One of the most rewarding programmes I worked on in school in recent years was with the GLOBE* programme, organised here by an Taisce, with some funding from the EPA,
My involvement was with weather and pollution monitoring. We organised a team of TY students to take daily rainfall, temperature and pressure readings - which we analysed locally with graphs and charts and shared within the school - and also uploaded to the GLOBE database so that they could form a part of an international database of precise measurements collected according to scientific protocols.
Something similar happened with NO2 measurements. We had a number of detectors located at various points on the school campus which, when processed, allowed us to learn about our own environment and also to contribute through a citizen science initiative to a national programme.
The programme has expanded considerably in recent years. GLOBE are running a workshop on Nov 30th for any teachers who would like to become involved.
Booking through the QR code on the attached flyer.
There are more details here: About GLOBE in Ireland - Ireland - GLOBE.gov
*And also here: GLOBE Home Page - GLOBE.gov
You will notice if you click there that this is a US initiative, heavily reliant on NASA, along with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The sort of of low-key investment in science that the world desperately needs right now.
I hope it continues into the future.
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