All Schools Collect
Schoolyard Safari takes place as part of All Schools Collect. As part of this project, primary school pupils in grades 6 to 8 take on the role of researchers and help collect data for genuine scientific research. All Schools Collect is a special project organised by all the Science Nodes throughout the Netherlands. It is a citizen science study specifically aimed at children. This means that university researchers enlist the help of children from across the country to work together to answer a research question. Pupils in grades 6 to 8 collect data simultaneously on one day for a genuine scientific study. In this way, they discover what science is and develop an inquisitive attitude. The pupils are guided in their research by a group of enthusiastic and knowledgeable researchers: a team of ecologists from Wageningen University & Research and a team of social scientists from Utrecht University.
Why this theme?
Biodiversity is declining worldwide, and children are coming into contact with nature less and less. That is why the Science Nodes are making nature the focus of the upcoming edition of All Schools Collect. Pupils will go outside to investigate biodiversity in their own schoolyard. They will also interview their classmates about how connected they feel to nature. Schoolyard Safari will take place on 22 May, World Biodiversity Day.