School weather station - a step towards climate preservation

School weather station - a step towards climate preservation

Authors:

O.G. Kalmykov, Ph.D., teacher of the "Bryansk Professional Pedagogical College"

B.V. Trishkin, Ph.D., teacher of secondary school No. 66, Bryansk

Translator: Jo Vallentine, Former Australian Senator.

In the summer of 2020, more than 25 schools and colleges in the Bryansk region took an active part in the new Climate Program "From theory to practice."

In June, the regional coordinators of the SPARE Program organized and conducted two training thematic webinars for teachers of geography, biology, physics and technology. During the discussions, it was decided to make the creation of a school climate plan a priority in the development of environmental education and upbringing. Moreover, the teachers suggested a broader study of climate change by the students themselves. It was decided not only to develop the study of theoretical materials, to conduct intra-school energy audits, but also to organize our own, actually operating, climate long-term measurements of climatic indicators.

In June, school teachers in the city of Bryansk and students of the Bryansk Vocational and Pedagogical College developed information presentations on the topic: "International negotiations on Russian climate policy" and helped 20 schools to conduct online public opinion polls on the participation of the public and schools in shaping the climate situation in Russia. It was decided to create a large regional program to train schoolchildren and students to collect meteorological data on a daily basis and keep climate diaries. This program consists of several parts.

1. Collect and analyze parental observations of weather changes in the region over the past 20 years. Systematize local and regional benefits and threats of climate change. Consider the possibilities of reducing negative phenomena on nature and human health.

2. Write and distribute guidelines for the creation or purchase of home and school weather and meteorological stations of different levels: homemade and digital.

3. Develop and distribute presentations for thematic excursions to regional professional weather stations.

4. Create step-by-step recommendations for schoolchildren for correct daily monitoring of changes in the following weather parameters:

- measure the direction and speed of the wind with a weather vane;

-measure the amount of precipitation with a rain gauge;

- using a rake nephoscope to determine the speed and direction of the clouds;

- use a snow gauge to determine the height of the snow cover;

- with a home-made device hygroscopes approximately determine the humidity of the air;

- measure atmospheric pressure with a barometer;

- determine the dew point with a hygrometer;

- place thermometers in the weather booth to obtain correct temperature readings.

The teachers presented their proposals to the school administration and jointly discussed the possibilities of making or buying basic observing devices for the climate. Some schools decided to organize expeditions to regional weather stations and instruct students to create mini-home weather stations.

July 15 - August 20, more than 25 schools and colleges of the Bryansk region held thematic summer camps and environmental practices on the topic: "Modern global and regional climate change." Photo reports showed that each educational institution has chosen its own vector of activity:

- students of the "Bryansk Professional Pedagogical College" organized excursions to the Bryansk regional meteorological station, carefully familiarized themselves with the operation of each device and prepared to conduct classes in school summer camps;

- pupils of 5-6 grades of the Glinishchevsk school created a weather vane and a meteorological booth in the school carpentry workshop;

- the administration of the Bryansk school No. 66 bought a mobile weather station and high school students began to conduct multifactor observations of the climate;

- participants of the summer camp of the Domashovskaya school of the Bryansk region, children 7-9 years old, listened to talks about climate change, separate waste collection and conducted a labor force to clean up the territory near the local club;

- "Gymnasium No. 1 of the Bryansk District" held a series of business games and a mini-festival "Save the climate!" for schoolchildren 8-13 years old.

More than 450 schoolchildren and students took part in the Summer Climate Program "From theory to practice".

Conversations with students showed that students' observations of climate change in the region and measurements of climate indicators aroused great interest among parents in this issue.