Bringing Participatory Science to Schools: A Guide for Assessing Project Fit and Designing Effective Teacher Supports

Many participatory science project leaders wish for K–12 students to engage in their projects at school to increase project awareness and data collected while supporting students’ learning about real-world science research, but there is limited guidance on how to do this effectively. This essay shares lessons from a 5-year study on participatory science support materials in upper elementary classrooms and offers practical suggestions for participatory science projects that wish to create their own educational resources. We found that project implementation is most effective when teachers have materials that address how to integrate the project with what they already teach. To help project leaders gauge the fit of their projects in K–12 settings, we share common barriers teachers face and questions we asked when developing materials for using the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, & Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) and the Lost Ladybug Project in fifth grade classrooms; and three recommendations for creating support materials for school-based participatory science that highlight (1) the value of encouraging sustained involvement in data collection or other project work, (2) creating flexible materials that benefit both teachers and the project, and (3) seeking guidance from K–12 teachers at every stage of support materials development. Well-designed, educator-informed support materials that align with curriculum requirements and engage students can make participatory science projects more accessible in K–12 settings, and we offer suggestions for how to create them.