Tool Tip Tuesday: Zooniverse

Research has shown that students, especially female students, are turning away from science at a young age because they think it is either too hard for them or too boring.  Citizen science projects, like the ones hosted on the Zooniverse website, show students that anyone with a computer can be a scientist and can contribute to scientific discoveries.   For each project, students read a short summary of the research goals and the tasks that they will be expected to perform.  Tasks range from transcribing historical documents to marking specific areas on photographs to matching observed images to pre-selected patterns.  Most projects include links to discover more information about the science behind each project, and when a project is finished, students can view the results of the project and read more in-depth information about the purpose their scientific work served.

Website: https://www.zooniverse.org/projects?page=1&status=live
Subject: Science, History, Geography, Literature
Grade Level: 5-12
Price: Free, students can create accounts to track their progress