Observations

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Observations Measurements throughAutomatic
Hands on Analysis
Weather Program
Where Hands on Experiences leads to
the Excitement of Measurement which facilitates
a scientific understanding of Our Local
Surroundings
A.M Environmental
Automation Control

Andrew Mosedale
320 Carter Street

Barnet VT

05821

USA

Phone/Fax [phone]

Email andy_at_ameac.com


www.ameac.com
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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
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Met station installation
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• 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

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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
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• 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

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Module 3 Data from the met stations is
collected, compiled, and, quality checked for
future graphing and analysis The met station is
uninstalled
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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
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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.
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Student Reaction and Results Its 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
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Information Attainment
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Curriculum, Standards Multidisciplinary
Crossover
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More Curriculum, Standards Multidisciplinary
Crossover
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Module 2 Data recording and processing Weather
station sighting

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Evaluation and Assessment
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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!
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• 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

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Grow big with learning!
Start Simple and Small..