VS Starter Module

Part I - The What and the Why of Vital Signs:

Part I Background:

Part I Activity:

A. What VS participation looks like

B. What does good data look like?

Part I Reflection:

Part II - Experiencing VS:

Part II Background:

Part II Activity:

A. Look for a species:

B. Connect with the Community:

Part II Reflection:

Part III - Setting up investigations for students:

Part III Background:

Part III Activity:

A. Setting up classroom investigations

B. Logging in and posting data as a student team

Part III Reflection:

Part IV- Start Small and evolve over time:

Part IV Background:

Part IV Activity:

Part IV Reflection:

This module walks you through some of the key components of an introductory Vital Signs Institute. While doing this module does not replicate getting together in-person with a group of teachers to share ideas and experiences and learning about Vital Signs, it is a great way to get started with the program. In fact, we find that when teachers start with this module, we can dig deeper into topics of interest when we get together in person.

Vital Signscan be integrated into science and math classrooms, but can also be used to scaffold an interdisciplinary unit across the entire curriculum. We encourage you to work on this module with a buddy or group of teachers from your school or district and share your ideas as you go.

As you complete the module, the Vital Signs Team is here to help. You can reach us at .

When you have completed the module, please:

  • Complete this survey:
  • Email us and let us know that you’ve used the module to get started, and let us know if you have any equipment needs – we might be able to help!
  • If you are willing to share your reflections from the module with us, we would love to see them, but that is not required.

Remember to be in touch with the VS team () so that we can continue to support you and your students over time.

Part I - The What and the Why of Vital Signs:

Part I Background:

The goals of Vital Signs are to both generate a relevant and usable scientific dataset and through that authentic research and rich scaffolding to create an engaging and impactful science learning experience. Through this module you will learn how this community of practice is working to answer shared research questions, “Where are the invasive species in Maine, and where aren’t they? And where are the native species that may be impacted?” We are also asking the broader question, “How are our ecosystems changing as a result of invasive species, climate change, and other factors?”

Invasive species are non-native plants, animals, or other organisms that did not historically occur in Maine. When introduced to Maine ecosystems, they develop abundant, widespread populations that negatively impact the environment, the economy, human health, or the way we live. Through doing Field Missions and Analysis Missions, and sharing creative projects, students across the state of Maine are learning all about invasive species, native species, broader ecology topics, and scientific practices. While they are learning they are also contributing data to a real research effort that includes citizens and experts from across Maine and beyond.

The Vital Signs community of practice includes 65 species experts including GMRI staff, other professional researchers and managers in Maine, NH, MA, RI, NY, CA, and more. Species experts are notified when a “I think I found it” or “I think I didn’t find it” observation of a species that they are interested in/an expert for is posted. Those experts then confirm or question the observation. Many of these species experts make use of this data. Many species experts are also enthusiastic naturalists who are excited to share what they know with students who are engaged in a cool and authentic learning experience. Some teachers who either had expertise as naturalists or who as they’ve dug deeply into Vital Signs honed their ID skills have also become species experts. Vital Signs data has also been incorporated into other datasets such as the EDDMaps dataset. You can see examples of who our experts are and who is using the data on thescientists page. You can see other examples of ways the data is being or can be used here on ourMission: Analysis page.

Part I Activity:

A. What VS Participation looks like:

Please watch the following videos made by participating teachers and students that we think share a lot about the why and the what of Vital Signs and what it looks like in classrooms:

  1. Mr. I explains Vital Signs -
  2. The students of Dedham share their Vital Signs experience -

B. What does quality data look like?:

Some teachers have determined that having students think about what makes good data before they start collecting their own is really helpful.

  1. 1. Before you collect your own VS data,create an educator account on the VS site (
  1. Explore the dataset, and determine what characteristics make good data. Use this lesson plan to help guide your exploration. Consider framing the question of quality data around some of the skills and learning goals that you are interested in students learning such as scientific argument, scientific observation, and communication (both through writing and photos).
  1. Consider leaving a comment on an observation that you find really interesting or that you think is an example of great data.

Part I Reflection:

There is still more to learn about VS, but based on what you’ve learned so far, what are your learning goals for your students as they do VS?

How do you think you might measure if students have achieved these goals?

Continue to reflect on these as you go through the module.

Check out how some VS educators are thinking about assessing student learning here - Feel free to add your own thinking into the conversation.

Part II - Experiencing VS:

Part II Background:

One of the best ways to learn about VS and to get familiar with the process is by publishing your own species observation.

Part II Activity:

A.Look for a species:

In Part I you made an educator account. With an educator account you are able to both post data as a citizen scientist and set up investigations for students. For now, you are going to post data as a citizen scientist.

