Contact: kevin.sebastian@unlv.edu
Contact: carrieann.cahall@unlv.edu
Contact: niki.fullmer@unlv.edu
Contact: chelsea.heinbach@unlv.edu
This guide was developed in part by using ChatGPT-4o, a generative AI language model. It assisted in drafting content, providing recommendations, and refining language to ensure clarity and coherence. All AI-generated text was reviewed and edited for accuracy and relevance to the topic.
Observation is a core practice in scientific research, laying the groundwork for hypotheses and theories. By observing closely, scientists gather data that helps them identify patterns (like seasonal bird migrations), or anomalies (like unexpected mold growth), which led to the discovery of penicillin. Such observations can reveal behaviors, environmental changes, and new scientific questions.
For students, observation bridges the gap between abstract concepts and the real world. It prompts questions like, “Why are there fewer bees in my neighborhood than last year?” or “What’s causing the spread of invasive plants in my park?” These questions can lead to exploring how factors like climate change or human activity affect local ecosystems, which can help support informed and evidence-based policies to improve human life.
For example, noticing that certain trees in a park seem diseased (with their discolored or wilting leaves) could lead to a question about pollution’s impact on tree health. Observing that one area is lush while another is barren might prompt an inquiry into sunlight, water drainage, or human impact. Through observation, everyday experiences turn into scientific data, sparking meaningful research questions.
In your NatureHood assignment, this means actively exploring your surroundings—whether a park, street, or backyard—and observing the interactions between nature and human influence. By paying close attention to how plants, animals, and urban elements coexist, you can transform curiosity into scientific inquiry. This assignment invites you to see your surroundings as a dynamic ecosystem full of research questions waiting to be explored.
The following video from the National Park Service illustrates the critical role of scientific observation in advancing knowledge and preserving our natural heritage. It tells the story of Lewis and Clark’s meticulous documentation of the flora and fauna in the Pacific Northwest over 200 years ago, and how their observations still provide valuable data for understanding environmental changes today.
Just as Lewis and Clark observed and recorded the natural world around them, and just as the National Park Services scientists observe and monitor the Pacific Northwest forests, NatureHood assignment invites you to explore your own environment, observe its unique features, and ask meaningful scientific questions. By paying close attention to your surroundings, you’ll be contributing to a tradition of observation-based research that helps us better understand and protect our natural world.
Before you can ask meaningful scientific questions about your NatureHood, you need to observe it closely. The following steps will guide you through a simple observation exercise to help you notice the details and patterns in your surroundings, laying the groundwork for your research question.
Caveat: There might not always be dramatic activity. That’s okay! Scientific observation is about noticing even the smallest details, patterns, or changes, even when things seem quiet. This practice will help you develop patience and a keen eye for your own NatureHood assignment. Enjoy the experience!
This digital observation exercise is designed to help you enhance your observation skills by encouraging you to notice subtle details and patterns in a dynamic environment. By practicing close attention to elements like animal behavior, plant interactions, and environmental changes, you’ll learn to identify and document even the smallest observations. These skills are directly transferable to your NatureHood project, enabling you to make more nuanced and insightful observations in your own local environment. This exercise will help you develop a keen eye for detail, which will elevate your ability to generate meaningful research questions and collect high-quality data for your project!
