Field work resources

Vital Signs Quality Assurance & Peer Review - Updated 2013

Before observations are published to the Vital Signs website and made public, data must undergo a Quality Assurance Check and an optional Peer Review. The Quality Check is a first step in the online review process to ensure that the data entry form is complete, and jives with the Vital Signs site policy. Peer Review is a process the scientific community uses to critique and validate scientists’ work before it is published.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
Documents

Why are water quality data important?

This document gives a quick overview of why scientists pay attention to water quality, and the importance and expected ranges of each of the chemical measurements: temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, and salinity.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
High school (grades 9-12)
How should others reference your work?: 
Why are water quality data important?, Vital Signs, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, 2013
Documents

Great Introduction to Field Study: The Treehugger Game

The Treehugger Game

Abstract: Oftentimes the best way to conduct a field study with students, especially younger ones, is to begin with a game. Games can release the stress and energy built up throughout the day and create a more focused and calm learning environment. Additionally, in the colder months games can prolong students exposure to cold weather by increasing their body temperature during play. The Treehugger game allows students to hone their observational skills in a fun environment and release stress, preparing them to use these skills in proceeding field studies.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
Resources I used: 
Steve Creighton, CROYA, Lake Forest, IL
How should others reference your work?: 
John Lynch and Steve Creighton, The Treehugger Game, Vital Signs Program, 11/6/12

What I Should Have Done The First Time If I Would Have Listened

Suggestions and observations from someone who learns the hard way. What I should have done with my first VS investigation.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
High school (grades 9-12)
Professional development
Resources I used: 
The school of hard knocks.
How should others reference your work?: 
pparent, What I should have done the first time., Vital Signs, 4/7/12
Documents

Data Quality Hunt

Vital Signs data is used by students, the public, and professional scientists to better understand invasive and native species in Maine. For that reason, observations need to be of a certain quality to ensure their usefulness. Before students do their own data collection, they take time to explore and decide what good quality data looks like.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
High school (grades 9-12)
How should others reference your work?: 
GMRI, Data Quality Hunt, Vital Signs Program, 09/21/11
Documents

Vital Signs Fieldwork Skills Stations

Doctors and nurses routinely check “vital signs” (temperature, pulse, blood pressure, breathing, etc.) to get a sense of a person’s health. Similarly, scientists use tools to check an ecosystem’s “vital signs” and assess health. Students practice the Vital Signs Fieldwork Skills that will ultimately help them collect high quality data to determine the health of their own local ecosystem.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
High school (grades 9-12)
How should others reference your work?: 
vitalteach, "Vital Signs Fieldwork Skills," Vital Signs Program, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, 2011
Documents

Nature Journaling

Spend time using your senses to make and record observations of the natural world. From those observations, begin to think about the questions you have about the world around you.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
High school (grades 9-12)
Resources I used: 
Sharkawy, Azza. 2010. “A Quest to Improve: Helping students learn how to pose investigable questions” Science and Children 48(4): 32-35.
How should others reference your work?: 
vitalteach, Vital Signs Program, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, 2011
Documents

Student Teams Self Assessment

Here is an assessment that I used for my classes after they finished their Vital Signs Investigations. They evaluate how well their team cooperated and shared the responsibilities for this project. I also ask them to evaluate the program and to give suggestions to make this better for them.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
Resources I used: 
Self made assessment.
How should others reference your work?: 
Team work evaluation.
Documents

Group Roles

A half-sheet handout specifying group roles to help remind students of what must be done when they leave the classroom.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
Resources I used: 
My experience with the VS website and the need for clarity in expectations of the roles of group members.
How should others reference your work?: 
Not necessary.
Documents
Documents: 

Tool Bag Cards

The cards developed here are to be used to label the tool bags and to help the teams remember to bring in all their equipment. The team name card is used to identify the team members and the name the team will use for their user name. The students write this information on the cards. The old first round MLTI computer bags work great for this.

Project Information
Grade Level: 
Middle school (grades 6-8)
High school (grades 9-12)
How should others reference your work?: 
Science Lady, Tool Bag Cards, Vital Signs, Program, 11/27/10
Documents
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