Background

• Schools provided weather station and course curriculum
• Weather data used to protect AFRL's $30M SOR
• Students use telecommunications to access weather stations at other schools
• Commercial partner, KOB-TV, accesses weather stations and displays AFRL Logo on every newscast
• 40 schools involved statewide
• Schools/KOB-TV investment --> $5M

Facts

The Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base, in a joint project with KOB-TV Channel 4, is involving New Mexico schools in the Pinpoint WeatherNet project. Schools, selected on a competitive basis, are provided with a high-quality fully automated weather station, data display unit, master control unit, modem, software, and an interdisciplinary curriculum package.

In addition to submitting a letter of interest for the project, schools are required to provide a computer, a direct phone line or Internet access, space for the equipment, and time for teachers to attend training. The training, provided through the Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base, introduces teachers to the software package which allows collection and analysis of data provided by each school's weather station.

Schools involved in the Pinpoint WeatherNet will be able to collect historical weather data, via modem or the Internet, from other New Mexico schools, as well as, other schools nationwide. KOB-TV will also have the ability to access weather data from New Mexico schools for use on KOB-TV Channel 4 Eyewitness News. The curriculum provided integrates weather observations, computers, and telecommunications with hands-on activities in math, science, language arts, social studies, and geography.

Participation

Pinpoint WeatherNet Participation Form