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Do you have any citizen science programs in which my students can participate?

Absolutely! The USGS has partnerships with several citizen science programs that are appropriate for classroom projects, for individual students, or for anyone who wants a fun and rewarding activity. See the Citizen Science page on our USGS Education website.

Related Content

link
Image: Earth Science Day outreach in Rapid City, SD, 2014

Does the USGS do classroom presentations?

The USGS has offices in every state, but education is not part of our mission and we do not have employees who go into the classroom as part of their job. Some employees, however, are willing to do so on their own time. If there is a USGS office in your town, you can try contacting them to ask about a speaker or presenter.

link

Does the USGS do classroom presentations?

The USGS has offices in every state, but education is not part of our mission and we do not have employees who go into the classroom as part of their job. Some employees, however, are willing to do so on their own time. If there is a USGS office in your town, you can try contacting them to ask about a speaker or presenter.

Learn More
link
Image: Science Teachers Explore Mount Rainier

Does the USGS give teacher workshops?

The USGS does not have a formal program for teacher workshops, but USGS scientists sometimes participate in teacher workshops that are organized by universities or other education groups. Our USGS Education website lists both resources for use in the classroom and easily-understood resources that teachers can use to educate themselves.

link

Does the USGS give teacher workshops?

The USGS does not have a formal program for teacher workshops, but USGS scientists sometimes participate in teacher workshops that are organized by universities or other education groups. Our USGS Education website lists both resources for use in the classroom and easily-understood resources that teachers can use to educate themselves.

Learn More
link
Image: Outreach at Geology Camp 2008

Do you have lesson plans or activities for the classroom?

The USGS Education website is your gateway to classroom resources. Explore links to lesson plans, activities, educational videos, online lectures, posters, non-technical publications, and images for kindergarten through college. This site is an excellent resource for teachers, students, and anyone interested in learning. Our resources are organized by grade level and topic.

link

Do you have lesson plans or activities for the classroom?

The USGS Education website is your gateway to classroom resources. Explore links to lesson plans, activities, educational videos, online lectures, posters, non-technical publications, and images for kindergarten through college. This site is an excellent resource for teachers, students, and anyone interested in learning. Our resources are organized by grade level and topic.

Learn More
link
A USGS scientist leads field trip

Does the USGS offer field trips or classes?

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) does not have a formal program for providing field trips or classes. USGS employees will sometimes lead field trips or teach classes that are organized by outside organizations, but those are not advertised by the USGS. The USGS has published numerous field-trip guides to geologic areas. Use our online Publications Warehouse to search for "field trip" or...

link

Does the USGS offer field trips or classes?

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) does not have a formal program for providing field trips or classes. USGS employees will sometimes lead field trips or teach classes that are organized by outside organizations, but those are not advertised by the USGS. The USGS has published numerous field-trip guides to geologic areas. Use our online Publications Warehouse to search for "field trip" or...

Learn More
link
Image: Volunteers Monitor Bird and Beach Health

Does the USGS use volunteers to collect data?

Volunteers assist on some USGS projects. In all cases, the volunteers are carefully trained and are supervised by a federal employee while they work. To ensure quality-control, data collected by volunteers are checked by USGS supervisors. Volunteers must abide by the same rules, regulations, policies, and laws as employees.Some USGS volunteer opportunities are advertised at Volunteer.gov. Most of...

link

Does the USGS use volunteers to collect data?

Volunteers assist on some USGS projects. In all cases, the volunteers are carefully trained and are supervised by a federal employee while they work. To ensure quality-control, data collected by volunteers are checked by USGS supervisors. Volunteers must abide by the same rules, regulations, policies, and laws as employees.Some USGS volunteer opportunities are advertised at Volunteer.gov. Most of...

Learn More
link
USGS Nebraska Water Science Center office, Lincoln, Nebr.

How do I contact the USGS?

