AERAs Host Teacher Workshop: Hazardous Weather Conference for Educators

Abstract

Project ATMOSPHERE atmospheric educational resource agents (AERAs) representing the mid-Atlantic states pooled resources to conduct a regional workshop for teachers. This conference used hazardous weather as its central theme. Over 150 people attended this one-day event held in Richmond, Virginia, which included three concurrent sessions of eight presentations each. The workshop included presentations by meteorologists and educators from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Virginia Power, and television stations, as well as the AERAs themselves. The presentations were designed to develop basic understandings about hazardous weather and to provide guidance for establishing hazardous weather emergency action plans for schools. The orientation of the program was hands-on, including a number of activities for teachers to implement in the classroom. This workshop demonstrates how educators and scientists can form partnerships to improve science education.