Ticker for July 8, 2004

                
MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ... MESONET TICKER ...
July 8, 2004       July 8, 2004       July 8, 2004       July 8, 2004


OCS to Host 12th Annual EarthStorm Institute

Warning: EarthStorm will occur in Norman next week!

What's EarthStorm?  Well, it's not as threatening as it sounds.
Yes, it's powerful.  Yes, it's dynamic.  But it doesn't do much
damage.  In fact, it's pretty darn beneficial for the young minds
that make up Oklahoma's future.

EarthStorm is the Oklahoma Climatological Survey's annual week-long
institute for K-12 teachers.  Its participants receive training
in weather and meteorological measurements, a wealth of curricular
support, and their classrooms receive real-time access to Mesonet
data.

The access to Mesonet data facilitates a "real-world" laboratory,
where students (and parents and teachers) can make measurements,
calculations, graphs, and sense out of something they see, feel and
understand every day: the weather.  EarthStorm classrooms have
integrated the data into their math and science curriculum, and
have found it useful in bulding self-esteem (I can do this!),
computer skills, and (ssshhh, don't tell anybody) actual FUN in
the classroom.

So, if you're in Norman next week, and you see some happy teachers
running around with goofy instruments, don't worry: it's just a
typical day during the EarthStorm Institute!

To learn more about OCS's K-12 Outreach program, check out:
http://k12.mesonet.org/

EarthStorm is sponsored by the Dept. of Energy's Atmospheric
Radiation Measurement Program and the Oklahoma Mesonet.