For general science inquiries, call 1-888-392-8545. You can also use this website to send us a message or to initiate a live Web chat with a USGS Science Information Specialist. For questions on the distribution of federal park passes, maps, books and other science products, or the status of existing orders, call 1-888-275-8747 or visit the USGS Store website. Most of our employees are listed in...

link

How do I contact the USGS?

For general science inquiries, call 1-888-392-8545. You can also use this website to send us a message or to initiate a live Web chat with a USGS Science Information Specialist. For questions on the distribution of federal park passes, maps, books and other science products, or the status of existing orders, call 1-888-275-8747 or visit the USGS Store website. Most of our employees are listed in...

Learn More
link
Volunteer Information Program logo with badges

Can I volunteer with the USGS?

Volunteer.gov is the best starting point for volunteer positions with the USGS and other federal agencies. However, many USGS volunteer positions are not formally announced, so they do not appear on that site. You can contact a local USGS office directly to ask about possible volunteer opportunities. Another way to get involved in USGS science is through one of our Citizen Science programs or...

link

Can I volunteer with the USGS?

Volunteer.gov is the best starting point for volunteer positions with the USGS and other federal agencies. However, many USGS volunteer positions are not formally announced, so they do not appear on that site. You can contact a local USGS office directly to ask about possible volunteer opportunities. Another way to get involved in USGS science is through one of our Citizen Science programs or...

Learn More
link
video thumbnail: USGS Public Lecture Series: Watching Nature's Clock: A Citizen-Scientist Effort to Track Seasonal Signs of Climate Change link
Image: USA-NPN Citizen-Scientist Lucille Tower
link

Community and citizen science on the Elwha River: Past, present, and future

This report reflects on the past, present, and potential future of community and citizen science (CCS) in the Elwha River watershed, with particular focus on the years before and after a major restoration event: the removal of two dams that had impacted the river system for a century. We ask: how does CCS feature in the Elwha story and how could it feature? We use the term CCS to reference the bro
Authors
M. V. Eitzel, Sarah A. Morley, Chelsea Behymer, Ryan Meyer, Anna Kagley, Heidi L. Ballard, Christopher Jadallah, Jeffrey J. Duda, Laurel Jennings, Ian M. Miller, Justin Stapleton, Anne Shaffer, Allyce Miller, Patrick B. Shafroth, Barbara Blackie
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center

Highly specialized recreationists contribute the most to the citizen science project eBird

Contributory citizen science projects (hereafter “contributory projects”) are a powerful tool for avian conservation science. Large-scale projects such as eBird have produced data that have advanced science and contributed to many conservation applications. These projects also provide a means to engage the public in scientific data collection. A common challenge across contributory projects like e
Authors
Connor J. Rosenblatt, Ashley A. Dayer, Jennifer N. Duberstein, Tina B. Phillips, H. W. Harshaw, David C. Fulton, Nicholas Cole, Andrew H. Raedeke, Jonathan D. Rutter, Christopher L. Wood
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units, Fort Collins Science Center

Translational science education through citizen science

Guided by the six elements of Translational Ecology (TE; i.e., decision-framing, collaboration, engagement, commitment, process, and communication), we showcase the first explicit example of a Translational Science Education (TSE) effort in the coastal redwood ecosystem of Humboldt County, CA. Using iNaturalist, a flexible and free citizen science/crowdsourcing app, we worked with students from gr
Authors
Allison M. Young, Elizabeth F. van Mantgem, Alexis Garretson, Christine Noel, Toni Lyn Morelli
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Adaptation Science Centers

Citizen science data collection for integrated wildlife population analyses

Citizen science, or community science, has emerged as a cost-efficient method to collect data for wildlife monitoring. To inform research and conservation, citizen science sampling designs should collect data that match the robust statistical analyses needed to quantify species and population patterns. Further increasing the contributions of citizen science, integrating citizen science data with o
Authors
Catherine C. Sun, Jeremy E. Hurst, Angela K. Fuller
By
Cooperative Research Units

