Below is a list of resources available for K-12 students and teachers, hand-selected by The National Weather Center's Outreach Team.
Would your class like to meet with real meteorologists to learn about weather basics and have all of their weather questions answered? Contact us to schedule a time!
Kaitlin Frost
NWC Outreach Coordinator
National Weather Center
kaitlin.frost@ou.edu
NOAA's Office of Education offers educational resources and opportunities that support NOAA's mission of science, service, and stewardship.
Science On a Sphere, which is displayed prominently in the Atrium of the National Weather Center and in 100+ locations worldwide, has a flatscreen version that can be downloaded for use at home or in a classroom.
SciJinks, or Science Hijinks, is a joint NOAA and NASA educational website that puts fun and adventure into learning about weather, satellite meteorology, and Earth science. Material is geared toward middle- and high-school aged kids and their educators.
The National Severe Storms Laboratory offers educational resources about severe weather and severe weather safety, including: weather games, color books, Weather Friends trading cards for students, worksheets and activities for educators, and other useful information.
The National Weather Service's Owlie Skywarn offers weather science and safety information, including the Become a Young Meteorologist interactive game.
The Oklahoma Climatological Survey's EarthStorm K-12 Education Program offers classroom material, speaker services, scientific mentors, and even weather camps at the National Weather Center.
The University of Oklahoma's Innovation Hub is a creative space, providing access to technologies, equipment, training, opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration, industry mentors, and inspirational spaces in support of invention and entrepreneurship. Tours are available, and the Innovation Hub trailer can travel to schools for technology demonstrations and other interactive activities.
The Oklahoma Mesonet, operated and maintained by the Oklahoma Climatological Survey, is a collection of 121 automated surface observation stations in all 77 Oklahoma counties that provides statewide weather information, updated every five minutes. A mobile app can be downloaded from their website, giving users the ability to check current weather conditions at each station along with other weather maps and products.
SKYWARN is a volunteer program with between 350,000 and 400,000 trained severe weather spotters. These volunteers keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the National Weather Service. Training is free, typically lasts about two hours, and is administered by the local National Weather Service Forecast Office. Check the local NWS Forecast Office website for training dates and times.
CoCoRaHS is a unique, non-profit, community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail, and snow). Become a CoCoRaHS Volunteer Observer by signing up on their website.
