Program for Gender Equity in Science, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology (PGE): LCP: Middle School Students' REALM (Really Exploring and Learning Meteorology)

The Meteorology Department and Science Education program of Florida State

University, in collaboration with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

(NOAA), will carry out a school-site meteorological project to be located in Miami/Dade

County Public Schools. This new collaborative project is entitled Middle School

Students' REALM (Really Exploring And Learning Meteorology). The project's foci

are: (1) to expose more middle school girls to meteorological science content, (2) to

develop a positive and supportive learning environment for participating girls and boys,

(3) to provide on site technical assistance to participating science teachers for content

implementation, and (4) to provide a vehicle for greater parent-girl participation in

science activities. In order to maximize resources, available

meteorology resources (weather stations) that are in demographically dispersed middle

schools will be used. Involvement in this project will enhance girls' awareness of career opportunities

for women in the field of science in general and meteorology in particular. This project

will also increase middle school girls' self-esteem and confidence in learning science

concepts, which integrate the use of mathematics and technology. This project model

aims to reduce the attrition in advanced level science, mathematics and technology

coursework that typically occurs as girls move from middle school to high school,

which carries over into higher education.