Excel students are participating in S’COOL, an exciting program with NASA scientists. Students' Cloud Observations On-Line (S'COOL) is an authentic, hands-on science project which supports NASA research on the Earth's climate. Science, math, and geography are used as students observe, compute and locate vital information through ground truth observations for the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) instrument. CERES instruments are remote sensing instruments that are in orbit on three different satellites; TRMM, Terra, and Aqua. The instruments are designed to allow scientists to better understand clouds and their effects on the Earth's climate. CERES collects measurements of reflected solar energy and emitted heat as the satellite orbits the Earth. This helps scientists figure out where clouds act to heat and cool the surface and how clouds are changing due to human activities on Earth.

Excel students first researched and learned to identify twelve cloud types and the weather that accompanies each. Now they are joining 2432 other schools from 73 countries to make ground truth observations for NASA. To establish the ground truth students make the same observations at the exact time the satellite Aqua passes overhead. Students use a S’COOL cloud identification chart and a cloud identification dichotomous key developed by Dr. Tina Cartwright, a West Virginia climatologist, to help them accurately identify the clouds. Students determine cloud type, cloud height, cloud cover and cloud thickness during each observation. This information is then uploaded to the S’COOL database. Students also relay information about surface conditions. The student observations are used by NASA scientists to validate what the satellite is seeing. NASA scientists compare the student observations with the satellite data to help evaluate how well the satellite instrument and the scientific analysis methods are performing.

Dr. Lin Chamber, Director of S’COOL, sent the students an informational packet and a satellite overpass schedule. Students practiced for several days before their first official observation. Excel students are excited about this opportunity to help scientists who are studying the ways in which clouds may affect the Earth's climate. Maura Belding, a fourth grade Excel student, said “This is so cool!” The project has enabled the students to apply their knowledge in an authentic research study and increased student motivation and interest.

This project is part of a unit developed by Tom Watson, Lynn Hill and Susan Kershner involving climate change. Grant monies received from FirstEnergy of Ohio helped purchase resource materials and activities for this unit of study based on the Ohio Academic Content Standards. Information about the S’COOL program can be found online at http://asd-www.larc.nasa.gov/SCOOL/. The cloud identification dichotomous key, teacher resources and an online cloud tutorial are all linked at the S’COOL web page.