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Team Members: Mark Chandler, Linda Sohl, Steve Ackerman, Betsy Youngman, Mark Hafen, Steve Kluge
Meeting Room: 213 (Hayes), Worner Center
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Pre-meeting Sharing Space
Please introduce yourself to your team members. Give a brief description of your role in facilitating the use of data in education. You can also post links, files, or images.
Add Pre-meeting notes here:
Strawman Datasheet
strawman datasheet for EdGCM group (Microsoft Word 85kB May26 09)
EdGCM Introductory Presentation:
Here is a copy of a typical 10 minute intro presentation for the EdGCM Project to get us all started:
EdGCM Intro Presentation (powerpoint) (PowerPoint 6.8MB May25 09)
EdGCM Video Tutorials
Here are some links to help get you oriented:
EdGCM and education standards
By request, some info to help people get started on this front:
.v2.pdf (Acrobat (PDF) 328kB Jun3 09)
Mark Hafen:
Hi everyone. My name is Mark Hafen and I was asked to be part of the EdGCM team. This is my second Access Data workshop. I was on last year's NODC team. We created an exercise on sea level rise with NODC data (using their Ocean Data Viewer tool) on ocean heat content and sea surface height. My background is diverse (READ: I have career ADD!). I have a doctorate in Marine Science (Geology), a masters in Geography, and a bachelors in Business Logistics. I have been an Instructor in the Geography Dept. at the University of South Florida in Tampa since 2001. I teach in both our Geography and Environmental Science & Policy programs. I'm also the undergrad program director for the Geography BA, so I am involved in curriculum and course development, program and course assessment, and undergrad advising. Mark's Web Page I have developed Google Earth exercises for my courses (thanks to teammate Steve Kluge!) as well as for a publisher, to accompany a World Regional Geography text book. I've used data in my teaching for many courses, including Climatology, Wetland Environments, World Regional Geography, and Coastal & Marine Geography. I'm excited to be part of the EdGCM team, as this presents a great opportunity to apply climate modeling in courses that I teach.
Mark Chandler:
I am a research scientist at Columbia University's Center for Climate Systems Research in New York, which is actually better known as NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies. That's a load of acronyms (CU, CCSR, NASA, GISS), but most people generally just say that we're from "GISS" (hard G).
GISS is NASA's primary climate modeling center and most of us work on development of global climate models (GCM) and/or application of those models. My background is in the use of GCMs to study warm climates in Earth's past, but in recent years most of us have, necessarily, been focused on issues related to future climate change. About 10 years ago I started a science education project, which came to be known as the Educational Global Climate Modeling Project (EdGCM for short). The focus of EdGCM was to make the complex models that we build at NASA more accessible to teachers, students and academic researchers.
That meant getting the GCM to run on desktop or laptop computers (instead of supercomputers and expensive workstations) and building user interfaces around the GCM so it could be more easily operated by non-programmers. The EdGCM software suite we created, which we'll be using at the AccessData workshop, eventually grew to include GUI's for more than just the NASA/GISS GCM, but also for supporting software, including post-processing and visualization applications. EdGCM is now a pretty complete package that allows users to create, run, analyze, visualize and report on global climate model simulations. Since 2005 I've been part of a team distributing and supporting the EdGCM software through professional development training workshops for teachers, and for use in undergraduate courses and academic research.
I'm very excited about participating in this workshop and the EET because I've had little opportunity to work with professional educators to build any type of curriculum modules around EdGCM - something that we are often asked for by teachers.
Looking forward to meeting you all!
Mark Chandler (not to be confused with Mark Hafen :)
Steve Ackerman
Hi, I finally figured out how to get on this site. I'm a professor at UW-Madison and Director of the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS). This research institute does a lot of work with NOAA in developing new ways of analyzing observations from weather satellites to support weather forecasting. We also do climate analysis with the 30-year record of satellite observations that we have. That's not really a 'climate' record but we've seen a lot of changes over the past 30 years.
