O bservations & M easurements through A utomatic & H ands on A nalysis

1. Observations &Measurements throughAutomatic &Hands on Analysis WeatherProgram Where: Hands on Experiencesleads to the Excitement of Measurementwhich facilitates a scientific understanding of Our Local Surroundings A.M Environmental Automation & Control Andrew Mosedale 320 Carter Street Barnet VT 05821 USA Phone/Fax: 802 – 633 – 3659 Email: andy@ameac.com www.ameac.com

2. OMAHA Weather project 2 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 Overview •Multidisciplinary external science curriculum completed in four 1 – 2 hour modules • Outside classroom where students learn how to manually observe, measure, and record weather parameters • Students discover the capabilities of an automatic weather station - how and what parameters it measures and records • With quality assured data, the students will compare manually collected point weather data to automatically recorded data • Participant results and conclusions from the two different data streams will be investigated and explained graphically

3. OMAHA Weather project 3 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 Met station installation

4. OMAHA Weather project 4 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 • Module 1 • •Background information on making weather observations and on using hand instruments is introduced • • Measurements of: • Date/Time • Latitude/Longitude • Air Temperature • Surface Temperature • Wind Speed/Direction • Beaufort Scale • % Cloud Cover • are taken and recorded on data sheet • • Any other observations or note worthy situations are also recorded

5. Time Temperature ( C ) Beaufort # Beaufort Speed (mph) Cloud Cover Other ( ) OMAHA Weather project 5 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 Datasheet Conversions: MPH to Kilometers per Hour: MPH * 1.609 = Km/h Degrees C to Degrees F: 9/5 *C +32 = F Degrees F to Degrees C: [5/9 *(F –32)] = C

6. OMAHA Weather project 6 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 • Module 2 • • Met station site selection and setup of instrumentation that will automatically measure: • Air and Surface Temperatures • Wind Speed and Direction • Sunlight Energy • Hand measurements are again recorded and continually recorded (once a day) over the time period the met station is operating

7. OMAHA Weather project 7 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 Module 3 • Data from the met stations is collected, compiled, and, quality checked for future graphing and analysis • The met station is uninstalled

8. OMAHA Weather project 8 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 Module 4 • Presentations, Charts and Graphs are produced • Conclusions and additional questions are investigated • Individual and/or group data reporting • Feedback is collected regarding the process and set up of this experiment, considering both manual and automatic weather measurements

9. OMAHA Weather project 9 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 Analyzed Data Output Lyndon Town School completes, a temporary weather station installation, 10 days of continuous hourly measurements of wind speed/direction, temperature and sunlight were recorded. With the use of this weather station and ‘spot manual measurements’ a comparison of instrumentation and scientific method was organized. (L-R) Matt Smith, Andrew Pott, and Craig Merchant (with hand held anemometer) complete weather station installation at Lyndon Town School.

10. OMAHA Weather project 10 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 • Student Reaction • and Results • “It’s all Good!” • - 7th grade student and OMAHA Program participant • “Putting up the weather station,”...was the most interesting and enjoyable thing about this program. • - Matt Smith 7th grade student and OMAHA Program participant • “I liked making the graphs and being outside” • - Andrew Pott 7th grade student and OMAHA Program participant

11. OMAHA Weather project 11 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 Information Attainment

12. OMAHA Weather project 12 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 Curriculum, Standards & Multidisciplinary Crossover

13. OMAHA Weather project 13 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 More Curriculum, Standards & Multidisciplinary Crossover

14. OMAHA Weather project 14 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 Module 3 Station installation, Site description continued hand obs. and measurements Module 1 Hand observations Data collection Module 4 Data collection/compilation Graphical analysis and chart making + + + Module 2 Data recording and processing Weather station sighting =

15. OMAHA Weather project 15 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 Evaluation and Assessment

16. OMAHA Weather project 16 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 Conclusion • The four modules and associated activities in the OMAHA program directly apply to national and Vermont standards • Inquiry based and external hands on learning directly and indirectly fosters scientific principles and the understanding science • The OMAHA program is fun! Students learn about things that change within the minute-to-second time scales, what forces cause them and what instruments measure them • This application of data usage and analysis is open ended and can grow with analysis and comparison to other data sets and sites. The possibilities are limitless!

17. OMAHA Weather project 17 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 • Where do we go from here? • Build a resource that extends beyond the school walls • • Try to involve modules or variations of them as tools used in specific learning activities in schools and around the community • • Expand measurement capabilities and sites with more than one portable station with potential cooperation from: • Other Schools • Businesses • Municipalities • Organizations • • I am willing to work together with teachers, and administrators with this program to try to: • Balance the breadth of topics that mandates and standards produce • Adapt and change to meet knowledge base and abilities • • Assess and evaluate student performance based on observations and concrete evidence • • Seek external funding and capital investment sources that could absorb the programs logistical costs and fees allowing the program to be implemented and shared equally at various schools

18. OMAHA Weather project 18 - 18 AMEAC 1/2004 Grow big with learning! Start Simple and Small..