Citizen science can improve conservation science, natural resource management, and environmental protection

Citizen science has advanced science for hundreds of years, contributed to many peer-reviewed articles, and informed land management decisions and policies across the United States. Over the last 10 years, citizen science has grown immensely in the United States and many other countries. Here, we show how citizen science is a powerful tool for tackling many of the challenges faced in the field of
Authors
Duncan C. McKinley, Abe J. Miller-Rushing, Heidi L. Ballard, Rick Bonney, Hutch Brown, Susan C. Cook-Patton, Daniel M. Evans, Rebecca A. French, Julia Parrish, Tina B. Phillips, Sean F. Ryan, Lea A. Shanley, Jennifer L. Shirk, Kristine F. Stepenuck, Jake F. Weltzin, Andrea Wiggins, Owen D. Boyle, Russell D. Briggs, Stuart F. Chapin, David A. Hewitt, Peter W. Preuss, Michael A. Soukup
By
Species Management Research Program

Teaching citizen science skills online: Implications for invasive species training programs

Citizen science programs are emerging as an efficient way to increase data collection and help monitor invasive species. Effective invasive species monitoring requires rigid data quality assurances if expensive control efforts are to be guided by volunteer data. To achieve data quality, effective online training is needed to improve field skills and reach large numbers of remote sentinel volunteer
Authors
G. Newman, A. Crall, M. Laituri, J. Graham, T. Stohlgren, J.C. Moore, K. Kodrich, K.A. Holfelder
link

Learning From Home with USGS

The U.S. Geological Survey Youth and Education in Science (YES) Team has revamped their web presence to better assist with online and home learning.

Read Article
link

Citizen Science: For Citizens, Science, and the Planet

Citizen science — scientific work undertaken by members of the general public, usually in collaboration with scientific institutions — is a grassroots...

Read Article

Related Content

  • FAQ
    link
    Image: Earth Science Day outreach in Rapid City, SD, 2014

    Does the USGS do classroom presentations?

    The USGS has offices in every state, but education is not part of our mission and we do not have employees who go into the classroom as part of their job. Some employees, however, are willing to do so on their own time. If there is a USGS office in your town, you can try contacting them to ask about a speaker or presenter.

    link

    Does the USGS do classroom presentations?

    The USGS has offices in every state, but education is not part of our mission and we do not have employees who go into the classroom as part of their job. Some employees, however, are willing to do so on their own time. If there is a USGS office in your town, you can try contacting them to ask about a speaker or presenter.

    Learn More
    link
    Image: Science Teachers Explore Mount Rainier

    Does the USGS give teacher workshops?

    The USGS does not have a formal program for teacher workshops, but USGS scientists sometimes participate in teacher workshops that are organized by universities or other education groups. Our USGS Education website lists both resources for use in the classroom and easily-understood resources that teachers can use to educate themselves.

    link

    Does the USGS give teacher workshops?

    The USGS does not have a formal program for teacher workshops, but USGS scientists sometimes participate in teacher workshops that are organized by universities or other education groups. Our USGS Education website lists both resources for use in the classroom and easily-understood resources that teachers can use to educate themselves.

    Learn More
    link
    Image: Outreach at Geology Camp 2008

    Do you have lesson plans or activities for the classroom?

    The USGS Education website is your gateway to classroom resources. Explore links to lesson plans, activities, educational videos, online lectures, posters, non-technical publications, and images for kindergarten through college. This site is an excellent resource for teachers, students, and anyone interested in learning. Our resources are organized by grade level and topic.

    link

    Do you have lesson plans or activities for the classroom?

    The USGS Education website is your gateway to classroom resources. Explore links to lesson plans, activities, educational videos, online lectures, posters, non-technical publications, and images for kindergarten through college. This site is an excellent resource for teachers, students, and anyone interested in learning. Our resources are organized by grade level and topic.

