HCS science teacher leaders trained in using GLOBE protocols for student data collection and sharing with NASA

Ten science teacher leaders from Hampton City Schools joined 20 science teachers from Chesapeake Public Schools, Newport News Public Schools, Portsmouth Public Schools, and the York County School Division at both the National Institute of Aerospace and online to receive training in the use of GLOBE data collection protocols and integration of NASA eClips resources. 

The teachers spent six hours working with NASA scientists, GLOBE Educators, and National Institute of Aerospace-Center for Integrative STEM Education (NIA-CISE) staff building their capacity for meaningful Earth System data collection with their students. Specifically, the teachers earned and practiced GLOBE data collection protocols for recording and reporting cloud observations, air temperature and surface temperature. Through collecting data using the GLOBE protocols, the teachers will engage students in science and engineering practices embedded in the science curriculum throughout the year in a real-world and relevant way. The students will join other learners from across the country and 127 other countries in becoming citizen scientists contributing the data collected to GLOBE and NASA.  

Teachers Ashley-Kristian Green (Syms Middle School), Victoria Hulick (Phoebus High School), Adrienne Jenkins-Butts (Syms Middle School), Kristina Ledesma (Forrest Elementary School), Sally Lewis (Kecoughtan High School), Samantha Pyne (Phoebus High School), Tirzah Sarro-Jaynes (Phoebus High School), Nicole Snyder (Phoebus High School), Susan Rudd (Hampton High School), and Melani Thomas (Mary Jackson Elementary School), joined Rita Corbett (Mary Christian Elementary School) and Missy Powell-Riedl (Burbank Elementary School), who were trained over the summer, in becoming GLOBE certified teachers. Each participating school received an instrument shelter and each teacher received approximately $200 worth of science equipment (including an infrared thermometer, calibration thermometer, digital multi-day min/max thermometer, and hygrometer), five to seven STEM books, class sets of solar viewing glasses, and NASA posters and calendars. Funding for the professional learning experience and teacher equipment was made possible through a grant from the Coastal Virginia STEM Hub.

When asked how incorporating GLOBE and NASA eClips resources into instruction would help empower learners, Snyder said, “They can feel like real scientists, doing real data collection, because they are!”  Lewis echoed Snyder saying that data collection “will spark interest in science” by having students “doing real science.”  Thomas said, “Students will thoroughly enjoy collecting, sending in but especially receiving the data report matches [from NASA] with real satellite data. Our learners are very much interested in things that are applicable to their real world.”  Further, Thomas said, “The NASA eClips videos serve as a great introduction/wrap up to our units. Students especially enjoy the videos with reporters that look like peers.”

Teachers worked with NIA-CISE senior STEM education specialists Dr. Sharon Bowers and Joan Harper-Neely, HCS educator in residence and STEM teacher specialist Betsy McAllister, NASA physical scientist Jessica Taylor, and project scientist for GLOBE Clouds Marilé Colón Robles. Opportunities for HCS teachers and students to work directly with NIA, NASA, and GLOBE educators and subject matter experts is made possible through the City of Hampton’s funding of an educator in residence position at NIA-CISE.

GLOBE, or Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment, is an international program developed to build understanding of Earth Systems and the environment.  NASA eClips is a NASA-supported project that brings together exciting video segments with educational best practices to inspire and educate students to become 21st century explorers.  This web-based video and resource repository for educators focuses on preparing students in grades 3-12 for a world requiring a solid foundation in the sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Both GLOBE and NASA eClips have been embedded into the HCS Science curriculum.