NOAA’S TEACHER AT SEA PROGRAM UNVEILS ITS LATEST CHILDREN’S BOOK

July 26, 2007 — NOAA’s Teacher at Sea program has unveiled its third in a series of four planned children’s books. The book is about the experiences of teacher Linda Armwood aboard NOAA ship Fairweather, a hydrographic survey ship operating in Alaskan waters. At the time of her voyage, Armwood taught geospatial and environmental science courses at George Wythe High School in Richmond, Va.; currently, she is an educational consultant in Richmond. Fairweather collects data on water depth, obstructions, and navigational hazards for the nation’s nautical charts as part of NOAA’s mission to promote safe maritime navigation. Armwood worked side by side with the ship’s surveyors and crew for two weeks in the spring of 2006. (Click NOAA image for a larger view of NOAA's third children's book, "Teacher at Sea: Mrs. Armwood's Hydrographic Adventure on the NOAA Ship FAIRWEATHER," which focuses on hydrographic research. It was written by Diane Stanitski, with illustrations by Bruce Cowden. Click here for high resolution version. Please credit "NOAA.")

The book was written by Diane Stanitski, Ph.D., a former university professor and NOAA Teacher at Sea, who has also served as a consultant for NOAA. It was illustrated by Bruce Cowden, chief boatswain of Ronald H. Brown, a NOAA oceanographic research ship. Both Stanitski and Cowden collaborated on the previous two books in the series. They joined Armwood at the unveiling of the Teacher at Sea book, and all three signed books by the hundreds for distribution.

(Click on NOAA image for large view of teacher Linda Armwood (foreground), author Diane M. Stanitski and illustrator Bruce D. Cowden autographing copies of the latest NOAA Teacher at Sea children’s book in Alexandria, Va. Click here for high resolution version. Please credit "NOAA.")

“We hope that this book will enlighten students and the public about the significance of coastal surveying to our nation’s economy and maritime safety,” Stanitski said. “We’re excited that publication of the children’s hydrography book coincides with NOAA’s 200th celebration.”

The unveiling of the book was held in conjunction with the July 25-26 port call in Old Town, Alexandria, Va., of another NOAA hydrographic survey ship, Thomas Jefferson, as part of NOAA’s celebration of the 200th anniversary of the establishment of the Survey of the Coast by President Thomas Jefferson.

The hard-cover book is written at the middle school science level. Its content includes science and math activities, a glossary of terms, and full color images. Teachers may request a free copy by contacting the NOAA Outreach Unit at noaa-outreach@noaa.gov.

Since its inception in 1990, NOAA’s Teacher at Sea program has offered educators around the country the opportunity to see NOAA’s exciting scientific research first hand. In the past 16 years, more than 500 teachers have participated in the program. The program provides kindergarten through college level teachers the chance to live and work side-by-side, day and night, with those who contribute to the world’s body of scientific knowledge, and then take that experience back to the classroom.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 70 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA's Teacher at Sea Program

NOAA Teacher at Sea Children's Books