Foundations of Citizen Science / Project Squirrel Project Squirrel Help scientists better understand tree squirrel ecology. Project Squirrel is calling all citizen scientists of all ages to count the number of squirrels in their neighborhoods and report their findings. The goal is to understand tree squirrel ecology. Some neighborhoods may have grey (and “black” squirrels, which are almost always grey squirrels!), fox, and red squirrels, while a nearby town only has one species. In many places, it seems one species or another is becoming more common. Learn how to identify these three tree squirrels, and then report your observations about their presence or absence, as well as some of the ecological conditions of your neighborhood, to Project Squirrel. Anyone can participate in Project Squirrel. No matter where you live, city or suburb, from the Midwest to the East Coast, Canada to Mexico, the U.K. to Italy, if tree squirrels live in your neighborhood, you are encouraged to become a squirrel monitor. The scientists at Project Squirrel will also use this project to understand the effect that participation in citizen science has on participants and data quality. By contributing to Project Squirrel and documenting your experience, you can provide valuable information that will eventually be used to learn how valuable citizen scientists are to the advancement of scientific knowledge as a whole. Thank you to Sheryl Arriola of Broward County Schools for her help preparing educational resources for this page. Materials Needed Smartphone, tablet, or computer Internet access Additional Resources Data Collection Worksheet Project Squirrel Education Standards SciStarter LIVE: Learn Why You Should Report Squirrels You Spot — for Science! Step 1 Sign up for SciStarter or log in. You'll need to be logged in to SciStarter to submit your data. All your contributions will get credited in your SciStarter Dashboard. Step 2 Click “Participate” below and get familiar with the data sheet. Go outside, select a location where you can find squirrels, and log data on your smartphone or tablet directly if you have internet access. OR, click and print the additional resource “Data Collection Worksheet”, above. It’s helpful to review the questions on the worksheet and take it with you as you start looking for squirrels. When you are back, you can click "Participate", below, to log data. Step 3 If you can, take a picture of the squirrel(s), and upload your picture to the online data sheet. Step 4 No squirrels in your neighborhood today? You can still click “Participate,” below, and report a lack of squirrels. Absence (or “zero”) of squirrels is also a data point. This is especially interesting if the surrounding communities have squirrels. Step 5 When you have completed the data sheet, click "Submit". Return to the SciStarter.org/Training-Foundations page and continue your journey towards earning a badge. Participate