EcoBlitz Protocol

Before Arriving to the Site

1. Get Ready to Use iNaturalist


2. Get ready to use Marine Debris Tracker


3. Prepare your students to think like a biologist/archaeologist with the Pre-Blitz Discussion Guide.

 


At the Site

1. Choose an area that your class will survey in both the BioBlitz and the TrashBlitz. 

While the specific size of the area is not important, it is important that you measure its size (in ft2 or m2) and perform both Blitzes within the same area.

2. Mark the boundaries of the area with flags or sticks in the ground.

Measure the sides of the space, perhaps with a pre-measured string, and compute its area. 

3. Plan to spend the same amount of time surveying trash and surveying biodiversity.


Teacher Tips:

Divvying up data collection

Students will collect two sets of data in the same area for the same amount of time. You may wish to have them focus on wildlife first and then return to the same area to collect data about trash in another session. Or you can have students work in groups; some students focus on wildlife while others focus on trash.

Think about how you want to have students collect data. Are students in pairs? In a small group? How will you handle getting and uploading photos? Each group will have a device? An adult? In the moment or will it be done back in the classroom? 

You may want to systematically survey a location. This can be done by marking the boundaries of the area of interest, and then walking across it in a predetermined pattern from one side to the other.

Tips From Previous Teachers Participants


BioBlitz Tips

TrashBlitz Tips

Photos by Diego Ponce De León Barido

General Considerations

After Leaving the Site

1. Upload your best photographs to iNaturalist

Do:

Don't: 


2. Upload your trash data to Marine Debris Tracker

Do:

Don't: 


3. Debrief your students using the Post-Blitz Discussion guide.