We also are involved in a lot of education activities. We've developed several on-line resources to support teaching. I mostly developed these to support my teaching of introductory weather and climate classes. These are vey simple models but might support intro material prior to running the EdGCM. Some relavent climate activities are at:
Here's simple greenhouse climate model: simple greenhouse model
Effective Temperature of the planets:Effective Temperature of the planets (more info)
And the daisy world model:the daisy world model
The Milankovic Cycle: The Milankovic Cycle
And our most popular ones on weather to play and learn with..
Tornadoes
and
See you all in CO!
Linda Sohl:
I'm an associate research scientist, also at Columbia University/GISS along with Mark Chandler. As a geologist who really got hooked on paleoclimate during grad school (snowball earth, anyone?), my research interests have often involved trying to understand the global climatic conditions that may have had an impact on, and/or evolved in conjunction with, life on this planet. That effort requires a combination of geological data analysis and Global Climate Model (GCM) output, both so that the climate simulations are as realistic as we can make them, and so that the model output is better capable of casting light on information that rarely or never gets preserved in the rock record.
I had the good fortune to be one of EdGCM's early users/testers, and have been successfully using it for some of my own research since 2001. In the past few years, I've been pleased to be a part of the EdGCM Project team's effort to distribute and support the software, through both professional teachers' workshops and labs I've taught at the undergrad level. My experience is a great example of how EdGCM can open a window into the world of climate modeling for those of us who are not atmospheric physicists or scientific programmers, and I'm happy to help students and teachers get that same view that I have. I'm also very much looking forward to spending time with all of you, and learning new ways to best help others to do that!
-Linda
Betsy Youngman
Hi everyone
I am looking forward to meeting you all next week. I have worked on several chapters for the EET and I use them in my teaching of AP environmental science. The EET chapters are great resources for teachers and students to learn about software and science so I am really pleased to be invited to participate in another workshop to build another chapter.
I have had a long career in K-12 teaching (25 years) interspersed with some interesting adventures. I was an Olympian in cross-country skiing in 1988 and 1992. After I retired from skiing, I moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1994 where have been teaching at Phoenix Country Day School.
In 2001, I was invited to be a field assistant for the U of AZ team studying ice cores and snow / ice interactions on the ice sheet at Summit, Greenland. I was also invited to accompany the same scientist, Markus Frey (now of the British Antarctic Survey) on the ITASE traverse to the South Pole in 2002-2003. Thanks to these opportunities in the field and in the lab at the U of AZ, I know a little bit about atmospheric chemistry and how the ice core record has been gathered.
I am really interested in climate change and climate modeling and look forward to furthering my understanding of this important topic.
Betsy
Steve Kluge
Hey! I'm a thirty year high school geoscience teacher veteran, retired in '07 but still very active in geoscience education - providing teacher PD at SUNY Purchase and SUNY Oneonta, and participating in various curriculum programs and projects. Throughout my career, I've used data to drive my classroom discussions and lessons, and have developed many "data driven" labs and activities for my 9th grade earth science classes, and my "college level" (credit bearing through SUNY Oneonta's ESOP program) intro Geology classes. Pearson Higher Ed recently published "Encounter Earth", and guided inquiry lab manual that relies on student exploration of Google Earth imagery.
I'm an avid sea kayaker and hiker, and carpentry and boat building in particular are very satisfying side interests.
steve.kluge@gmail.com
http://stevekluge.com/geoscience
Session 1 - Thursday Morning
Meet your team members. Learn about the data, tools, and expertise represented on your team. Review DataSheet(s) and explore data and tools.Team members meet each other and share their experiences and viewpoints on using data in education. Review and discuss DataSheet(s) begun by the data representative(s) for your team. Explore datasets and tools and consider how the expertise on the team can complement them. If you haven't already done so, narrow down the range of datasets the team is considering using to a manageable number.