  1. Go to the Vital Signs website and “Choose your Field Mission” –

○Many of the missions allow you to investigate right in your schoolyard or backyard. These missions have links to all the ID cards and datasheets you will need to collect data.

○If you don’t see a mission of interest, choose another species to look for from our species ID cards –

  1. Before you head out into the field, make a prediction.

○Do you think you’ll find the species that you’re looking for? Why? Make a note about your prediction on your datasheet in the field notes section(Habitat-specific fieldwork datasheets can be found here –

○Need help making your prediction? These resources might help:

  1. The species ID card –
  2. The map –
  3. The “In the News” page –
  1. Head out into the field armed with your datasheet, camera, GPS, and ID tools to collect your data.

○Keep in mind:

  1. NOT FOUND data is really important data too –
  2. If you don’t have a GPS, you can use the Vital Signs data entry mapping tool to find your coordinates. Keep track of some landmarks that will help you zoom way way in on your spot on the map. Smart phones can also sub in for a GPS and a camera!
  1. Publish your observation to the VS site! Remember to publish as a citizen scientist and use the field guide to help you.

○Keep in mind:

  1. Before you publish use the Quality Checklist to review your observation. Quality checking is a required step before publishing –
  2. Peer review is not a required step, but highly recommended. Peer review asks you to focus on your scientific argument. Go ahead and “Peer Review” your own observation, or ask a colleague or family member to help.
  3. TheHow-To Guide called How Citizen Scientists collect data and put it on the websitehas all the steps described above in more detail if you need them –
  4. If you get stuck along the way, make a note of where and why..
  1. Celebrate!

Part II Reflection:

If you had hurdles publishing data, try troubleshooting with your colleagues. Still stuck, get in touch with the Vital Signs team so that we can troubleshoot together. Email us at .

Have you changed your thinking about learning goals and how to assess them (formatively and summatively)?

Remember that you can check out how some VS educators are thinking about assessing student learning and leave your own comments here -

Part III - Setting up investigations for students:

Part III Background:

Setting up classroom investigations on the website is a little different than posting data as a citizen scientist. You are going to give that a try, setting up either a test investigation, or if you are up for it, recruit some colleagues, friends or family, and work together to collect and share data as a student team.

Part III Activity:

A. Setting up classroom investigations

  1. Go to the How-to guides page ( follow the instructions in the following how-to guide in order to set up a classroom investigation (a test one or real one for you to use with the team you’re working with) –How teachers set up investigations & accounts for their students.

B. Logging in and posting data as a student team

  1. Now that you’ve set it up, check out the How students put their data on the website guide on the how-to guide page. Use this guide to help you.
  1. Log in as one of the student teams you created. You can either:

Test out posting data as a student team using some photos you have on hand and click through and save to get a sense of what your students will see [IN THIS CASE DO NOT HIT PUBLISH]

OR

You and your team that you recruited can use this guide to publish and share your data.

Part III Reflection:

Were you able to set up the investigation? If yes, make some notes and helpful hints for yourself for next time. If you got stuck, make some notes about where you got stuck, and get in touch with the VS team or a peer or your mentor to help you.

Part IV- Start Small and evolve over time:

Part IV Background:

Vital Signs, and other field-based, citizen-science-based, and technology-based programs can be challenging to incorporate into the classroom. Maybe the opportunities are overwhelming, the technology is intimidating or seems unpredictable, or maybe time is just too short. Whatever the case, teachers who have started small and evolved their practice over time have found it to be valuable for themselves and their students.

Check out these insights from experienced VS educators:

Here’s where you get to spend some time planning how you want to do VS soon and how you might be thinking about building it out over time, or how you might use this experience to explore other citizen science and related opportunities for your students.

Part IV Activity:

To help teachers use Vital Signs and build rich curriculum around it, we have an open curriculum resource bank.

  1. Peruse some of the favorite resources here –
  2. Dig deeper in the curriculum bank here –

Part IV Reflection:

  1. Revisit your learning goals - What do you want your students to gain/ learn/ experience from their participation in Vital Signs?
  1. What Field Mission do you think you and your students might participate in?

○In choosing a Field Mission, consider:

  1. What habitats might you and your students like to work in?
  2. What habitats do you have easy access to?
  3. How might you get to other habitats?
  4. What season or month do you think it might work for you to do your fieldwork?
  1. What sort of analysis do you think your students might do after their data collection? Will you do one of the Vital Signs Analysis Missions, or design your own? (
  1. What final products might your students make? Will they share their projects in the Project Bank? (Best Projects: Project Bank:
  1. What Vital Signs lessons and resources or other lessons and resources would you like to use to prepare your students for successful fieldwork? (
  1. What resources (people, time, materials) will you need to be successful?
  1. Please complete this survey:
  1. Remember to be in touch with the VS team () so that we can continue to support you and your students over time.

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