Case Study: Connecticut Middle School Students and WeatherBug Schools® Gain Local Celebrity Status and Greater School Performance via Interactive, Standards-Based Program
Final Quotes:
Dave Fowler is impressed. "The WeatherBug Schools Program is the best supplementary program available - supplying up to the minute weather information. The kids quickly and accurately compile good reports. I really enjoy watching them analyze and interpret weather data and put it all in a forecast that makes a lot of sense."
Here are just a few of the Connecticut state standards in Science, Technology, and meteorology being met at LOLMS:
| Science and Technology | WeatherBug Schools Lesson | LOLMS Application |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5-8.3 Describe how the use of technology can contribute to the solution of an individual or community problem | Predicting the Weather | The LOLMS weather forecast is broadcast daily to the local community on local AM radio stations WLIS and WMRD. |
| 3.5-8.5 Describe how people use science and technology in their professions | Predicting the Weather | The LOLMS students interact with the meteorologists at local AM radio stations WLIS and WMRD and Dr. Mel Goldstein, Chief Meteorologist of WTNH-TV. |
| 3.5-8.9 Identify technological advances that are reported in the media | Predicting the Weather | WeatherBug Achieve is constantly updating its weather technology and the students at LOLMS use these tools in their daily media weather broadcasts |
| 3.5-8.11 Describe how increasingly sophisticated technology is used to learn about the natural world | Predicting the Weather | LOLMS now takes advantage of the 24 FLASH web based lesson plans and tools to learn about the weather and world around them. |
| Meteorology | WeatherBug Schools Lesson | LOLMS Application |
|---|---|---|
| 7.5-8.1 Recognize how the cycling of water in and out of the atmosphere plays an important role in determining climate patterns and is responsible for constantly changing the phase and location of water. | High and Low Pressure Predicting the Weather The Water Cycle | Used in the weather forecast curriculum at LOLMS and the daily forecasts prepared by the students. |
| 7.5-8.2 Explain the wind results from unequal heating of the earth's surface | Predicting the Weather Storms and Fronts The Wind |
Students use the WeatherBug Achieve lessons to learn how wind impacts the forecasting of weather. |
| 7.5-8.4 Identify causes of thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes and winter storms and describe the impact of these storms on human activities | Predicting the Weather The Wind |
LOLMS students and teachers belong to a WeatherBug Achieve community and can not only view weather and pictures from hurricane ravaged New Orleans and Florida, but can communicate with students their own ages to discuss the impact of the weather on their lives. |
| 7.5-8.5 Recognize that high pressure areas are usually associated with clear dry weather and low-pressure areas are often associated with precipitation. | Analyzing Graph and Image Data Average Weather Data High and Low Pressure Predicting the Weather Storms and Fronts The Wind |
LOLMS students learn all about air pressure using WeatherBug Achieve, then use tools to map current high and low pressure areas as part of their weather forecasts. They use live data and see how the theory impacts their daily lives. |
| 7.5-8.6 Describe and explain the reasons for the distribution of climates around the world | Predicting the Weather The Water Cycle Types of Clouds The Wind |
WeatherBug Achieve has over 8,000 weather stations and 1,000 cameras that the students at LOLMS use to watch weather changes around the world. |
