The Paleontological Research Institution and the 4-H Youth Development program at Cornell Cooperative Extension developed a curriculum on weather and climate for upper elementary and secondary school youth: Tracking Climate in Your Backyard. These activities are a result of this project.
The purpose of this project was to encourage youth, specifically ages 8-12, to better understand the scientific process by engaging them in the collection of meaningful meteorological data in their community. In this way, youth develop an understanding of scientific methods and standardization, and by recording and sharing their data through a community science project, they recognize the importance of accurate data collection.
The community science portion of the project involved youth collecting precipitation data as part of CoCoRaHS (the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow Network). Although the curriculum was designed for use in conjunction with participation in CoCoRaHS, each activity can be performed regardless of CoCoRaHS participation, and was designed to stand alone.
This project certainly did not aim to re-invent the wheel, and many activities are adapted from other sources. What makes this program unique lies in the discussion section of the activities; the real ‘meat’ of the science is dissected in a user-friendly way in the discussion section, and highlights the ways in which these activities relate to a changing climate. Also, CoCoRaHS extension activities suggest ways to look at information learned in an activity from another perspective, and conduct your own scientific investigation.