DataStreme Earth's Climate System

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DataStreme Earth's Climate System is a 13-week course offered twice a year to selected participants nationwide. Directed toward grades 6-12 teachers, but open to all K–12 teachers, you will...

  • Investigate the relationships between global climate, the Earth's atmosphere, and the world’s ocean
  • Discover causes of both natural and anthropogenic climate change
  • Utilize real-time data from NOAA, NASA, and other reputable sources
  • Investigate data and results from the most recent National Climate Assessment
  • Learn about climate models, climate variability, and predicting and adapting to the future

A copy of the course syllabus can be found here.

Check out the public, real-time data portal for DataStreme Earth's Climate System.

Funded by the American Meteorological Society with teacher support from Lockheed Martin, the DataStreme Earth’s Climate System course has a strong leadership component where participants become a climate science leader and a part of a national community facilitated by the American Meteorological Society.

Who can participate?

DataStreme courses are directed towards grades 6-12 teachers, but open to all K–12 teachers. Teachers of any subject (not just science) who have an interest in promoting the teaching of Earth Science across the curriculum are also welcome to apply. Participation is sought from persons who demonstrate potential as teacher leaders. They must be willing to act as resource persons for other teachers and as advocates for promoting the use of web-based environmental data in schools.

Please note: Once a course has been successfully completed by a teacher, they may not be re-taken (no matter how long ago the course was originally taken). If you are interested in taking another course with AMS, please consider one of our other DataStreme courses or applying for one of our summer courses (Project AtmosphereProject Ocean, or Project Ice)

Informal educators in leadership positions are conditionally eligible to participate in DataStreme courses. Email [email protected] for more information.

Teachers who are members of groups traditionally underrepresented in the sciences, or teachers who are teaching in schools with large numbers of students from groups traditionally underrepresented in the sciences, are especially urged to apply.

What does it cost to participate?

The total cost of DataStreme Courses is $400 per semester. The DataStreme course fee covers all course materials including textbooks, university academic fees, as well as the three tuition-free graduate credits per course. The fee is nonrefundable. Instructions on paying the course fee will be distributed after acceptance to the course. By leveraging grant funding, each DataStreme course costs participants a fraction of total tuition value of over $1900 per semester (as of Fall 2020).

For Fall 2024: Due to grant support, we are able to waive the course fee for participants. We anticipate doing the same in Spring 2025, but cannot commit at this time.  There will be a cap of 35 participants per course for Fall 2024; this will also be revisited before Spring 2025.

How is the course conducted?

DataStreme operates through the combined efforts of many dedicated people working together to provide a unique enhancement opportunity for K–12 teachers. It is also made available via partnership with Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest) and their Global Online initiative (https://www.pennwest.edu/online). The courses, through which teacher-participants earn graduate credit, are managed via an online learning management system called Desire2Learn (D2L). All digital course materials provided by AMS are delivered through this online portal. Course assessments are also delivered via this platform.

Participants in DataStreme courses are mentored by teams of dedicated teacher leaders and scientists across the country. Mentor Teams provide personal contact and mentoring to small teams of teacher participants each semester. Each team mentors participants on course concepts and activities and may arrange and hold in person or virtual field trips and enrichment opportunities beyond the core curriculum.

DataStreme Central, located at the AMS Education office, is a team of AMS staff that develops and provides instructional materials, gives logistical support to the Mentor Teams, engages Pennsylvania Western University and overall course delivery, and administers the program.

What equipment do I need for DataStreme?

You will need a computer and high-speed Internet connection. If you are reading this on-screen with your own equipment and you can print it out, you are essentially ready for DataStreme participation. Course registration with Pennsylvania Western University will provide you with your own PennWest student email address and other resources and benefits available to all students at the University. Technical requirements for course engagement can be found here: https://www.calu.edu/online/technical-requirements.aspx

What materials does DataStreme supply?

  • DataStreme electronic textbook and Investigations Manual.
  • Electronically delivered daily data and learning materials based on current weather, ocean and/or climate events.

What will I need to do if I am selected for a DataStreme course?

  • Engage online learning modules via DataStreme delivery of real-time information throughout the course.
  • Successfully complete online learning activities each week through D2L.
  • Complete assigned readings from the electronic AMS textbook and Investigations Manual.
  • Interact regularly with your Mentor Team by phone, email, or online discussion threads to discuss course progress.
  • Develop action plans for becoming an Earth science teacher leader.

What must I do after a DataStreme course?

The goal of DataStreme is to empower teacher leaders with the knowledge and capabilities to transform a virtually endless stream of environmental data into exciting and creative learning experiences for students. As an environmental teacher leader, you will be expected to introduce other teachers, administrators, parents, and members of the community to the benefits of utilizing electronically-delivered environmental data streams as vehicles for learning across the STEM curriculum.

AMS Education expects to develop a long-term working relationship with DataStreme course participants. The goal is to promote scientific literacy by motivating teachers and through them, their students, to develop and nurture an active interest in STEM topics.

 

Pennsylvania Western University awards graduate-level academic credit for DataStreme courses. NOAA and the AMS provide financial support for the program.