This time on The Children’s Hour we learn how everyone can contribute to active scientific research by participating in Community Science with groups like BEMP: the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program.

This episode comes with a free Learn-Along Guide that meets and cites US National Education Standards.

Download & print

The Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program or BEMP, studies the riparian forest along the Rio Grande in New Mexico as it travels from Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, down to the Gulf of Mexico in El Paso, Texas. Students in BEMP work with the program as part of their school science curriculum, taking multiple field trips to the bosque to collect data, from counting insects, to measuring leaf litter. 

When the kids collect their data, they are participating in community science. In order for scientists to understand as much as possible about our climate, soil health, endangered species, weather, and so much more, they need to get as much information as possible. Members of every community are needed to collect certain kinds of data from wherever they may live. BEMP helps teachers make that effort part of a day at school. 

More than 100,000 New Mexican students have worked directly with BEMP, as of fall 2022. The video below describes what BEMP does, and we hear from students about what the work they do means to them, and to their communities.

You can learn a lot more about Community Science in our Learn-Along Guide that’s posted above. Press the button and your download will start. This guide meets and cites US National Education Standards, and will expand on what we explored today on the show.

BEMP has also graciously provided the following learning modules.

This episode was produced by Katie Stone, our Executive Producer and our Senior Producer, Christina Stella. Our Learn-Along Guides are written by Jonathan Dunski, with help from Lorraine Archibald. Many thanks to Zoe Wadkins-Daniels for providing so many additional resources for us to share with our listeners.

©2023 The Children’s Hour Inc.

Please note: not all songs we play can be found in Spotify.