Recorded presentation2.1
NSTA National Meetings:Wild About Weather Short Courses
Kathleen A. Murphy, AMS Education Resource Educator, St. Louis, MO; and J. Kramper and K. Ehrhardt
What do you get when you mix a busload of Science teacher's with a NWS WCM and a TV broadcast meteorologist? A day of exciting professional development for teacher's from across the United States.In March of 2007, a short course was offered by 2 AMS Education Resource Agents. The focus was on hazardous weather and the process by which citizens are warned about approaching hazardous weather. The day began as the teachers rode the bus to the St. Louis National Weather Service Forecast Office. As we travelled through the floodplains of the Missouri River, we looked at the site of the Flood of 1993 and the major development which has been built since the flood. At the Weather Service, teachers looked at pictures taken during the flood. Discussion about building on the floodplains of the river ensued. James Kramper of the NWS hosted the first part of the day. He explained the purpose and mission of the NWS. Teacher's then learned how weather data is collected and did a simulation of a severe weather scenario. The teachers learned how warnings and watches were made and sent. A tour of the NOAA weather radio system ended the presentation. The AMS resource agents shared lesson plans and resources with the teachers. The second part of the day took place at the KMOV-4 studios. Mr. Kent Ehrhardt showed the studios to the teachers. Teachers toured the news and weather desks. Kent explained what the station did when they recieved the warnings and watches from the NWS. He also discussed the difficulty of interruptions during high interest broadcasts-like the March Madness Finals. Teachers were able to participate in a question and answer period. The day was considered a success by all. The teachers gained a wealth of knowledge about the wild weather of the midwest, the NWS was able to provide outreach to teachers from across the nation and the local broadcast meteorologist was able to reach 25 teachers from 25 schools without leaving the studio.It is our hope to continue this outreach each year at the national meeting of NSTA. Plans are currently being made for the conference next March in Boston, Massachusetts. Recorded presentation
Session 2, K-12 EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH
Monday, 21 January 2008, 4:00 PM-5:30 PM, 209
Next paper