Hi! I’m Annika M. Baldwin, PEWS’ current Science Harvest intern.Â
I’m checking in to tell you about a new resource I created based on an activity at this past month’s farmer’s market!Â
A little about me: I’m a Master’s student in communications at the University of Cincinnati. I am a qualitative researcher that specializes in organizational communication. The use of ethnography and interviews comes into play a LOT in my work. So, I decided, why not incorporate my own science-y skills to teach the kids through Science Harvest how to conduct observations and interviews?Â
In the short time I have with each child at Science Harvest, and with the ages of some of them, extreme detail is not something I employ. But explaining the concept of observing what you see and interviewing someone to find something out comes across well for the kids. One little girl, a very quiet one who is usually too shy to speak with me, loved it (according to her mother), and they went around the farmer’s market noting which people like the color orange best. Another sat on the stage of the farmer’s market and drew what she saw, culminating in three people (and the number 3). An older girl sat in the same location and came up with a list of in-depth things she noticed about the market and what changed since the last time and exactly what she saw people doing!Â
One of the reasons I most believe this activity to be important is because it speaks to the kids who aren’t “science-y.” As a child (until rather recently honestly!), I believed science wasn’t my strong suit and that my brain just wasn’t “suited to it.” However, I spent years creating my own studies, observing, and trying to find trends and themes in what I marked down! This activity gives kids the opportunity to discover other facets of science that speak to them!Â
As my Daddy always said as I was growing up, “Be aware of your surroundings. Always be observant.”Â
And guess what? You can find information about how to run this activity yourself under PEWS’ Resource hub. Enjoy instructions, material lists, and tips for use, courtesy of Science Harvest!Â
Annika Baldwin is a University of Cincinnati Master’s student in Communication & Public Relations and the 2025-2026 PEWS Science Harvest intern.
