Cloud Animation Joins Learning Tools on Science Education Website

Published: 15 June 2005

ARM's tropical convective clouds animation illustrates the difference between tropical cloud systems that form over islands versus over the ocean. ARM file image. — ARM’s tropical convective clouds animation illustrates the difference between tropical cloud systems that form over islands versus over the ocean. ARM file image.

A primary focus of ARM Education and Outreach is to develop basic science awareness and increase critical thinking skills focusing on environmental science and climate change for K-12 students. Though their efforts primarily focus on the communities that host ARM sites, the program also supports relationship building between teachers, students, scientists, and other programs that seek to promote science education. At the request of WGBH-a public broadcasting company and National Public Radio affiliate-ARM recently supplied a copy of its convective clouds animation for the Teachers’ Domain© website.

The WGBH Educational Programming Department maintains the Teachers’ Domain website, which provides teachers with useful lesson plans that include background information, a video/animation, and an activity for almost every lesson on their web page. Free and available worldwide, the website is gaining popularity among educators, who can make immediate use of the materials. The convective clouds animation will be added to the new Earth and Space Sciences section of the website, which is under development. Taking its place alongside Nova and other PBS video clips and animations already on the site, ARM joins an impressive inventory in the Teachers’ Domain science education toolbox.

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The ARM Climate Research Facility is a DOE Office of Science user facility. The ARM Facility is operated by nine DOE national laboratories, including .