INCREASING WEATHER AWARENESS IN LOCAL SCHOOL THROUGH DATASTREME: EXPERIENCES OF OF THE ALBUQUERQUE LOCAL IMPLEMENTATION TEAM.

In 1998, a local implementation team was formed in the Albuquerque Metropolitan Area to help foster weather awareness and education through the American Meteorological Society's DataStreme program. The team was lead by a high school science teacher and consisted of a local television meteorologist and four meteorologists from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Albuquerque.

To date, nearly 15 teachers have completed the DataStreme program in New Mexico. Many of the teachers initiated or increased weather-related activities as a result of the program. Since this relationship as been fostered, a noticeable increase has occurred in the number of tours of the National Weather Service in Albuquerque and requests for career day presentations. Additionally, a greater interest in providing quality weather-related activities in the classroom has been noted.

This poster presentation will focus on a few of the innovative classroom activities developed by local teachers after their completion of the DataStreme course. These activities have been implemented in both elementary and middle schools.