June 25, 1997:
GLOBE Enriches Science and Education Activities
In keeping with our commitment to constantly improve the GLOBE science and
education activities, we are proud to announce the addition of a few new
measurements, the refinement of several existing GLOBE measurements,
and the development of several new learning activities. All of these changes
are designed to enhance the educational and research experience for GLOBE
students and teachers.The most notable improvement in the GLOBE science area is the broadening of the protocols to provide a more complete and better integrated picture of the environment. In hydrology, schools can now take measurements at brackish and salt water sites, and students will now have protocols to measure salinity, transparency, and nitrate-nitrogen levels at their water sites. The pH of precipitation will now be measured to complement the on-going GLOBE measurements of pH in soil layers and surface water.
The investigation of soil has also been expanded to include measurements of soil temperature and bulk density, the levels of key nutrients in the soil and the rate at which water infiltrates the soil surface. The GLOBE Data Entry pages have been updated to reflect these changes. In the fall, GLOBE will distribute supplementary materials for the GLOBE II Teachers Guide with these new and revised protocols, new data work sheets, and instrument specifications.
These additions to the core GLOBE science and education activities have been made only after thorough review and testing by GLOBE scientists and volunteer GLOBE schools. We are working hard to keep the program educational, scientifically valuable, and manageable in the classroom! We believe you will find the new investigations a natural extension of your current GLOBE activities.