Earthwatch Education

If you’ve ever wanted to incorporate citizen science into the school year, but not known how to begin, this resource is for you! 

This video resource is narrated by two Earthwatch Education Learning Coordinators, Lotte Holloway and Anna Steele-Perkins. For ease of access, it has been split into two parts. 

Part 1 –  

What is citizen science? This includes the benefits and roles of citizens in projects.  

What is outdoor learning? A lot of CS projects involve the outdoors. Here we discuss the benefits of this and potential challenges (as well as ways to overcome these). Plus, motivations behind citizen science project participation and how to incorporate these, is discussed. 

Part 2 - 

This contains a range of real citizen science projects your students can get involved in across the year. One for each month (minus August and December). It discusses the what, when, why, and curriculum links, behind each project. Practical adaptations are also suggested, incase working outside is not possible. 

We’ll hope you’ll love this resource as much as we loved making it. Find both parts on our YouTube channel here: 

Part 1 - Citizen Science and Outdoor Learning Overview - Part 1 CS Video Resource

Part 2 - A Citizen Science Calendar for Schools - Part 2 CS Video Resource

The slides associated with part 1 are here:

The slides associated with part 2 are here:

What is the competition?

This competition challenges secondary school students aged 15-18 across the UK to submit a scientific research project that addresses a water-related issue. It's a fantastic opportunity for young people in STEM to tackle one of the world’s most urgent challenges: the global water crisis.

Who's running it?🏃‍♀️

Organised by Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) in partnership with Arup and Jacobs.

What can the students win?🏆

The winning UK entry will represent the nation at the prestigious Stockholm Junior Water Prize in Sweden, with:

• An all-expenses paid trip to World Water Week

• A chance to win the grand prize of US$15,000

• International recognition on a global stage alongside entries from 40 other countries.

Who can apply?📃

Applicants must be:

• Aged 15–18

• Based in the UK

• In secondary education when the project was completed

• Working individually or in a team of up to two co-applicants

Key dates🗓️

• Deadline Tuesday 05 May (9:00am)

• Jury interviews Week of 25 May, location TBC*

• Winner notified 29 May

• Winner announced 09 June at the Flood & Coast conference in Liverpool

• International final 22–27 August*

*Applicants must be available on these dates (support will be provided to minimise clashes with exams).

Project journey🚣‍♀️

1. Choose a research topic

2. Develop a clear hypothesis

3. Conduct experiments and analysis

4. Submit a research paper (max. 20 pages) and summary (max. 200 words)

Shortlisted candidates will present their work to an expert jury, while the winner will go on to create a digital poster and one-minute video pitch for the international competition.

What participants gain💪

Experience

• UK winner: fully funded trip to Stockholm for World Water Week

• Shortlisted entrants: present to senior environmental professionals

• Expert feedback from leading industry judges

• Networking with peers and professionals

• Invitation to attend Flood & Coast in Liverpool

Exposure

• Represent the UK internationally

• Feature interview in The Environment magazine

Please get in touch with awards@ciwem.org if you would like to learn more about the competition.

More information is found in the document here -

What is it? The Great UK WaterBlitz is a biannual citizen science 🔬 campaign encouraging everyone to go outside and test the quality of their local freshwater bodies, including all rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, canals and wetlands. 🚣‍♀️

Why do it? This vital data helps to build a clearer picture of water quality across the UK. We can identify areas of high pollution and get a broader understanding of what is happening across the waterways in our country.💩

When is it? Between Friday 24 April and Monday 27 April, you’ll need ~20 minutes 

What do you do? Using a simple testing kit, that we will send to you for free, head to a freshwater location and test the water for its nutrient levels, as well as it’s pH. 🧪

Get involved! Register here Great UK WaterBlitz - Earthwatch Europe 

Get others involved! Send out this ✨flyer✨ to parents/carers, to encourage them to get them and their children involved in the GUKWB, maybe we’re biased, but we think it’s a great family activity. The flyer contains other reasons to get involved...

