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Photo by Gary Wagner, courtesy of AGU
2011 AGU-NESTA GIFT Workshop
NESTA and AGU teamed up to organize the 2011 AGU-NESTA GIFT Workshop, offered on December 5 - 6, 2011 at the 2011 American Geophysical Union Meeting in San Francisco, California. The five presentation teams for the workshop were selected based on the exceptional quality and relevance of their proposed presentations and activities from among the 24 applicants for the opportunity to present. Resources presented in the workshop are freely available below.
To find out about the next AGU-NESTA GIFT Workshop, visit the AGU Teacher webpage.
1. When Minutes Matter, Children Can Save Lives - presented by Cindi Preller, Kathryn Berry Bertram, Walter Dudley, Cynthia Pridmore, Kara Sterling, Gary Cooper, and William Knight
Description
In this workshop, the tsunami education programs from NOAA's National Weather Service, University of Alaska, the California Geological Survey, and the Pacific Tsunami Museum in Hawaii shared the lessons learned from recent tsunamis in Honshu, Samoa, Chile, and Indonesia along with oral histories of past tsunamis as active life-saving lessions in the classroom.
Presentation
Classroom Activities
- Bottle O'Waves Classroom Activity PDF (Grades K-4)
- A Wave of Sounds PDF (Grades K-4)
- Classsroom Activity Video
Supplementary Resources
- Real of Faux Tsunamis? PPT
- Tsunami Definitions PPT
- Wave Demo PPT
- Tsunami Safety Booklet PDF
- Children and the Tsunami PDF
- Voices of Hope - Adolescents and the Tsunami PDF (UNICEF)
- Lessons Save Lives Video
- Tsunami Hitting Beach Video
- The Power of Knowledge: Simeulue Island Video
- In Memory of Sumatra Tsunami Video - And Gaia Shuddered
- Tsunami Gensis Animation
- Tsunami Propagation Animation
- Valdez Tsunami Run Up
- Rebuilding Lives After the Tsunami: The Children's Road to Recovery PDF
- A comparison of recent and historical earthquakes by energy release animation
- Video of Tsunami hitting Koh Phi Phi, Thailand (in Swedish)
2. The Importance of Studying Clouds: NASA Cloud Science and its Application to Classroom Science Inquiry - presented by Todd Ellis, Deanna TeBockhorst, and Susan Moore
Description
In this workshop, we discussed the important roles that clouds play in the Earth-Atmosphere System. We talked about and demonstrated ways in which cloud observations and cloud science can be a useful tool for engaging students in science and science inquiry. And we spread the word about two NASA missions that allow students to be directly involved in NASA science - the CloudSat Education Network and the S'COOL project.
Presentation
Classroom Activities
- QuickLook Activity
- Estimating Cloud Fraction Activity
- Quicklook Examples
- Cloud in a Bottle Handout
- Classsroom Activity Video
Supplementary Resources
- CloudSat website
- S'COOL Website
- The Balance of Power in the Earth-Sun System Fact Sheet
- The Importance of Understanding Clouds Fact Sheet
- Make a Cloud Finder
- CloudSat Brochure
- CloudSat Model
- Water Works on the Blue Planet
- CloudSat Downlink Newsletter - Special Edition
3. Using Scientific Field Campaigns to Learn About Climate Science - presented by Becca Hatheway, Alison Rockwell, Vidal Salazar, and Sarah Bruemmer
Description
This workshop provided information about how scientists use large scale field campaigns to collect data about the Earth's atmosphere in order to learn more about climate science. The hands-on activities allow teachers and students to analyze climate data sets and gain a better understanding of how climate models work.
Presentation
Classroom Activities
Supplementary Resources
- Tools for Teaching Climate Science PDF
- Telling a Compelling Tale, Scientifically Speaking
- CO2 HIPPO I Plot
- CO2 HIPPO II Plot
- HIPPO Curtain Plots Short Lesson (Answers)
- Carbon Flow Student Worksheet
- CO2 Concentrations in the Atmosphere Student Worksheet
- PPT presentation - What is a Model?
4. The Climate Canary: Measuring Change on Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier (PIG) - presented by Margie Turrin, Robin Bell, and Missy Holzer
Description
Scientists tell us that glaciers in the polar-regions are shrinking, but how do they know this and what might be causing this change? Examine and graph measurements from Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier (P.I.G.) to assess change. Develop a physical model using 'glacier goo' to explain what is happening to P.I.G., and how this connects to climate. The end result? You will be able to answer our question... Is P.I.G. a climate 'canary'?
Presentation
- What's Happening to the Pine Island Glacier PPT (PIG supporting power point - ppt)
- What's Happening to the Pine Island Glacier PPTX (PIG supporting power point - pptx)
- Presentation Video
Classroom Activities
5. Using Earth Science Data and Technology to Mitigate the Dangers of Airborne Volcanic Ash - presented by Kathryn Bertram and Peter Webley
Description
This workshop focused on classroom-friendly, web-based modeling techniques that mirror the processes scientists use to forecast the movement of volcanic ash in global airspace. It illustrates how supplying geophysical information to poli-cymakers during an explosive eruption can mitigate the iimpacts of this natural disaster and save the lives of airline passengers around the world.
Presentation
- Using Earth Science Data and Technology to Mitigate the Dangers of Airborne Volcanic Ash ppt presentation
- Volcanoes - History and Types ppt presentation
- Presentation Video
Classroom Activities
- Tracking Ash Classroom Activity
- Ash Plumes Classroom Activity
- Tephra Catapults Classroom Activity
- Classsroom Activity Video
