Students

User Group: 
Students

Students at Trenton Elementary School, and thousands of other middle school students from across Maine are engaged and valued (treasured!) participants in the Vital Signs community. Check out one of the careful observations from the Trenton team!

Vital Signs students are learning science by being scientists. From questions to conclusions, they are practicing real science alongside Maine’s scientists and other learners statewide. By applying and sharing their knowledge of ecosystems, biodiversity, and invasive species, they are furthering what we all know about species and habitats in Maine. Students are connecting with and making meaningful contributions to communities outside of their classrooms.

Students play these critical roles in our community:

    1. They look closely for native and invasive species in local ecosystems, and publish their observations to the Vital Signs database.

    2. Students analyze, reflect on, and make meaning for their findings and the findings of others in the Vital Signs community.

    3. Students review the work of their peers statewide with an eye towards improving data quality throughout the Vital Signs community.

    4. They create multimedia projects that summarize findings, that teach and motivate others, and that extend learning into communities.

From this firsthand authentic research experience, students start to imagine what it would be like to be an environmental scientist or biologist, a nature photographer or science journalist, a taxonomist or cartographer, a volunteer or lifelong citizen scientist.

Register or contact us if you are interested in joining our student network. Or talk your teacher into joining us!

OTHER STUDENTS IN THE VITAL SIGNS COMMUNITY

Colby, Middle School of the Kennebunks
Colby is a student at Middle School of the Kennebunks. During the 2008 field season, Colby blossomed in her role as Principal Investigator. She lead her team to collect, record, and publish macroinvertebrate data for their ecosystem health stream survey. Her genuine enthusiasm for science is contagious and inspiring.

Student teams who published observations in Fall 2011

• Madawaska Middle School, Madawaska

• Dedham School, Dedham (video!)

• Falmouth Middle School, Falmouth

• South Portland High School, South Portland

• Whitefield Elementary School, Whitefield

• Loranger Middle School, Old Orchard Beach

• Woolwich Central School, Bath

• Massabesic Middle School, Waterboro

• Cape Elizabeth Middle School, Cape Elizabeth

• Woodland Consolidated School, Baileyville

• Lincoln Middle School, Portland

• Trenton Elementary School, Trenton

• James Doughty Middle School, Bangor

• Cony Middle School, Augusta

• Gardiner Regional Middle School, Gardiner

• York Middle School, York

• Westcot Junior High School, Westbrook

• Friends School, Mackworth Island, Falmouth

• Vinalhaven School, Vinalhaven Island

• Winslow Junior High School, Winslow