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| | School Visits |
In spite of the harsh winter, the school year is just about at an end and Weather World has wrapped up another season of visits to schools around the region. We are planning the 1996-97 academic calendar with a few new twists. We will still send out a Weather World Student Question Form to schools we intend to visit. We ask that the coordinating teacher copy and distribute the form to each student expected to attend the demonstration and then mail these forms along with directions for the last mile to the school to us about 10 days before our visit. In turn, we will make a VHS copy of our time at your school and will leave you numerous weather maps and cloud charts.
The Weather World team arriving at your school consists of an on-camera meteorologist - usually either Paul Knight, Fred Gadomski, Lee Grenci, Sam Perugini - a camera operator and an audio technician. Our 30-45 minute presentation is followed by selected students' questions which are videotaped and broadcast on a Weather World show within a few weeks of the visit. Our most effective demonstrations are with groups of between 50-80 students in a large well-lit room. The upper intermediate age students respond best and we prefer that primary grades not be included. In general, gymnasiums and large auditoriums are not good locations due to their acoustics and lighting. The Weather World host will need a table for their demonstration, a jug of water and a nearby electrical outlet.
Paul's visit to a school near Lewistown last March.
In 1996-97, we are offering a new opportunity. We are inviting two schools to come and visit us at the Penn State Weather Station. The visit will include a tour of the weather station, a demonstration time, samples of weather videos and look at a weather workstation (complete with internet, satellite and radar display). The 1.5 hour tour/presentation will conclude with videotaping the students questions. If you can combine this with a visit to other parts of the Penn State Campus, it will be a great time for your class. Due to space limitations, we must restrict the size of the group to thirty (30) or less. The one week left available for these visits is the week of March 10 - 14, 1997. We will accept groups on a first-come basis.
As another alternative, we will offer in the 1996-97 school year to have your school submit a VHS tape of your students questions, including a shot of the entire class. We will use these questions in a Weather World feature and will answer as many as possible in letter form.
As of now, we have no schools scheduled for 1996-97! So the calendar is wide-open. We urge you to notify us as soon as possible so we can reserve a month to visit you in the coming academic year. The best way to contact us is to e-mail Paul Knight (knight@psumeteo.psu.edu) or call us between 10AM-4PM at 814.863.4229. We are eager to meet new students and teachers next year. Best wishes to all as you conclude this school time. We hope you have a fine summer.
