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Big Butterfly Count

Objectives: Students are going to help scientists learn more about butterflies and the
environment by observing butterflies in an observation space for 15 minutes. Students
are able to learn knowledge about citizen science and methods of scientific research.
Grade Level: 6th Grade
Time: 60 min
Materials: Identification posters (Butterfly charts). One computer with internet
access. Hats, sun glasses.( depends)
Resources: Scistarter. (n.d.) Big Butterfly Count. Retrieved from:
http://scistarter.com/project/639-Big%20Butterfly%20Count

Teaching Standards:
Michigan Curriculum Standards:
Science Education
S.IP.04.12.: Inquiry involves generating questions, conducting investigations, and
developing solutions to problems through reasoning and observation.
ISTE Standards:
ISTE 1. a.: Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and
inventiveness.
ISTE 1. b.: Engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving authentic
problems using digital tools and resources.

Introduction: (15 min)


A. Introducing basic knowledge of citizen science and how it works by starting with
questions like: Who wants to be a scientist in the future? Do you want to join the
citizen science project and work like a real scientist? Who wants to be a citizen
scientist?
B. Introducing the Big Butterfly Counter Project. Watching a video Big Butterfly
Count by Mike Dilger about this project on the YouTube.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ENLnYr18vCU).
Discussing the reason why we need to count butterflies and how to do the 15 minutes
butterflies observation. Asking questions to make sure students fully understand about
the project: Why we need to count butterflies? What should we do during our 15

minutes observations?
C. Talking about safety rules. (Following the team, stay in the certain area, following
instructions, etc.) Using safe transportation to go to the observation space.

Field Activity: (25 min)


1. Counting numbers of students and set boundaries for the observation field.
2. Sending school staff and parents to the observation field and make sure each
student can be monitored by adults at anytime during observation.
3. Sending students to the observation field and starting observation.
4. The whole process will take 15 minutes which will be timed by instructors.
5. 15 minutes later, ending observations. Gather students and start counting numbers
while collecting their observation charts.
6. Making sure no one left behind.
Data Processing (5 min)
Instructors will collect all the observation charts from students. Instructors will enter
students observation data personally on the Project website. Students are going to
discuss what they saw during 15 minutes observations while instructor entering data.
(What kind of butterfly did you see during observation? How many butterflies did you
see? )
Reflection: (10 min)
Instructors show the observation results to students. Comparing data of students
observations with the national butterfly count data last year. Is there any difference
between these two sets of data?
Watching the video of the result of butterfly counting 2015 on YouTube.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_HVpIRpoYk#t=18)
(What conditions will affect the population of butterflies during observation?
Observation is one important stage of the scientific research methods? What are the
rest of these scientific research methods? Why we think the observation is important
during scientific research?)
Conclusion: (5 min)
Instructors talk about things happened during the observation. Which part is good?
Which part still need to improve? What do students learned from this field
observation? What do they know about citizen science? What are the stages for
scientific research? Discuss about these questions and end the lesson.

Additional Notes:
1. Safety of students. When the instructor chooses a public space (Ex. Local park) for

students to observe butterflies, make sure there will be at least two or more adults
(teachers) who are taking care of all the students at the same time. (Traffic, every
child stays in the group and stays in the field space, report anything suspicious, etc)
Using school bus as safe transportation if the observation space is far from school.
2. Health concerns. Be sure to know each students health conditions such as allergy
to flowers/grasses, etc. (Choose another observation space for students have special
needs, such as the school playground. ) Be sure to check the weather report. Sunny
weather observation is preferred. Make sure each student has enough protection from
sun burn. (Hats, sun glasses, etc) Monitor each student in the field during the field
activity. If there is any student have symptom of sunstroke, make sure he/she drink
enough salty water and rest in the shades or go to a hospital for proper treatment.
3. Parents involvement. Having a teacher-parents meeting before the butterfly
observation. Make sure all the parents fully aware of the place of observation, time of
the meeting, and the background of this citizen science project. Explaining how the
citizen science observation data will be used. Be sure to ask for parents permission for
each student who wants to join the field observation. Notify parents that they are
welcome to join the project and stay with their children during butterfly observation.

4. Students online security. Instructors will collect the butterfly chart from each
student and enter all the data to the counting website. Instructors will provide
anonymous guest accounts access for the data entry account. Parents and students are
able to find out the results of their butterfly observations by using these anonymous
accounts.

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