NWS Education Products and Services for Teachers, Students & the Public

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service, (NWS) provides severe weather awareness and preparedness material to teachers and students nation wide. Traditionally this information was provided in the form of publications, posters, hand-outs and school visits. These methods can be both costly and inefficient. New information technologies can make the NWS information to teachers and students more cost-effective and improve the effectiveness of NWS education material. The NWS JetStream web site is designed to present the basic concepts of meteorology to a wide variety of audiences. JetStream Online School for Weather will provide educators, emergency managers, or anyone interested in learning about weather with comprehensive, well-organized, colorfully illustrated curricula designed to help teach about the wonders and dangers that abound in the Earth's atmosphere. Recently, the NWS created two new products for the education community, the “Xtreme Weather” CD for middle schools and the new “Sky Watcher Chart” for all grades, K-12, and the general public. The “Xtreme Weather” CD includes a Teachers Guide and interactive teaching material suitable for classroom presentations. The Illinois Education Association (IEA) co-sponsored the project and it meets the Illinois math and science standards. The “Sky Watcher Chart” is a joint project with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) introducing the basic concepts of cloud observations including the hydrologic cycle. The cloud chart is available on the internet for downloading. Copies of these new products will be available at the presentation.

Presenter: Ron Gird, NOAA's National Weather Service