Meeting the Weather and Ocean Education

Challenges in New York State

Michael J. Passow White Plains Middle School, White Plains, NY and

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Palisades, NY michael@earth2class.org;

James R. Ebert, SUNY Oneonta

Wayne Powell,

Brooklyn College, CUNY

New York State has more than one-fifth of all Earth Science teachers and students in grades 6 – 12 Earth Science classes in the country. So the impact of strong programs in our schools can be considerable toward developing models for other states, as well as a knowledgeable future citizenry. The NYS Education Department has developed Science Education Standards and Core Curriculum guides for elementary (K – 4), intermediate (5 – 8), and high school (9 – 12) science that include extensive weather and ocean topics. We present examples from these. NYS educators face many challenges of teaching them in the diverse school settings across the state—urban, suburban, rural, well-to-do, high-needs, experienced educators, beginning teachers, teachers out of their certified subject areas, etc. So we will provide examples from pre-service teacher preparation programs offered by the State University of New York and City University of New York to produce qualified new teachers. We will also describe selected in-service professional development programs for in-service teachers, including American Meteorological Society DataStreme Courses, the Earth2Class Workshops for Teachers at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, and institutions such as the New York Aquarium and American Museum of Natural History.

New York City and the “Big Four” School Districts (Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, Yonkers) have large numbers of

• Students with special needs• Students from low-income families• Students often have few opportunities to

“experience” natural phenomena• Teachers often lacking in subject area

certification, mentors• Poor quality buildings and facilities• Limited access to educational technology

and extensive lab facilities

High-Need Rural Districts often

• Lack resources to support special needs students

• Lack infrastructure for educational technology

• Have inexperienced teachers willing to start at low salaries

• Exposure to local weather conditions increase student awareness

New York State has

• Diverse geography—coasts, urban heat islands, mountains, lake effect

• Long history of Earth Science curriculum concepts throughout K-12 curriculum

• Extensive assessment at grades 4, 8, and 12

Examples of “Regents” QuestionsAugust 2006

• 1.2e.  Earth's early atmosphere formed as a result of the outgassing of water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and lesser amounts of other gases from its interior.

• 1.2f.  Earth's oceans formed as a result of precipitation over millions of years.

• 1.2h.  The evolution of life caused dramatic changes in the composition of Earth's atmosphere.  Free oxygen did not form in the atmosphere until photosynthetic plants evolved.

• 1.2g.  Earth has continuously been recycling water since the outgassing of water early in its history.  This constant recirculation of water at and near Earth's surface is described by the hydrological (water) cycle.  

• > Water is returned from the atmosphere to Earth's surface by precipitation.   Water returns to the atmosphere by evaporation or transpiration from plants.  A portion of the precipitation becomes runoff over the land or infiltrates into the ground to become stored in the soil or ground water below the water table.

•  > The amount of precipitation that seeps into the ground or runs off is influenced by climate, slope of the land, soil, rock type, vegetation, land use, and degree of saturation. 

• > Porosity, permeability and water retention affect runoff and infiltration. Soil capillarity influences this process.

2.2a.  Insolation (incoming solar radiation) heats Earth's surface and atmosphere unequally due to variations in: intensity (caused by variations in atmospheric transparency and angle of incidence which vary with time of day, latitude, and season); characteristics of the materials absorbing the energy (such as color, texture, transparency, states of matter, and specific heat); and duration, with varies with seasons and latitude.

2.1b.  The transfer of energy within the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and Earth's interior results in the formation of regions of different densities.  These density differences result in motion.

2.2b.  The transfer of heat energy within the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and Earth's surface and interior occurs as a result of radiation, convection, and conduction.  Heating of Earth's surface and atmosphere by the Sun drives convection within the atmosphere and oceans, producing winds and ocean currents.  Density differences are the basis of many Earth phenomena including cloud formation and the formation of atmospheric storms.