Add Session 1 Notes here:
6/4 Morning break out
To do list
o What is our story line?
possibilities –
how is climate change going to affect something they like or want to do? (skiing, the beach, vacation,
decision making – you have IPCC data, climate models, ties together science and social issues.
come up with your own mitigation strategy
for example - 1% increase for 60 years, then drop to 315 ppm and see how it goes.
come up with a scenario as a small group and then run it
maybe pick from a small list of forcing groups cluster, and have a few prefab answers
applet that allows students to manipulate variables to see how CO2 changes then input that number into the edGCM
address the issue - how good are models?
existing lesson is about how climate modeling lead to our current knowledge
doubled CO2 first 1970's it is the baseline or standard, then transient experiments 1988.
put this stuff in teaching notes.
The climate change controversy -- confidence issue
what are the caveats? problems, flags
take time to discuss what is a model and how they are built
o What are the possibilities with the data?
o can we go regional? yes and no, highly precise extremely in accurate.
o Datasheet review
o What product will we produce? Examples of EET chapters
o Brainstorm step -by-step skeleton
o learning about a data set is a goal of EET
need to define some or the terms
notes
we don't have the luxury when there is a real world problem to fully understand before we give information to policy makers. we just keep refining the assessment. 4 iterations of the IPCC.
GCM's are not perfect but not to be thrown out either
what are models are best representation
what models include needs to be refined constantly.
EdGCM version for EET
download software as one step (everyone)
a second step is to download the output files - 2 GB
Session 2 - Thursday Afternoon
Brainstorm data-use storylinesBrainstorm a set of possible storylines for valid investigations of the dataset(s) you have selected. Come up with at least one compelling scenario that will give users a reason to work through the technological steps necessary to perform an analysis of the data.
The Activity Outline Guide provides an outline for the minimum information needed for the team's activity outline.
Add session 2 Notes here:
Item 1: Discussion about data sheet, editing Mark C's first crack at it.
Change title: Using the Education Global Climate Model (EdGCM)
URL's: Homepage – http://edchm.columbia.edu/
Data access URL (may change): http://edchm.columbia.edu/downloads/
Link text: Access version of EdGCM with preset scenarios.
Model description à box added to data sheet, description
Simulation description à box added to data sheet
Have two preset scenarios (Modern_PredictedSST and IPCC_A2), add a third "EdGCM also allows users to create their own scenarios, e.g. 1. Adjust greenhouse gas levels, 2. Set greenhouse gas trends, 3. Adjust solar luminosity
User can only choose boundary conditions within reason, based on modern conditions.
Data Description à EdGCM runs a global climate model that simulates variables such as temperature, precipitation, winds, snow and ice coverage and hundreds of other climate variables.
Variables can be viewed as maps, vertical cross-sections, zonal averages, time series, and regional averages.
Commonly used variables are "pre-post-processed" into the model.
Graphical Representation of Data
Image URL à EdGCM includes visualization software to allow users to make images of all output. Examples of EdGCM images
Use and Relevance
Use and relevance à alter description to be less specific to the exercise. "Scientists are using global climate models to simulate climate of both the past and future. The primary use of these models is to make projections of future climate change. These projections are being used by policy makers to help guide decisions regarding environmental policy."
Retain the remaining examples.
Data Type à Raw data are generated during the running of the global climate model. EdGCM allows students to post-process/manipulate the raw output and generate their own tables, plots and maps for visualizations.
Accessing Data
Accessing Data à The EdGCM software comes with pre-set scenarios. Running the scenarios creates the raw data and the software facilitates post-processing and visualization. Raw and post-processed GCM output is available also from the EdGCM Project. EdGCM software is sold for non-commercial educational use only by Columbia University.
Question: is the software going to cost? Can no longer give it away because it is no longer federal government funded, and Mark C and Linda should not even be expending effort on it. Cost might depend on the number of copies that could be sold. This will have to be reviewed later.
Modeling and Data Creation Tools à
Visualizing the Data à add "Format of the output is standard and can be used in many visualization applications."
Collection Methods à data aren't collected, "Data are simulated..."