Plus...join our webinar all about water pollution and the Great UK WaterBlitz - 🌊✨What's in your water? A live lesson with Earthwatch Europe.✨🌊 Find more information about it here: Podia

We are so excited to announce our new partnership between Earthwatch Europe and Surfers Against Sewage! With plenty of opportunities to get involved, please join us for our CPD webinar: Growing Nature Connection – Practical Tips for Teachers. Here you can also learn more about upcoming residential teacher training weekend in June 2026... Teach Earth: From Source to Sea. We hope you’ll be as excited as we are! ✨

Who is SAS? SAS is a leading UK marine conservation and campaigning charity with a mission to end plastic and sewage pollution. Through mobilising community action, driving advocacy and leading national campaigns, SAS works to protect our blue spaces for both people and nature.  🌊

What is it? An interactive, live, 60-minute CPD teacher training webinar will show how nature connection and outdoor learning supports both staff and pupil wellbeing, engagement, and environmental understanding. 

Who’s it for? Although designed for primary teachers, we welcome secondary and SEND educators too. 🏫

Why do it? We will look at how nurturing valuable connections to nature in a busy school environment can bring benefits to staff and pupils. Common barriers to outdoor learning will be discussed, and solutions workshopped. Simple, curriculum linked, practical strategies to use with pupils will be shared, plus attendees will receive a resource pack with activities to connect their pupils with nature.  🌳

When is it? Wednesday 25 March 2026 | 4pm-5pm 

Where is it? On Microsoft Teams Live 💻

How can I get involved? Signup for the webinar here - https://thestemhub.org.uk/events/more-information/growing-nature-connection-practical-tips-for-teachers More information on the flyer here –

What’s next? This session acts as a taster as part of an exciting new partnership between Earthwatch Europe and SAS. In June 2026, we will be delivering Teach Earth: From Source to Sea, a weekend residential training programme for 20 educators on the beautiful Welsh South Coast. 🏖️

What will the residential focus on? The weekend follows a learning programme seeking to build teachers' skills, knowledge, confidence and motivation to effectively inspire and lead children, young people and peers in building climate literacy, connection to nature and empowering positive action for the planet. This exciting new partnership will bring new theme to Teach Earth: Source to Sea - understanding how water connects ecosystems, communities and oceans. 💧

Application forms for the residential weekend is open to primary, secondary and trainee teachers. Fill out the form here - https://forms.office.com/e/Eh7bHweHqP. 

Both Earthwatch and SAS are keen to ensure we’re designing our Teach Earth weekend to work for everyone, so we particularly encourage applications from different under-represented demographics and those working within under-served communities.   

Any questions? Don’t hesitate to email us at education@earthwatch.org.uk. More information on the Teach Earth program can be found here - https://edu.earthwatch.org.uk/teachearth 

Don't miss the opportunity to join this exciting collaboration. 🥳

Much like last year, we are running an engaging, national curriculum-linked live lesson for KS2 pupils that brings science and geography to life through real-world action! 🌎 🧪

It’s developed by us at Earthwatch Europe. This interactive session immerses young learners into the world of fresh water and environmental threats. It also introduces the Great UK WaterBlitz - a UK-wide citizen science project, explaining how everyone and anyone can get involved! 💧

Timed to support British Science Week and Great UK WaterBlitz (24th-27th April) this session empowers pupils to become scientists for a day - and environmental champions for life. 🦋🍃

• When is it? March 12th 1.30-2.30pm 

• Where is it? On Microsoft Teams Live 💻

• Who’s it for? KS2 Students 

• Do I need to pay? No, it’s free! ✨

• What next? Book your place here - https://thestemhub.org.uk/events/more-information/whats-in-your-water-live-lesson-with-earthwatch-europe 

• What do I get? Not only do you get a whole load of freshwater information, classes that attend the webinar will receive a certificate of participation, perfect for putting on your classroom wall! In addition, teachers will receive a school’s pack with practical activities to continue to explore the freshwater theme with their pupils. 

More information is found in the flyer below!

Plus, help get your school involved with the main event - The Great UK WaterBlitz! More information, and a flyer to send out to parents is found here: Podia

We look forward to seeing you there!

