The Oklahoma Climatological Survey (OCS) started the Earthstorm Project in 1992 to teach Oklahoma teachers how to use real-time weather data to teach science and math principles in the classroom. Since then, over 50 elementary, middle, and high school teachers have graduated from the program. As part of the Earthstorm Project, each teacher is assigned a mentor from the Oklahoma meteorological community. This unique partnership allows teachers and scientists to work together to improve K-12 science and math education in Oklahoma.
This paper describes a particular partnership between a six-grade science teacher in Byng, Oklahoma, and a meteorologist at the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma. Interactions occur primarily through an electronic bulletin board system (BBS) developed and maintained by the OCS. The BBS allows the scientist to respond quickly to questions modified by the teacher or the students about meteorology, a career in meteorology, or the use of meteorological data. In addition to using the BBS, the scientist usually visits the school twice a year to interact with the students by presenting multimedia lectures on severe weather and safety. The authors will discuss the effect of this interaction on the students and the important factors that make this partnership successful.