Hurricane Education for Teachers and Students

Sunday, August 19th 2007, 10:25 am

By: News On 6

Educators will have the opportunity to bring a hurricane expert into their classroom with the release of a new NASA web page and video. The web page and video were created from a 1.5 hour live, interactive lecture with a NASA hurricane expert and teachers that occurred in 2006, using Internet-2 technology. Both the web page and the 58-minute video can be used by teachers in classrooms. The web page will contain the most information, including 35 separate, 1-4 minute long, video segments that were derived from the live program.

Broken down by key concepts, each segment is linked to national education standards. An index describing each segment, the media content and linkages to national standards is provided. The pre-produced videos give an overview of topics. The teaching segments include Halverson explaining and using the scientific visualizations to teach concepts about hurricanes. Each of the teaching segments contains a "factoid" at the end that gives additional related information in the form of a graphic. The Q & A, generated in part by the teacher audience during the original event, help clarify additional questions.

The video segments and the media content, which includes visualizations, graphics and images used by Halverson during the presentation, are described and available for viewing and download on the webpage. Much like a television meteorologist, the images are projected on a "green screen" behind Halverson.

The web page is located on NASA's Hurricane Resource Web Page at: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/hurricanes/features/hurricane_educ_links.html

The 58-minute video, which is an edited version of the whole program, will be running on NASA's Education Channel and educators can record the program. It may also be available on DVD. Teachers interested should contact Sarah Dewitt of NASA-TV at 301-286-0535, or Sarah.L.Dewitt@nasa.gov