This past Wednesday I had to get up at 7:30am which isn't the most delightful time in the morning for a college student. I had to get up because I was going to Vance Elementary School in West Asheville to go talk to a 4th grade class about weather. Another fellow student, Chad Hutchins, and myself got there just before 9pm. We had some trouble finding out exactly which class it was we were supposed to be speaking with but with a little help from someone in the front office we found it. We went in started to set up our stuff and ran into some problems as the projected was being incorporative with us. Finally after getting some help we got it all up and running. We then talked to the students about severe weather. Chad went on to discuss what classifies as severe storm. I then followed with and explanation of how a storm forms, how hail forms, what causes lightning (as well as the different types of lightning). Chad then talked about tornados and how they form. We both talked about safety concerning each of the things that we were talking about and how to prepare. Throughout the whole thing we asked them several questions which some were easy and some were a little more difficult. We had them share some stories of their own about some neat weather events they had seen or been a part of. The students were very receptive to us and asked a lot of questions and had a lot to say even to the point to where we had to calm them down a few times in order to proceed. We eventually ended at 10am which was 20 minutes longer than the planned time, though the teacher didn't seem to mind and neither did the students. So all and all for our first go at it I would say AMS Outreach (AMS=American Meteorological Society)was a success. We had two other groups to with other people, one also later on Wednesday and then another one today. From what I have heard it has been a success on their end as well. We plan to continue AMS Outreach next year as well following these same students on to 5th grade and working with them there to try and help broaden their understand and increase their awareness of weather. Hence the name AMS Outreach. It should be a lot of fun as I know I enjoyed it and look to continue with it next year.
As for other things still not much going on as all I have left now are my finals next week before I finally head out of here for the Summer on May 9th. Which will signify then end of Physics and Calculus. Thank God, because I have no idea how much more my brain could have handled.
|| Vespere Hesperian 1:11 PM
