Think Like a Citizen Scientist: Virtual Meeting No. 2

We had our second virtual meeting of the year, and continued working on Think Like a Citizen Scientist.   We also played a Bingo game with Leave No Trace to being working on our Eco badges. 

Since the last meeting I distributed Memory Books and when I did so I provided the handouts for this meeting.  I also put them online in case anyone lost them or needed another copy.  You can find them here.

To prepare for the meeting girls were asked to view the SciStarter site and to pick and do a Citizen Science project.  I told the parents that iNaturalist was dead simple and that's the one everyone chose.  The packet had a short report for the girls to do.  With iNaturalist, you download the app and take pictures of living things (or you can upload photos already on your phone or your Google account).  The app grabs your metadata as far as the time and place of the photo.  It asks you to identify what you photographed and offers suggestions.  It asks if the item was wild or cultivated.  You then upload it.  If you can't identify it, chances are someone else will.  Other people or groups can add your photo to their collection.  "Louisiana Biodiversity" grabs my photos.

My Virtual Meeting: Think Like a Citizen Scientist

My troop this year is Brownies and Juniors, and like many troops we are beginning the year online.  In planning this meeting I wanted something that all the girls could do together, something at required minimal supplies and preferably something that went toward a Journey.  I have one second year Junior and she/her mother are the type to want to do the Bronze Award.  They were in another troop last year and did not do a Journey, so I wanted to get that done, so she and anyone else who was interested could work on the Bronze Award.

I decided on Think Like a Citizen Scientist simply because it seemed to be the easiest Journey and because I could do the multi-level version with both groups.  I summarized the plans here.  

Before the meeting I posted the VTK handouts with the snails, as well as the map to our Facebook page so parents could print them. I told the parents that if they didn't have access to a printer, to let me know and I'd stick a set in the mail.  One person requested them and she got them.  I asked the girls to cut the snails apart, and, before the meeting to spread them around the room.

My Virtual Meetings

I have a troop of 16 girls--6 Daisies and 10 Brownies.  Generally I have very good attendance--usually no more than 2 or 3 girls absent per meeting.  This is our third weekend under a "stay at home" order and we've missed one meeting so far and will miss another this week.  We will also miss one more this month.  Our camping trip was cancelled and who knows when or if we'll have a summer cookie event.  On the plus side, our cookies were gone before this all got going, so we didn't have that to worry about.

I'm used to going places and doing things, not sitting at home all the time.  In some ways I like working at my kitchen table--though I admit it would be hard to do if I had small kids.  Since all I have is a teenager who does her own virtual schoolwork, I don't have a problem getting my work done.  The commute is great and I love the dress code.  On the other hand, even though (or maybe because?) I'm an introvert, I miss the people.  I have my own office and like it that way, but it is nice to say hi to people as I head to the restroom or kitchen or to get something in another part of the office.  Here, it is me and my computers.