Transcript NOAA Education

NOAA Education
Presentation to the
Math Science Partnership
Regional Conference
January 7, 2009
Louisa Koch
Director of Education
National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
NOAA Mission Goals
Ecosystems: Protect, restore and
manage the use of coastal and ocean
resources
Climate: Understand climate variability
and change to enhance society’s ability to
plan and respond
Weather & Water: Serve society’s needs
for weather and water information
Commerce & Transportation: Support,
safe, efficient, and environmentally sound
transportation
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NOAA Vision
An informed society that uses a comprehensive
understanding of the role of the oceans, coasts, and
atmosphere in the global ecosystem to make the best
social and economic decisions.
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Taking the Pulse of the
Planet
• Observations and monitoring (collection of real-time
data)
• Data management and display (transmission and
display of data through maps, charts, etc)
• Research (interpretation of data and generation of
new scientific understanding)
• Modeling, predictions and projections (insight into
the future)
• Resource management (stewardship, mitigation
and response)
• Partnerships (States, Non-Governmental
Organizations, Free Choice Learning Institutions...)
• More than 600 fulltime educators, extension
agents, communicators and outreach specialists,
and researchers, resource managers, etc
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Changing Conditions in Climate,
Weather, Ocean and Coasts
In the News
Driest rainy season in Southern
California
Phoenix 32 days above 110°
Mountain Pine
Bark Beetles
Utah largest fire in history
January Tornadoes
Arctic Sea Ice Cover
Shatters all Previous
Record Lows
Record high and max low temps
in Missoula. MT
Record drought in the
southeast
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Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change: Key Findings
• The extent of regions affected by droughts has increased
• The number of heat waves has increased
• More precipitation falls as rain rather than snow in northern regions
• There has been a global-
scale decline of snow and ice
especially since 1980
• The concentration of CO2 in
the atmosphere has reached
a record high relative to more
than the past half-million
years
• Global
temperatures are
warmer than they have ever
been during at least the past
five centuries, probably for
more than a millennium
NOAA/NESDIS/NCDC
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Ecological Implications
Loss of Arctic Sea Ice
Petition To List
Ringed, Ribbon,
Spotted Seals
NOAA Trust Resources
Marine Mammal Protection Act and
Endangered Species Protection Act
+Arctic FMP7
NOAA Employees
Across the Country
NOAA employees focus on education in Sanctuaries,
Reserves, Sea Grant, Weather Service, and more…
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NOAA Funding Opportunity
National Competitive Grants
• Funding averages between $3M to $5M and 8 new projects a year
• Projects range from $100K to $750K total and last 1 to 5 years
• Areas of interest include teacher professional development, instructional
materials development/modification (primarily K-12), teachers and/or
informal educators, experiential learning for youth and families based
• Desirable characteristics: Connected to
at least 1 NOAA mission goal, promotes
understanding of climate, weather, ocean
and coasts, science based, solid
evaluation plan
• For more information go to
http://www.oesd.noaa.gov/funding_opps.
html
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NOAA Funding Opportunity
Bay Watershed Education and Training (BWET)
• Supports experiences that integrate classroom instructional
requirements with meaningful outdoor experiential learning
• Enhances academic learning and promotes stewardship
• Areas currently served: Chesapeake Bay, California, Hawaii, New
England, Gulf of Mexico, and Pacific Northwest
• Provides up to $100K per year for up to 3 years
• For more information go to www.oesd.noaa.gov/BWET
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Ocean and Climate
Science Literacy
Ocean and Climate Essential Principles and
Fundamental Concepts
• Explores how the ocean and climate influence us and
how we influence the ocean and climate
• Community driven effort to clarify fundamentals of
ocean and climate science literacy
• Used as guiding document by many institutions (e.g.,
National Science Teachers Association, American
Association for the Advancement of Science (Project
2061), Smithsonian Ocean Hall, Aquariums,
Sanctuaries, and Association of Science Technology
Centers)
• For more information go to
http://www.coexploration.org/oceanliteracy/documents/
OceanLitChart.pdf and
http://www.cpo.noaa.gov/Temp/Climate_Science_Liter
acy_Brochure_Final_v2.pdf
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Teacher at Sea
Learning adventures conducting science aboard NOAA vessels
• As a teacher at sea you might catch a shark, set a tidal benchmark,
monitor ocean temperature, help deploy a tsunami buoy, help launch a
remotely operated vehicle or examine a shipwreck
• Teachers submit 2-3 logs per week, interview scientists, participate in
research activities and draft a lesson plan
• Available to full time educators in good health
(K-12, college, university, museum, aquarium
etc)
• 2009 application period closed December 31,
2008
• For more information go to
http://teacheratsea.noaa.gov
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Estuaries
Nursery grounds for the ocean
Where the river meets the sea
• NOAA runs a network of 27 National Estuarine Research Reserves
dedicated to enhancing public awareness and understanding of estuarine
areas
• Estuaries 101 includes modules that teach the “big ideas” in earth
science, life science, and physical science
• Estuaries Live provides live broadcasts,
videos, virtual field-trips, and dynamic
presentations by leading educators and
scientists on a wide range of estuarine
and coastal topics.
• For more information go to
http://www.estuaries.gov
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Ocean Exploration
Education offerings
• 350 inquiry-based lesson plans that excite and inspire
• Multimedia learning objects and activities that address topics ranging from
hydrothermal vent life to medicine from the sea
• Professional development to help educators convey the excitement of
ocean exploration while teaching to state and national standards around
the country and throughout the year
• Interaction with marine explorers to
provide students with first-hand
knowledge of exciting careers through
live interviews, mission logs, web
chats and web forums
• For more information go to
http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/edu
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Questions?
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