Project Weather Watch

The National Weather Service office in Shreveport once again partnered with several area middle schools and the Alliance for Education this past 2003-2004 school year. Effectively named Project Weather Watch, students and teachers experienced hands-on activities with various weather instruments, while integrating computers and technology with abstract principles of science and mathematics to generate curiosity and understanding of the earth sciences. NWS meteorologists also served as mentors for the participating schools throughout the program, answering various weather related questions and providing guidance to the teachers and students involved.

The award presented to the 6th period class at Cope Middle School.

For the second year in a row, the sixth hour class taught by Ms. Jennifer Porter at Cope Middle School has won the Project Weather Watch forecasting contest. It was a hard fought contest with the first and sixth period classes at Benton Middle School coming in a very close second. On Friday May seventh, Ms. Porters winning class was honored with a pizza and coke party and a plaque recognizing their effort.

This spring the National Weather Service held the third annual forecasting contest throughout the months of April and early May. Each school predicted high and low temperatures and whether measurable rain was going to fall at the Shreveport Regional Airport. Public outreach team meteorologists Jason Hansford and Bill Parker from the Shreveport National Weather Service served as mentors providing each school with various sources for weather information as well as forecasting guidance to be used throughout the contest.

Approximately 550 eighth grade students participated in the contest. Project Weather Watch is a partnership effort between the National Weather Service office in Shreveport, the Alliance for Education and several middle schools in Caddo and Bossier Parishes. In project weather watch students and teachers experienced hands on activities with various weather instruments while integrating computers and technology with abstract principles of science and mathematics to generate curiosity and understanding of the earth sciences.

The middle schools which participated in project weather watch this year were:

• BENTON
• BETHUNE
• COPE
• ELM GROVE
• HAUGHTON
• VIVIAN

The project weather watch program was again a success as the students learned teamwork and gained an understanding for the math and sciences as well as NWS forecasting techniques.

Jason Hansford presents Ms. Porter the Project Weather Watch Award for her 6th period class coming in 1st place.

The 6th period class at Cope Middle School that won the forecast contest.