Sources of Error à Limitations, errors
Under Scientific Resources à take out "An Inconvenient Truth", possibly put that under Educational or Other resources. Add IPCC reports
Scientific Resources should be peer-reviewed resources related to EdGCM.
Heading for Use in Teaching and Learning à Steve K, Steve A, Betsy and Mark H will work on this. There are so many possible applications.
Additional notes from Betsy:
Need to collect -
IPCC report http://www.ipcc.ch/ipccreports/ar4-syr.htm
Documentation for EVA, edGCM,
Screen shots from Linda
NSTA standards – from Linda
How this is being used in classrooms – examples from Steve Ackerman's colleague
What are the limits for each of the forcings? Give numbers to examples
Greenhouse gases, what are the IPCC scenario numbers?
CO2
N2O
CH4
CFC 11
CFC12
luminosity
Have students download solar max and min to input into the forcing - 11 year sunspots. Or give them these numbers to play with.
boundary conditions are fairly static – it would be good to know them.
topography
plate locations
seasonal changes
here is the link to aim a cain http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/kids/movncane.htm
graphics
http://www.grida.no/publications/vg/climate/
global warming sites
http://www.uky.edu/KGS/education/globalwarming.htm
Sessions 3 and 4 - Friday Morning
Select a data-use scenario and perform a proof-of-concept checkUse the complementary expertise on the team to check that the task you are envisioning can actually be completed in an educational setting. Identify a target grade level for the activity and choose a working title.
Please limit the scope of the activity to tasks that can be accomplished by accessing existing data and tools. Discuss and agree upon the content limits of the activity as well. Consider that the major goal of these activities is to develop user familiarity with the data and tools.
Add Session 3 and 4 Notes here:
Grade Level: 7-12, undergraduate and graduate
Exercise requires EdGCM software
Storyline: EdGCM Hot Times on Planet Earth (Microsoft Word 33kB Jun5 09)
Step by Step Task Instructions
Task 1 Time Series of Global Temperature Increase
{These step-by-step instructions for creating time series will/can be replaced because we are going to supply teachers with 1) a plot showing the Keeling Curve (CO2 increase observations) and IPCC projections for future CO2 increase and 2) plot of global surface air temperature change from 1880-present.}
1. Download software and install
2. Launch EdGCM
3. Using the Window menu select Analyze Output
4. Select Modern_PredictedSST in the Toolbar
5. Click on the Time Series tab
6. Since all years are automatically selected just click on "Time Series" button, button will be grayed out if this has been run previously
(note: clean up between classes using Simulation Library:Clean Up function)
7. Select "Surface Air Temperature" and "Water Content of Atmosphere" and click Extract button
Repeat 3-6 for IPCC_A1FI_CO2
8. In EVA data browser select the two SRFAIRTMP files (1st column), select Surface Air Temperature (2nd column), and select Global (3rd column)
Task 2 Global Temperature Simulations (Maps, Anomalies, etc.)
2. launch EdGCM
Prepare Output for Analysis
3. Open "Analyze Output"
4. Click on Maps tab
5. Select Modern_PredictedSST in the Toolbar
6. Click on the "Last 5" button
7. Click on "Average" button - this creates an average of all variables from the last 5 years of the simulation
8. In center section select variables: Snow and Ice Coverage, Low Level Cloud Cover, Surface Air Temperature, Max Surface Air Temperature
9. Select "Monthly" "Seasonal" and "Annual" check boxes
10. Click on "Extract" button
11. Select file under View Images and then click the "View" button at the bottom
Repeat steps 4-12 for "IPCC_A1FI_CO2" simulation
Now in EVA
Select the Modern_PredictedSST file in the left column of the EVA data browser, click the Plot button
Select the IPCC_A1FI_CO2 file in the left column of the EVA data browser, click the Plot button
Now you have two maps:
Modern_PredictedSST Surface Air Temperature and IPCC_A1FI_CO2 Surface Air Temperature
Optional: you can change the projection to Mollweide and set the scale to -40C to 30C on both maps
Create Anomaly Map {complete this with instructions}
Task 3 Global Warming Feedbacks1. Repeat exercise from Day 2 (global temperature analyses) using the "Snow and Ice Coverage" data set
Task 4 Country (Regional) Analyses
0. Supply a map of the world with countries and lat/lon axis labels.
1. Open the global temperature anomaly map/dataset
2. Find the grid cells (minimum 4) associated with their country/region and their home city (1 grid cell) and write the surface air temperature values down.
