How To Infuse Creativity Into Your Curriculum With Weather Data

The benefits of integrated science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education are well documented. One such benefit is enhanced critical thinking skills across all subjects. This means that STEM-based education benefits students beyond basic scientific and mathematical studies. An excellent way to incorporate STEM methodology into your classroom is by using a WeatherSTEM weather tracker.

Make the Most of Innate Curiosity

One of the goals of STEM education is to encourage and take advantage of students’ natural curiosity about the world around them. Incorporating weather data into your teaching plan is an organic way of transitioning from everyday observations to scientific inquiry. Students are almost always curious about and tuned-in with the weather, and presenting such an everyday happening as a door to scientific investigation is a natural way to introduce data gathering and analysis.

Integrated Lesson Plans

To gain the optimal WeatherSTEM benefits in classes, consider using the integrated curriculum provided for every level from Kindergarten through 12th grade. These lesson plans can help you and your students translate the weather data gathered by your school’s weather tracker into relevant, meaningful information. They will also help you integrate the WeatherSTEM information into your existing STEM curriculum.

Kid-Friendly Features

The WeatherSTEM tracker includes a daily cloud camera that records cloud movement over the course of an entire day. Each day, students can watch a time-lapse video of the previous day’s clouds, which helps them track hyperlocal weather patterns. Students are also excited to share the data and what they are learning with family members and the wider community, which they can do using a dedicated website.

WeatherSTEM provides a gateway to introducing atmospheric studies into your STEM curriculum. To learn more about the program and how to get a weather tracker installed at a school in your district, contact Earth Networks today. Email a consultant at [email protected], or call toll-free 800.544.4429.