    Learn More
    link
    A USGS scientist leads field trip

    Does the USGS offer field trips or classes?

    The United States Geological Survey (USGS) does not have a formal program for providing field trips or classes. USGS employees will sometimes lead field trips or teach classes that are organized by outside organizations, but those are not advertised by the USGS. The USGS has published numerous field-trip guides to geologic areas. Use our online Publications Warehouse to search for "field trip" or...

    link

    Does the USGS offer field trips or classes?

    The United States Geological Survey (USGS) does not have a formal program for providing field trips or classes. USGS employees will sometimes lead field trips or teach classes that are organized by outside organizations, but those are not advertised by the USGS. The USGS has published numerous field-trip guides to geologic areas. Use our online Publications Warehouse to search for "field trip" or...

    Learn More
    link
    Image: Volunteers Monitor Bird and Beach Health

    Does the USGS use volunteers to collect data?

    Volunteers assist on some USGS projects. In all cases, the volunteers are carefully trained and are supervised by a federal employee while they work. To ensure quality-control, data collected by volunteers are checked by USGS supervisors. Volunteers must abide by the same rules, regulations, policies, and laws as employees.Some USGS volunteer opportunities are advertised at Volunteer.gov. Most of...

    link

    Does the USGS use volunteers to collect data?

    Volunteers assist on some USGS projects. In all cases, the volunteers are carefully trained and are supervised by a federal employee while they work. To ensure quality-control, data collected by volunteers are checked by USGS supervisors. Volunteers must abide by the same rules, regulations, policies, and laws as employees.Some USGS volunteer opportunities are advertised at Volunteer.gov. Most of...

    Learn More
    link
    USGS Nebraska Water Science Center office, Lincoln, Nebr.

    How do I contact the USGS?

    For general science inquiries, call 1-888-392-8545. You can also use this website to send us a message or to initiate a live Web chat with a USGS Science Information Specialist. For questions on the distribution of federal park passes, maps, books and other science products, or the status of existing orders, call 1-888-275-8747 or visit the USGS Store website. Most of our employees are listed in...

    link

    How do I contact the USGS?

    For general science inquiries, call 1-888-392-8545. You can also use this website to send us a message or to initiate a live Web chat with a USGS Science Information Specialist. For questions on the distribution of federal park passes, maps, books and other science products, or the status of existing orders, call 1-888-275-8747 or visit the USGS Store website. Most of our employees are listed in...

    Learn More
    link
    Volunteer Information Program logo with badges

    Can I volunteer with the USGS?

    Volunteer.gov is the best starting point for volunteer positions with the USGS and other federal agencies. However, many USGS volunteer positions are not formally announced, so they do not appear on that site. You can contact a local USGS office directly to ask about possible volunteer opportunities. Another way to get involved in USGS science is through one of our Citizen Science programs or...

    link

    Can I volunteer with the USGS?

    Volunteer.gov is the best starting point for volunteer positions with the USGS and other federal agencies. However, many USGS volunteer positions are not formally announced, so they do not appear on that site. You can contact a local USGS office directly to ask about possible volunteer opportunities. Another way to get involved in USGS science is through one of our Citizen Science programs or...

    Learn More
  • Multimedia
    link
    video thumbnail: USGS Public Lecture Series: Watching Nature's Clock: A Citizen-Scientist Effort to Track Seasonal Signs of Climate Change link
    Image: USA-NPN Citizen-Scientist Lucille Tower
    link
  • Publications

    Community and citizen science on the Elwha River: Past, present, and future

    This report reflects on the past, present, and potential future of community and citizen science (CCS) in the Elwha River watershed, with particular focus on the years before and after a major restoration event: the removal of two dams that had impacted the river system for a century. We ask: how does CCS feature in the Elwha story and how could it feature? We use the term CCS to reference the bro
    Authors
    M. V. Eitzel, Sarah A. Morley, Chelsea Behymer, Ryan Meyer, Anna Kagley, Heidi L. Ballard, Christopher Jadallah, Jeffrey J. Duda, Laurel Jennings, Ian M. Miller, Justin Stapleton, Anne Shaffer, Allyce Miller, Patrick B. Shafroth, Barbara Blackie
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Fort Collins Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center

