Topic: iNaturalist helps you & your teacher identify the plants and animals around you

[Software Santa]

iNaturalist web site helps you (and your teacher) identify the plants and animals around you - site has a special Teacher's Guide!

https://www.inaturalist.org/
https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/teacher's+guide
https://forum.inaturalist.org/

Connect with Nature
Explore and share your observations from the natural world.


How It Works

1 Record your observations

2 Share with fellow naturalists

3 Discuss your findings


Contribute to Science
Every observation can contribute to biodiversity science, from the rarest butterfly to the most common backyard weed. We share your findings with scientific data repositories like the Global Biodiversity Information Facility to help scientists find and use your data. All you have to do is observe.

Nature At Your Fingertips

Keep Track
Record your encounters with other organisms and maintain life lists, all in the cloud.

Create Useful Data
Help scientists and resource managers understand when and where organisms occur.

Crowdsource Identifications
Connect with experts who can identify the organisms you observe.

Become a Citizen Scientist
Find a project with a mission that interests you, or start your own.

Learn About Nature
Build your knowledge by talking with other naturalists and helping others.

Run a Bioblitz
Hold an event where people try to find as many species as possible.
Teacher's Guide
 iNat might seem like the perfect blend of science and mobile technology, but too often it gets misused in the classroom, and as a result iNat gets a flood of poor observations, and the students participating don't have a good experience. In order to help you avoid some common problems, here are some pointers for teachers seeking to use iNaturalist in the classroom.

First Explore Existing Observations
Before your class adds any data, explore what has been observed in your area. iNaturalist already has the boundaries for every country in the world, and two administrative levels below that (e.g. for the United States, iNaturalist also has all state and county level boundaries). You can reference these tutorials (web, video) about exploring observations. Use the nearby observations to reflect on what has been recorded, why, and what makes for good documentation.

Use iNaturalist Yourself
Try to add 20-30+ observations before considering how you will use iNaturalist with your students. iNat will make a lot more sense to you after some firsthand experience. This can be as simple as using the app on a short hike or a walk around your block, or better yet, try to use it at a place and time that are similar to where and when you are expecting your students to use it. Please don't just install the app, make an observation of your dog, and think that you are sufficiently prepared.

(LOTS MORE in the GUIDE!!)

https://www.inaturalist.org/
https://forum.inaturalist.org/