USING AMS STUDIES TO EXPLORE NATURAL HAZARDS AND ASPECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

The American Meteorological Society (AMS) Education Program mission is to increase Earth science literacy, including support for geoscience instruction in weather, ocean, and climate science. Dedicated to serving broad populations, AMS provides resources via online graduate and undergraduate courses for educators and students. AMS Weather Studies is an undergraduate-level curriculum package that explores meteorological concepts while AMS Climate Studies examines the scientific principles governing Earth’s climate system and the way humans interact with it. AMS Ocean Studies provides physical, chemical, biological, and geological foundations for understanding the ocean’s role in the Earth system. All topics employ pedagogically appropriate investigations using web-delivered real-world data.

Each integrated course package includes an e-textbook, Investigations Manual (IM), weekly Current Studies, and leverages a RealTime Data Portal. Fundamental concepts are introduced in the textbook and then further explored in the corresponding IM. For example, the Ocean Studies textbook describes estuary types and then NOAA datasets are used to study the Chesapeake Bay’s circulation pattern in the IM.

Course curriculum is routinely updated to incorporate recent scientific findings and is strengthened by the integration of interactive data from reputable sources such as NOAA, NASA, etc. “Topics in Depth” features throughout the textbooks allow users to explore concepts that expand the chapter narrative, such as the problem of ocean acidification. This presentation will demonstrate case studies from each course including: wind energy, drought, urban heat islands, sea-level rise, tides, and hurricane analysis utilizing GIS software, and both real-time and archival data.

The AMS Education Program is eager to continue our role in educating citizens and the next generation of STEM professionals by providing dynamic education curriculum, resources, and learning experiences.