Abstract
Schools are increasingly seeking learning opportunities outside the classroom where students have the opportunity to utilize science citizenship skills in real world situations, Citizen science can provide such opportunity, if the projects are designed with clear educational objectives and schools in mind. Marine Metre Squared (Mm2), a citizen science initiative for monitoring of the New Zealand seashore, aims to facilitate school-based engagement that leads to improved coastal management. The project provides opportunities for schools to collect ecological data that facilitates understanding of marine science, develops science skills and provides a platform for investigation of local environmental issues. It provides opportunity to engage with the front end of the curriculum (values, community engagement, lifelong learning, local- and place-based learning). This paper describes aspects of the design of Mm2 and initial citizen engagement, particularly with respect to schools. Using case studies, it explores how Mm2 was implemented by schools in community-embedded projects to grow responsibility for the local marine environment. These diverse examples included monitoring around environmental resource consent, traditional cultural stewardship, and environmental action.