Weatherman visits Ogdensburg school

OGDENSBURG — Professional weatherman John Marshall came to Ogdensburg School on Dec. 10, 2018, to give a presentation to student’s grades 5th thru 8th.
Science teacher Michelle Cooper said she met Marshall three years ago at the New Jersey Science Convention.
“He talked with me and told me he would bring a weather assembly/studio to my school since I love weather and I feel it is a topic that needs to be covered by the New Jersey Science Standards,” she said.
Cooper explained that she needed to raise the money for the assembly so she signed up for the Donorschoose.org Program.
Donorschoose.org is a United States based nonprofit organization that allows individuals to donate directly to public classroom projects. Donorschoose.org was founded in 2000 by former public school teacher Charles Best. Donorschoose.org was among the first civic crowdfunding platforms of its kind. In Jan. 20, 2018 Donorschoose.org announced that one million projects had been funded. At least one project has been requested on Donorschoose.Org in 80 percent of public schools in the United States. Donorschoose.Org allows people to donate to any project they want.
Cooper’s dilemma was how she was going to raise money for the program. Cooper enrolled in the program last spring and decided to e-mail all parents from grades 5-8th to spread the word that she explain that she wanted to have this “wonderful program” for their children. “I needed to raise $1,574.00 before October 28th or my project would have been taken off the site. I had several families, friends and colleagues donate to this project.” Cooper explained that there is only an eight month allotment to raise money for the project you want. Cooper said “on the morning of the last day that my project would be up on the site, I was upset. I then opened my e-mail only to see that my project was fully funded. A very sweet retired teacher from Newton named Joanne Friedman funded the $1,574.00.” Friedman told Cooper that she had gotten a chance to see a meteorologist and enjoyed the experience so much that she wanted Cooper’s students to experience the same.
Cooper announced to her students that meteorologist John Marshall was coming to the school. The assembly consisted of two parts: Marshall discussing the weather education based on Next Generation Science Standards(NGSS), how the mobile weather studio comes to your school for the day, how the students become weather casters for the day and STEMSTEAM infused assembly with green screen technology.
Marshall discussed components of the assembly such as why there is weather, explanation of fronts, why are there seasons, types of storms, interaction with live weather stations, types of clouds, types of precipitation, what is a weather balloon, weather instruments, how a forecast is made and the water cycle.
Cooper had said that her students really enjoyed the assembly and her colleagues said it was the best they ever had.