Dates/Times:

  • Teacher Meeting/Discussion
    (Via Videoconference)
    March 26, 2007 ; 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. EDT

  • Global Warming Research Challenge
    (Via Videoconference)
    April 10, 2007 ; 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. EDT

  • Data Visualization, Videoconference Check-In
    (Via Videoconference)
    May 1, 2007 ; 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. EST
  • What did we learn and what can we do? Videoconference Symposium on Global Warming and Climate Change
    (Via Videoconference)
    May 23, 2007 ; 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Target Audience: 5th/6th Grade Students

Description

This is a collaborative pilot project between MAGPI, the Future Earth Institute Inc. of Spring City , PA. (FEI), and several fifth and sixth grade classes in Pennsylvania and New Jersey . Working collaboratively with FEI and their peers through ongoing videoconferencing and other collaborative technologies, students involved in this project will conduct real research to assist FEI in assessing public attitude of global warming/climate change and educational outreach needs.

The results of this project will provide FEI and the participating schools with a reasonable assessment of public understanding of the Global Warming/Climate Change within their own communities and within the tri-state community. FEI and participating students will then work collaboratively to develop materials and/or events to educate communities about global warming/climate change and what they can do to help combat it. The type of materials/events will be determined by the students involved in the project, but could take the form of persuasive letters, websites, videotaped public service announcements, assemblies, skits, etc. All students involved in this project will have an opportunity to share their educational materials with the other schools involved in this project through a videoconference-based symposium on Earth Day.

By gathering the data, assembling it into a meaningful visual format, constructing 3D models, interpreting the data and publicizing their findings, students will have a better understanding of how research can effectively inform and change the way we live, work and learn. Additionally, since the statistical work done for this project immediately informs the outreach initiatives of FEI, students will see how their research is translated by an existing organization.

Read more about how this project ties into 21st Century Learning Skills!


Project Timeline/Outline

Teacher Meeting/Discussion
(Via Videoconference)
March 26, 2007 ; 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Meeting with teachers involved in the project to explain the concept, present a short review of the Global Change/Climate Change scenario, plan for distribution of materials, answer questions, and set up lines of communication

Global Warming Research Challenge
(Via Videoconference)
April 10, 2007 ; 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Videoconference event with students to explain global change/climate change. Students will view and participate in a discussion about global climate change. At the conclusion of the videoconference, students will be ‘challenged’ to help FEI in their research.

Project 1: Global Warming: The Community's Understanding

Students will conduct field research, tabulate results and construct graphs using paper/pencil that will visualize results, aiding in interpretation.

Data Visualization – What is it? Videoconference Check-In
(Via Videoconference)
May 1, 2007: 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

What did we learn about our own communities through the research and graph construction? Students will have an opportunity to share their graphs, and participate in a brief conversation about Earth System Science. FEI will also explain data visualization and how students will be building 3D models to interpret their data.

Project 2: Creating Models

Using the data collected by all the schools involved in this project, students will generate models that will guide them in interpreting the tri-state data

Project 3: What can We DO to Help: Getting the Message Out!

This is an opportunity for your students to reflect on what they have learned and share that information with others. What’s happening? How can they help? In this project, students will design educational materials and/or plan an educational event. The type of materials/events will be determined by the students involved in the project, but could take the form of persuasive letters, websites, videotaped public service announcements, assemblies, skits, etc. Students will present their materials or talk about their event as part of the final videoconference symposium. 

What did we learn and what can we do? Videoconference Symposium on Global Warming and Climate Change
May 23, 2007; 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.

Students will share their final projects through a videoconference-based symposium. Schools that are not participating in the entire “Global Warming” project will be invited to view the symposium and ask questions.

 

RESOURCES:

Teacher's Guide

Power Point Presentation for Teachers' Meeting

Global Warming Online Class Data Form

 

About The Future Earth Institute

The Future Earth Institute Inc. is a nonprofit research and information agency incorporated in Spring City , Pennsylvania (west of Philadelphia ) devoted to public communication about Global Warming and Climate Change, and their predicted human consequences. The Institute's goal is to help heal an ailing planet by continuous, targeted public information in the education, religious, community and organizational sectors. 

The Mission of the Institute is to influence human change through an accessible public center for accurate information about Global Warming, Climate Change and the worldwide structure that supports international data-gathering. The structure includes a global space-based series of American and foreign satellites taking continuous measurements of various environments in order to track changes in Earth's components - atmosphere, ice cover, oceans, crust, solar system and land masses. 

The Institute gathers findings and converts them into more understandable everyday language. The data and other information is passed to the public in different ways such as upper high school classes, adult classes, public platform presentations and printed and visual materials. As a beginning agency, the staff consists of a President/CEO, Special Assistant To The President, Master Website Manager, Communications and Newsletter Manager, and several hourly staff members. Early studies of Global Warming led to and now depends upon a new kind of science called Earth Systems Science.

About 21st Century Skills Building

This project satisfies the Pennsylvania Department of Education mandates to prepare students to live and work in the 21st century. It meets the mandates by teaching “hands-on” student work in the science, mathematics (statistics), communication technologies, research methods, and environment and ecology content areas. All these human areas will be touched on during the life of this project by requiring these students to do real research in the real world. Students will also work to publish their findings in authentic contexts, including persuasive letters/websites and multimedia projects.

Field Work

Each 6 th grader will be involved in real-world data collection and will function in the same capacity as researchers. Each student will have ten questionnaires to be administered to people over the age of majority as a short paper and pencil exercise taking only a few moments to complete. A few personal questions are included if the survey results are needed to go to the next higher level of data: 1) sex differentiation, and 2) highest school grade completed. It is possible that attitudes and understandings differ among males and females, or that the amount of education a person has is a factor driving various responses. These two factors will not play into our collaborative interpretation of the data, but schools may be interested in testing their own hypotheses.

Statistical Work

Each school will tally its results and assemble a “raw data” sheet according to right and wrong answers. The students will interpret these results in two ways: 1) constructing a graph based on data for their schools using pencil/paper; and 3) designing/generating 3D models based on the data.

Create Visualizations of Data

Using the data for their individual institution, each school will construct a visual chart – bar graph, pie chart or line graph – that will be shared as part of a videoconference event. Each class will then use the data from the tri-state area to design 3D model as a means of interpreting and representing the data collected as part of this project.

 
     
© MAGPI 2006