If you weren't fortunate to join us live, here is a recording of our Tiny Green Scientist Webinar. 👨‍🔬

Here we talk through:

• Tiny Forests 🌳

• Environmental challenges

• Tiny Forest benefits 🐝

• Outdoor learning, benefits and challenges

• Becoming a Tiny Green Scientist! 🔬

• Citizen Science in Tiny Forests

• Further opportunities ✨

If you have the time to watch it, please share your feedback here - Tiny Green Scientists Webinar Feedback Form This helps us strengthen our content and provide more tailored resources. Thanks in advance!

Finally, don't forget to fill out the Expression of Interest form if you are a school in London or Edinburgh that wants to join us on the next stage of the Tiny Green Scientist project! It's a really exciting free opportunity to access an in person education day for students followed by teacher training, at your local Tiny Forest. Here's the form - Tiny Green Scientists Expression Of Interest Form

Image: The Wildlife Trust

Sheffield Hallam University, on behalf of The Wildlife Trusts, is looking for your thoughts to help shape a national professional development programme for outdoor learning regardless of subject discipline. This project is kindly funded by The Ernest Cook Trust. 

The Wildlife Trusts' ambition is to address, and reduce, the gap in young people’s connection to nature during their secondary school years. 🌳🏫

It only takes 10 minutes to complete the online survey, and your input will directly help create a flexible, evidence-based CPD programme to support educators, pastoral teams, and senior leaders across all kinds of secondary schools. 

Whether your school has lots of outdoor space or very little, and whether you’re new to outdoor learning or an expert, your perspective matters! 🔍

Take the survey here: https://shusls.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3gw99asxZcJt35I 

As a thank you from the University and Trust, you’ll be entered into a prize draw for a £20 voucher. 

Image - Learning Planet Festival

Want to learn how to take care of yourself, others and the planet?! 🌍

Look no further than the (free) Learning Planet Festival. Running from the 21st of January to the 28th, there is still plenty of workshops and resources left to join and access.  

Organised to celebrate the International Day of Education, it brings together hundreds of thousands of participants from 193 countries! Its core theme is reimaging and transforming education – but this can’t be done alone and require collective action.  

Join the festival and hear voices and perspectives from around the world. 🗣️💬

Find the program here: Learning Planet Festival - LearningPlanet Festival 

Image - National Education Nature Park

National Education Nature Park (NENP) is led by the Natural History Museum and the Royal Horticultural Society. It’s a collection of the UK’s leading institutions within education, science research, and public engagement with nature.  🌳

The NENP programme aims to embed nature-based learning in the curriculum and encourage children and young people all over the country to take action to improve their school site for people and wildlife. 🐝

If your school is not already part of NENP we strongly recommend you register – here's some more information on the program, plus links to free resources How it works | Education Nature Park. 

So, what’s this webinar about? 

As we kick off 2026, join NENP for their start of term webinar. They'll be sharing the latest updates from their programme, what to get stuck into over the next few months and how they support you with your Climate Action Plans.  

Plus, you'll hear how their free, quality-assured resources can support you to deliver the curriculum across subjects and key stages through a climate and nature focused lens. 🌍🐌🐞

When is it? 

Wednesday 21 January, 16.15-17.00 

Where can you register? 

Microsoft Virtual Events Powered by Teams 

(Image - Learning Through Landscapes)

Applications for this grant opened on Monday and are open until March 13th. 

But what is it? 

Open to schools and early years settings in England, Scotland and Wales, this outdoor learning grant fund has four elements: 

• 2-hour outdoor teacher training course, 

• A school grounds climate survey, 

• Climate Curriculum Kit (valued at £150), 

• £500 of outdoor equipment chosen from a catalogue of over 100 items. 

Outdoor equipment includes Bird Boxes, Bee Hotels, and more! 🕊️🐝

What you need to do: 

• Write a grant – showing why this grant would benefit your school. 

• You’ll need to cover; pupil involvement, project sustainability, community, and benefits to students and staff.  

• Tips for writing a grant can be found here - https://ltl.org.uk/news/how-to-write-winning-local-school-nature-grant-application/ 

The application can be found here - LtL | Nature Grant 

Any unsuccessful applicants will get access to free webinars covering suggestions for improving their applications, along with tips and tricks for developing their outdoor learning provision. It's a win-win situation.