A thunderstorm is a localized storm accompanied by lightning and thunder. It may also have gusty winds and often brings heavy rain. Some thunderstorms can also bring tornadoes and/or hail. During winter, localized heavy snow showers may also have thunder and lightning. And, in the western United States in summer, thunderstorms may be…

More than 100 public schools in New Orleans were flooded in the hours after the hurricane struck. The roughly two dozen schools that did not fill up with water suffered wind and rain damage. It was a devastating blow to old, already battered school buildings that were among the most rundown in the country. The devastation created an unprecedented…

The purpose of this study was to investigate seventh grade students' conceptions of global warming and climate change. The study was descriptive in nature and involved the collection of qualitative data from 91 seventh grade students from three different schools in the Midwest, USA. An open response and draw and explain assessment instrument was…

This article discusses seven lessons learned from Katrina, suggesting that after chaos: (1) there is hope; (2) there is a strong atmosphere of indeterminacy; (3) things tend to break apart and reform in somewhat similar ways but with different values; (4) there is a desire for organization, leadership, and familiarity; (5) there is a sense of…

Hurricanes can be regarded as Carnot heat engines. One reason that they can be so violent is that thermodynamically, they demonstrate large efficiency, [epsilon] = (T[subscript h] - T[subscript c]) / T[subscript h], which is of the order of 0.3. Evaporation of water vapor from the ocean and its subsequent condensation is the main heat transfer…

Flash floods, severe thunderstorms, and tornadoes occur with rapid onset and often no warning. Decisions must be made quickly and actions taken immediately. This paper provides tips for schools on: (1) Preparing for Severe Weather Emergencies; (2) Activating a Severe Weather Plan; (3) Severe Weather Plan Checklist; and (4) Periodic Drills and…

A wind vane is a tool for making observations of wind direction and initiating inquiries about the weather. Its construction and use continue to be mainstays of the science education of elementary students. By providing students with the opportunity to discern critical features associated with the wind vane's operation, you can ensure that…

Global climate change, rising sea levels, changing weather patterns, collapsing fisheries, and habitat losses are real threats to the American economy and way of life. At the same time, America's youth continue to fall further behind their global peers in science and math, resulting in the threat of a future where fewer Americans are prepared for…

The SATELLITES program uses geospatial technologies to study surface temperatures of Earth's materials, such as sand, soil, grass, and water. Data are collected using Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) protocols, which are then used in research projects that are a part of the International Polar Year (IPY).…

In this essay, the authors note a particular air of apathy in relation to the post-Katrina era expressed in teacher education classes. They are concerned with what the cultural levees mean for justice-oriented educators. How might they find ways to foster in their students connections of empathy and solidarity with those experiencing these…

In the tragic aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami off the coast of Thailand, a group of nomads known as the Moken village sea gypsies were featured in an investigative report for their high rate of survival along with the animal population (Simon, 2005). In seeking to discover why this particular group of people survived when so many others had…

While the persistence of criminal activity is well documented, this may be due to persistence in the unobserved determinants of crime. There are good reasons to believe, however, that there may actually be a negative relationship between crime rates in a particular area due to temporal displacement. We exploit the correlation between weather and…

Of the cadre of non-educators--business leaders, military men, government officials, lawyers--who have been called on to transform large urban school districts in recent years, Paul Vallas has been at it the longest and, in the minds of many, is the one with the best track record. Since 1995, he has tackled the third- and eighth-largest districts…

An inexpensive and easily implemented device to measure wind velocity is proposed. This prototype has the advantage of being able to measure both the speed and the direction of the wind in two dimensions. The device utilizes a computational interface commonly referred to as a "mouse." The mouse proposed for this prototype contains an…

Plant ecology is an important subject that often receives little attention in middle school, as more time during science classes is devoted to plant biology. Therefore, the authors have developed a series of activities, including a card game--Designing the Perfect Plant--to introduce student's to plant ecology and the ecological trade offs…