    Highly specialized recreationists contribute the most to the citizen science project eBird

    Contributory citizen science projects (hereafter “contributory projects”) are a powerful tool for avian conservation science. Large-scale projects such as eBird have produced data that have advanced science and contributed to many conservation applications. These projects also provide a means to engage the public in scientific data collection. A common challenge across contributory projects like e
    Authors
    Connor J. Rosenblatt, Ashley A. Dayer, Jennifer N. Duberstein, Tina B. Phillips, H. W. Harshaw, David C. Fulton, Nicholas Cole, Andrew H. Raedeke, Jonathan D. Rutter, Christopher L. Wood
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Cooperative Research Units, Fort Collins Science Center

    Translational science education through citizen science

    Guided by the six elements of Translational Ecology (TE; i.e., decision-framing, collaboration, engagement, commitment, process, and communication), we showcase the first explicit example of a Translational Science Education (TSE) effort in the coastal redwood ecosystem of Humboldt County, CA. Using iNaturalist, a flexible and free citizen science/crowdsourcing app, we worked with students from gr
    Authors
    Allison M. Young, Elizabeth F. van Mantgem, Alexis Garretson, Christine Noel, Toni Lyn Morelli
    By
    Ecosystems Mission Area, Climate Adaptation Science Centers

    Citizen science data collection for integrated wildlife population analyses

    Citizen science, or community science, has emerged as a cost-efficient method to collect data for wildlife monitoring. To inform research and conservation, citizen science sampling designs should collect data that match the robust statistical analyses needed to quantify species and population patterns. Further increasing the contributions of citizen science, integrating citizen science data with o
    Authors
    Catherine C. Sun, Jeremy E. Hurst, Angela K. Fuller
    By
    Cooperative Research Units

    Citizen science can improve conservation science, natural resource management, and environmental protection

    Citizen science has advanced science for hundreds of years, contributed to many peer-reviewed articles, and informed land management decisions and policies across the United States. Over the last 10 years, citizen science has grown immensely in the United States and many other countries. Here, we show how citizen science is a powerful tool for tackling many of the challenges faced in the field of
    Authors
    Duncan C. McKinley, Abe J. Miller-Rushing, Heidi L. Ballard, Rick Bonney, Hutch Brown, Susan C. Cook-Patton, Daniel M. Evans, Rebecca A. French, Julia Parrish, Tina B. Phillips, Sean F. Ryan, Lea A. Shanley, Jennifer L. Shirk, Kristine F. Stepenuck, Jake F. Weltzin, Andrea Wiggins, Owen D. Boyle, Russell D. Briggs, Stuart F. Chapin, David A. Hewitt, Peter W. Preuss, Michael A. Soukup
    By
    Species Management Research Program

    Teaching citizen science skills online: Implications for invasive species training programs

    Citizen science programs are emerging as an efficient way to increase data collection and help monitor invasive species. Effective invasive species monitoring requires rigid data quality assurances if expensive control efforts are to be guided by volunteer data. To achieve data quality, effective online training is needed to improve field skills and reach large numbers of remote sentinel volunteer
    Authors
    G. Newman, A. Crall, M. Laituri, J. Graham, T. Stohlgren, J.C. Moore, K. Kodrich, K.A. Holfelder
  • News
    link

    Learning From Home with USGS

    The U.S. Geological Survey Youth and Education in Science (YES) Team has revamped their web presence to better assist with online and home learning.

    Read Article
    link

    Citizen Science: For Citizens, Science, and the Planet

    Citizen science — scientific work undertaken by members of the general public, usually in collaboration with scientific institutions — is a grassroots...

    Read Article