Honorable Mention at New England NASA Globe Symposium

Two student representatives from Mrs. Simmons class presented the class cloud data at the NE/Mid-Atlantic GLOBE Student Research Symposium in Buffalo, New York on May 5th. Having spent a month studying the clouds seen outside Ryan Road classroom, students recorded this data using a Google Form Ms. Mariani-Prall set up for them on ipads. Students researched the different types of clouds, made diagrams using cotton balls and ran experiments with food coloring to understand how these clouds differed from one to another. Using student work and data from their results, a tri-fold was created to showcase their learning. Ms. Mariani-Prall and the school librarian worked together to bind the student’s research and off the travelers went.

Ms. Simmon’s noted, “The Student Research Symposium represented students from all over the North East and Mid Atlantic region.  Most were in Middle and High school, as a matter of fact our girls from RKFinn Ryan Road were the youngest students there.  We brought all of our collected cloud data that we gathered over the course of a month, a cloud dichotomous key, our printed Google Form that Mrs. M helped us create and a hands-on example of how to build a cloud and show the water cycle.  For all of our hard work we were presented with an honorable mention prize.  The NASA and NOAA scientists were very impressed with how we connected Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math.”

Through encouragement with our partnership with Larisa Schelkin and the Global STEM Classroom, Ms. Simmons applied for and was funded a generous grant from the NE/Mid Atlantic Globe organization to fund this trip.