Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. I received a sample of the product for review purposes. The opinions are my own, based on my personal experience with the product.
As you know we homeschool and are always on the lookout for new books and projects. Things that will help make the learning process more fun and give the kids the edge they need. When we were asked to review Be the Change: Saving the World with Citizen Science by Chandra Clarke I was excited. Science is one of the areas that I honestly hate teaching but because it is required I teach it. Science just was never a fun subject for me.
About the Book
It’s so easy to be overwhelmed by everything that is wrong in the world. In 2010, there were 660,000 deaths from malaria. Dire predictions about climate change suggest that sea levels could rise enough to submerge both Los Angeles and London by 2100. Bees are dying, not by the thousands but by the millions.
But what can you do? You’re just one person, right? The good news is that you *can* do something.
It’s called citizen science, and it’s a way for ordinary people like you and me to do real, honest-to-goodness, help-answer-the-big-questions science.
This book introduces you to a world in which it is possible to go on a wildlife survey in a national park, install software on your computer to search for a cure for cancer, have your smartphone log the sound pollution in your city, transcribe ancient Greek scrolls, or sift through the dirt from a site where a mastodon died 11,000 years ago—even if you never finished high school.
Part I of Be the Change: Saving the World with Citizen Science will show you what citizen science is, how important it is, and why we need more of it. You will also find out how it can personally benefit you, how you can get involved, and what it might mean to you if you did.
Part II provides a large list of projects that you can join right now, concisely explained, and organized by the level of involvement required.
My Thoughts
This is an awesome book! I love that it talks about how normal people, not just formal researchers can contribute to the advancement of science. It is very well written and organized. The kids really love it and we have checked out some of the websites. It is truly a wonderful tool for students and for teachers at any level.
Buy It
You can purchase Be the Change: Saving the World with Citizen Science at Amazon.
I live in a small Georgia town that you most likely have never heard of and I LOVE it! My house is more than full as I am a single mother of four & caregiver to my aging mother and uncle. Lover of all things Outlander. Goes to the beat of her own drum woman.
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This book sounds perfect for my husband! He loves this kind of stuff and is always reading about what we can do to help the environment and the other causes. I will have to try and pick this up before Christmas. Thanks!!
Hey Rita,
I have only been able to find this in Kindle edition. Do you have it in a hard copy? I downloaded it on our Kindle and my husband is reading it now and loves it! I was thinking if it came in hard copy I could give a copy to my brother. Thanks!
My wife and I have considered homeschooling when we have children. This sounds like a great book for understanding and appreciating science. Like you, I don’t understand a lot about science, but as with anything, if you have motivation to learn, then you’re more likely to do so. This sounds like a book that helps give you the motivation to not only learn, but to participate and discover.