Blue Thumb in the Classroom: A Citizen Science Training for Educators

Blue Thumb in the Classroom: A Citizen Science Training for Educators

Dive into real-world science with this hands-on, immersive professional learning experience focused on citizen science and water quality monitoring with students.

Blue Thumb in the Classroom is a two-day training designed for educators who want to engage students in authentic data collection, environmental investigation, and stewardship through Oklahoma’s Blue Thumb program. This workshop supports teachers across grade levels who are interested in bringing meaningful, standards-aligned citizen science experiences into their classrooms and communities.

Held in Norman, this interactive training introduces educators to the Blue Thumb program and the tools, protocols, and instructional strategies needed to successfully involve students in water quality monitoring. Participants will explore how to collect, analyze, and interpret environmental data while connecting local waterways to broader watershed and ecosystem concepts.

Through a mix of field and classroom-based activities, educators will:

• Learn Blue Thumb water quality monitoring methods and safety protocols
• Practice data collection techniques suitable for student participation
• Explore ways to integrate citizen science into existing curriculum and schedules
• Connect hands-on monitoring to Oklahoma Academic Standards and NGSS
• Build confidence leading outdoor and inquiry-driven investigations with students

Participants will engage with nationally recognized environmental education curricula and receive classroom-ready guides to take home, including:

• Project WET: Earth Systems
• Aquatic WILD

These resources provide adaptable lessons that complement Blue Thumb monitoring and support deeper understanding of water systems, wildlife, and human impacts.

Whether you teach upper elementary, middle school, high school, or lead an informal education program, this training offers practical tools and real-world applications you can use right away to empower students as scientists and stewards of their local environment.

Workshop Details

• Dates: June 9–10
• Location: Norman, Oklahoma
• Audience: Formal and informal educators interested in citizen science
• Format: Hands-on, field and classroom-based
• Focus: Student-led water quality monitoring and data collection

Come build your skills, gather powerful teaching tools, and join a statewide network of educators using citizen science to connect students to Oklahoma’s waters. This is professional learning rooted in real data, real places, and real impact.