How does the type of surface affect heating of the air 1 meter above the surface?
This was the research question that students began investigating at the end of September 2011. The investigation began with experiments in class using sand, dry soil, water, gravel, black paper, and white paper. Each material was exposed to light and heat energy from a 60-Watt incandescent lamp for 10 minutes and then allowed to cool for 10 minutes. Temperature measurements were collected at the before heating, after 10 minutes of heating, and after 10 minutes of cooling.
During the first week of October, students collected surface temperature and air temperature data from twelve stations around the school campus.
The following video is an ETV project produced by science students.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Geographic Information Systems
Students will be analyzing surface temperature data by making graphs and by plotting data onto a photographic image of the school campus to show surface heating. In preparation for this next phase of the project, Joe Steinfeld, a graduate student at Rutgers University spoke to students about how scientists use geographic information systems.
In-School Field Trip October 7, 2011
Slideshow by Joe Steinfeld
(Use the pause/play button to read and advance the slides.)
Maps Prepared by Joe Steinfeld for the Urban Heat Island: Search for Solutions Project
(click on images to enlarge)
Next up.... data analysis
Student Research Begins
The students were ready. The teachers were ready. The equipment bins were ready. The weather was not ready for the scheduled Tuesday, October 4, 2011, surface heating data collection day. It was an unintended lesson in how weather conditions can affect environmental research.
The low pressure system that rotated for days over the Midwest slowly moved east covering New Jersey in clouds, cool temperatures, and intermittent rain. Whenever the sun broke through the low gray clouds, classes went outside to practice using the infrared thermometers, hand-held weather stations, temperature probes, cloud charts, and solar meters. Throughout the day classes kept checking satellite images of the low pressure system with the hopes that the high pressure behind it would bring a clear sunny day tomorrow.
Students are using iPads to access a Google Docs form to generate a spreadsheet of all the collected data. The data will be used to create a temperature layer that will overlay the school campus base map giving students a graphic representation of temperatures around the school over time.
The low pressure system that rotated for days over the Midwest slowly moved east covering New Jersey in clouds, cool temperatures, and intermittent rain. Whenever the sun broke through the low gray clouds, classes went outside to practice using the infrared thermometers, hand-held weather stations, temperature probes, cloud charts, and solar meters. Throughout the day classes kept checking satellite images of the low pressure system with the hopes that the high pressure behind it would bring a clear sunny day tomorrow.
(click on image to enlarge)
Wednesday, October, 5, 2011, the weather broke in the students' favor and the data collection project was on! Ms. Salmon's and Mrs. Chen's grade 8 science classes sampled 12 stations around the school campus collecting infrared surface temperatures, air temperatures at 1-meter above the surface, relative humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation data. Each station included an area of soil covered by vegetation, a portion of the blacktop parking lot, concrete sidewalk, and the side of the school building. Data was collected between 8:20 AM and 9:00 AM, between 9:20 AM and 10:00 AM, between 11:40 AM and 12:15 PM, and between 2:00 PM and 2:45 PM. Mr. Lee's classes repeated the sampling Friday, October 7, 2011.Students are using iPads to access a Google Docs form to generate a spreadsheet of all the collected data. The data will be used to create a temperature layer that will overlay the school campus base map giving students a graphic representation of temperatures around the school over time.
estimating cloud cover, measuring wind speed and relative humidity, measuring temperature 1 meter above the surface, measuring surface temperature, and measuring solar radiation in Watts per square meter
Toyota TAPESTRY Grant 2011 Official Press Release
WYCOFF TEACHERS RECEIVE TOYOTA TAPESTRY GRANT
TO EXPAND SCIENCE EDUCATION
SCIENCE PROJECT AIMS TO HELP STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT
HEAT ISLAND EFFECT
Torrance, Calif. – August 17, 2011 – Toyota and the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) awarded Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School teacher Loris Chen a Toyota TAPESTRY grant for excellence and innovation in science education. Chen was one of 50 teachers selected to receive the grant this year, which marks the 21st anniversary of Toyota’s and NSTA’s efforts to support educators who are making a difference by demonstrating distinction and creativity in science education through the Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers Program. The grant team includes Dwight D. Eisenhower Middle School teachers Patrick Lee and Jennifer Salmon.
Chen’s proposal calls for students to conduct a scientific investigation of the heat island effect, as well as of mitigation strategies to naturally cool residential and commercial buildings. The students will work with scientists to learn how to design a research project, as well as how to use technology and math to collect and analyze data. They will also be tasked to communicate their findings to the community. The project was scheduled to begin in June, and will be in full swing in October.
Over the course of 21-year history of the TAPESTRY program, Toyota has provided more than $10 million in grants and touched tens of thousands of students nationwide. Today, in light of the current crisis facing the nation’s schools, the Toyota TAPESTRY program helps to ensure there are engaging science education programs available to get students excited about science.
As a result of the Toyota TAPESTRY program, numerous educators have gone on to win prestigious awards, including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Mathematics, the NSTA Distinguished Teaching Award and the Einstein Fellowship Award. Additionally, teachers have had the opportunity to expand their science-based projects beyond their classrooms, and impact their communities and even state legislatures. Frequently, this includes garnering substantial additional funding for the teacher’s program and school.
Program Overview
Sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. and administered by the NSTA, the Toyota TAPESTRY program serves as the nation’s largest science teacher grant program of its kind and awards funding for innovative science proposals submitted by educators in environmental science. Since the program’s inception in 1990, educators from all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Mariana Islands have received Toyota TAPESTRY grants.
Judges, accomplished in various areas of science education, select projects that stand out in creativity, risk-taking and originality. This year, 50 teachers have been selected to receive grants of $10,000 each, totaling $500,000. This year’s projects range from converting cooking oil into biodiesel fuel to studying the heat island effect to using fungus to clean petroleum spills.
Quotes
"The dedication and work of the Toyota TAPESTRY recipients are truly inspiring. These science teachers are helping our youth build an interest with how science affects our life every day to hopefully prepare them to be the science leaders of tomorrow.”
Michael Rouse, vice president of philanthropy, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
”For more than 20 years, NSTA has partnered with Toyota to deliver an invaluable resource for and investment in our nation’s science teachers. Through the Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers program, educators are given the support needed to carry out their innovative projects so that they can in turn help to cultivate their students’ interest in science. We applaud the winners of the 2011 TAPESTRY program for their hard work, creative ideas, and dedication to their students’ education.”
Dr. Francis Eberle, executive director for NSTA
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE: TM) established operations in the United States in 1957 and currently operates 10 manufacturing plants, including one under construction. Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion, including sales and manufacturing operations, research and development, financial services and design.
Toyota is committed to being a good corporate citizen in the communities where it does business and believes in supporting programs with long-term sustainable results. Toyota supports numerous organizations across the country, focusing on education, the environment and safety. Since 1991, Toyota has contributed more than $500 million to philanthropic programs in the U.S.
For more information on Toyota's commitment to improving communities nationwide, visit http://www.toyota.com/community.
About National Science Teachers Association
The Arlington, VA-based National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) is the largest professional organization in the world promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's current membership includes approximately 60,000 science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in science education.
Media Contacts:
Kirsten Clausen
GolinHarris for Toyota
(213) 438-8726
Kate Falk
NSTA
(703) 312-9211
kfalk@nsta.org
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