HCS Teachers Trained in Using GLOBE Protocols for Student Data Collection and Sharing with NASA

Missy Powell-Riedl, kindergarten teacher at Burbank Elementary School, and Rita Corbett, fifth grade teacher at Mary T. Christian Elementary School, joined educators from across the state for an intensive 22-hour workshop, Train Like a GLOBE Scientist: Gather Real-Time Earth System Data, building their capacity for meaningful Earth System data collection with their students. The workshop was held June 26-29 at the National Institute of Aerospace.

Powell-Riedl and Corbett received instruction from NASA scientists and National Institute of Aerospace STEM education specialists for three mornings as they learned and practiced GLOBE data collection protocols for clouds, air temperature, surface temperature, and soil temperature. GLOBE, or Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment, is an international program developed to build understanding of Earth Systems and the environment.  

For three afternoons, the teachers joined University of Toledo faculty virtually to learn about the importance of data collection before, during, and after the upcoming solar eclipses in the United States (annular eclipse - October 14, 2023 and total eclipse - April 8, 2024). The teachers also learned more about solar eclipses from the NASA Heliophysics Education Activation Team and resources, lessons, and visualizations available from My NASA Data educators. 

Through collecting data using the GLOBE protocols, the teachers will engage students in science and engineering practices embedded in the science curriculum throughout the year in a real-world and relevant way. The students will join other learners from across the country and 127 other countries in becoming citizen scientists contributing the data collected to GLOBE and NASA. 

Corbett believes, “By incorporating GLOBE into our curriculum, the students will be able to learn what a scientist does day to day. This will also show the students that they are scientists in the making.” 

“I will be teaching my kindergarten students the GLOBE cloud and surface temperature protocols. Once we have the surface and cloud protocols implemented, I will introduce the soil temperature protocol, which we will connect to our garden area,” says Powell-Riedl.

While Hampton is not in the path of totality, Powell-Riedl is already making plans for the April 8 eclipse that is expected to occur in our area around dismissal time. She will be making paper plate viewers using solar eclipse glasses she received at the training so that her students can safely make observations with her. In addition to a class set of solar eclipse glasses, Corbett and Powell-Riedl also received a set of STEM books and $500 worth of equipment that will be needed to make measurements. Both will receive an instrument shelter that will house the equipment and will be set up on the school grounds.  

“I can use what I've learned and share it with my colleagues and my students. I can also use the tools gifted to me in my class settings and teach my students how to use them,” said Corbett.