Everyone can be a scientist this summer with a variety of projects covering a variety of interests. 

For the night owls: Are you located near a body of water? You have a perfect opportunity to participate in FrogWatch USA and contribute to 20+ years of data collection. There are programs already existing in 41 states. Monitoring begins after sundown, so this is an ideal opportunity for overnight camps or facilities that host after-hours events. You can check out existing chapters or learn how to start your own here: https://www.aza.org/frogwatch 

For the green thumbs: There are a variety of projects that are geared toward creating garden spaces for pollinators. If you aren't sure where to start, check out this resource guide that gives you plenty of professionally reviewed source material including classroom curriculum, instructions on creating gardens, and different projects that are available to join in on: https://www.fishwildlife.org/application/files/4715/1630/6270/MonarchRes...

For the curious: Are you new to your area and looking to learn more about local wildlife? Are you a native who still doesn't know what kind of tree that is in your backyard? Download the free iNaturalist app. Take a picture and upload it. You can choose to label your photo if you know what it is, select from a list that populates after you upload, or leave it blank and wait for other citizen scientists to help you out! Collecting this information can help experts study populations, migration, and invasive species.

For those who don't know where, why, or how to start: Check out this comprehensive explanation of citizen science and use the project finder tab to see what's in your area! https://scistarter.com/page/Citizen%20Science.html