3. Perform analyses to get at climate IMPACTS
3a. Average the data values from those cells
3b. (If we use Max Surf. Air Temp. students must also convert Kelvin to Celsius by subtracting 273 from
the value)
3c. Convert Celsius to Fahrenheit
4. Now is time to have students think about/discuss what are the implications of the temperature change that they see will happen in their country/city.
Examples: How might agriculture be affected? Tourism/Recreation? Clothing? Building codes? Energy supply/demand and resulting costs? How might it impact land and wildlife management?
5. Convert temperature value to heat/cooling cost (we will supply an equation to do this conversion)
6. Students will now be asked to evaluate how temperature change in their country will impact economics and conclude what their country's response will be.
betsy's notes to supplement activity sketch up (Microsoft Word 114kB Jun5 09)
Sessions 5 and 6 - Friday Afternoon
Develop your case study storyline and outline the procedures for data access and analysis Case Study DevelopmentRecord ideas, bullet points, or actual text that will become part of the case study to introduce users to the issues and concepts of the activity. Gather links for appropriate images, diagrams, and background text.
Record the name and URL of all datasets and access/analysis software tools to be used. List the major tasks users will complete, then perform a deliberate walk-through of each task to capture the full sequence of procedures. Give special attention to the most difficult or least intuitive steps, and note points in the sequence where additional information will be helpful.
Add Session 5 and 6 Notes here:
edGCM notes from Friday (Microsoft Word 50kB Jun5 09)
looking at a map which regions will have the most effect and are the most vulnerable - mark haffen
Create a list of countries/regions that will be most impacted by temperature change.
Regions: ideally 4 grid cells
Need map with latitudes and longitudes so students can choose countries and estimate lat/long.
1. Europe: particularly western Europe (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium, Netherlands), and Scandinavian countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland)
2. Russian Region: particularly Siberian Russia
3. East Asia: particularly western China
4. South Asia: particularly India
5. Southeast Asia: not so much
6. South Pacific and Oceania: particularly Australia
7. North Africa and Middle East: particularly northern African nations (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt)
8. Sub-Saharan Africa: particularly countries in two sub-regions: the Sahel (Burkina Faso Chad, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal); and Southern Africa (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, Zimbabwe) – probably best to look at the entire sub-region rather than the individual nations
9. Latin America: particularly Ecuador, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Chile, Argentina
10. North America: particularly eastern US, northern Canada, Greenland
Session 7 - Saturday Morning
Enhance your step-by-step procedures by adding "About" sections that provide extra information; List several ideas for "Going Further" with the data or toolsFill in any gaps in your activity outline and add sections that can help users make meaning of the data. Suggest several ideas for the "Going Further" section that challenge users to work with the data and/or tools in other investigations. These suggestions provide launching points for scientific inquiry which is facilitated by the skills learned in the activity.
Add Session 7 Notes here:
Final Presentation - EdGCM Group (PowerPoint 174kB Jun6 09)
Session 8 - Final Team Breakout
Finalize your Activity outline and DataSheet, Generate PowerPoint slides for the report out session, Upload all resources to this pageCreate a 2- or 3-slide ppt file for the report out session.
- Slide 1: Team name, names of team members, and a brief phrase to describe each individual's contribution
- Slide 2: Working title for your activity, names of dataset(s) and tool(s) utilized
- Slide 3: Your choice of something to illustrate your team's vision of the completed activity
Attach the file plus any other documents produced by the team to this page. Include final versions of the team's DataSheet.
Add Session 8 Notes here:
EdGCM Powerpoint (PowerPoint 178kB Jun6 09)
