Building on the kids’ experience counting feeder birds, I ventured into the Zooniverse and asked for recommendations for other kid-friendly citizen science projects. I heard back quickly from another volunteer that Penguin Watch was the way to go! Run by scientists at the University of Oxford, it’s a seriously kid-friendly online project in which volunteers count penguins to help improve understanding of penguin populations, breeding, and survival. With Penguin Awareness Day approaching on January 20, and many species a bellwether of climate change as sea ice declines, it’s a great time to jump online and get started, even just for a few minutes. This easy project can lead into a more in-depth discussion about the impact of climate change on penguin populations.
Emma and Jake counted penguins in still frames from time lapse cameras for a while after school this afternoon. They’ve been really enjoying watching “animal cams” from various zoos and conservation organizations around the country that show live shots of animals, so I thought they’d also like seeing penguins in their natural habitat. The project sparked a conversation about the many different kinds of penguins. The only problem was trying to tell the difference between adult penguins and chicks in the photo. Even a child with a short attention span can complete a photo or two with adult help. This is an easy single-day project for kids as young as kindergarten or first grade. Send me a message if you’ve had success doing this project with even younger children. As of January 2021, the project was only 9% complete, so can still use more participation from families and students of all ages, especially if you’re distance learning or homeschooling due to the pandemic!
