fascinated by ____ diverse range of flowers in the local garden.
Thanks to this project, now ____ know them all by name.
Feature Hunter
NASA has ____ than three million photos of Earth taken from space.
These photos can be invaluable to researchers in fields such as ____ environmental science, and urban planning.
However, many of ____ photos are difficult to use because they lack labels for common features like islands, glaciers, volcanoes, and cities.
With such a ____ amount of photographic data, it can be challenging for scientists to search for specific features and analyze them in detail.
In response to ____ challenge, a group of students came up with the Feature Hunter project for NASA.
Participants of this project examine images and label previously uncategorized photos for ____ more comprehensive and searchable database.
How It ____
As a Feature Hunter ____ you will be provided with a collection of images and asked to identify specific features.
You begin by selecting the kind of feature you want to search for, such as islands, volcanoes, ____ cities.
You ____ examine the displayed image and determine whether the feature you are looking for is visible.
If you can see the feature in the image, select ____ Yes option.
This will bring you to a page where you will be asked to ____ the feature’s location by moving and resizing the boxes around it.
If you cannot see the feature, or if it is not ____ click the No or Not Sure option.
____ of these options will contribute to the creation of the best data possible.
Benefits and ____
The data gathered from Feature Hunter plays a crucial role in training and improving machine learning models, which will automatically label ____ photographs with geographical features.
Machine learning requires large sets of training data to produce accurate results, and Feature Hunter users can help develop this ____ data by simply viewing images and identifying features.
The ____ data the citizen scientists label, the higher the accuracy of the machine learning models can be.
Ultimately, this project will ____ the searchability and usefulness of the images for both the scientific community and the general public.
Review
I didn’t realize it was this easy ____ participate in such a big science project.
I made a difference in the ____ and had fun doing it!
It’s amazing that ____ from different countries can work together when they don’t speak the same language.