Last week, I participated in an online training session for the Hurricanes As Heat Engines lesson hosted on the MY NASA DATA web site. In this lesson, students examine authentic sea surface temperature data to explore how hurricanes extract heat energy from the ocean surface.

Participants connected with Susan Moore via Webex to learn how to use the lesson. We opened two windows. In the Hurricanes As Heat Engines window, the participants followed the lesson procedures step by step. In another window, we accessed all of the technology links. So, I always knew if I was on the wrong web page or if I was entering data incorrectly. I frequently made mistakes when entering data. However, I could visually see when I was in error when my screen didn't look like that of the instructor.

I learned about the opportunity through an email I received through NASA Express. You can receive the same emails by signing up on the NASA Express email listserv.

The topic peaked my interest for several reasons. First, global climate change is a timely topic for both students and the Center for Educational Technologies (CET). Here at CET, we received funding from NASA to update, enhance, and expand the existing Exploring the Environment® problem-based learning modules. Second, it’s hurricane season in the Caribbean. Hurricane season combined with the uncertainty of the oil spill in the Gulf leaves many questions unanswered. For more information, view Hurricanes and the Oil Spill. Last, summertime is a great time to learn about NASA products that you can use in your classroom.

Hurricanes as Heat Engines is intended for grades 6-12 and takes approximately 50 minutes to complete. MY NASA DATA lists the following learning outcomes for this lesson:

• Students will practice finding data via the Internet.
• Students will practice making line plots and data maps.
• Students will understand how hurricanes gain energy from the ocean surface.

Background information and context of the lesson:

The passage of a hurricane causes a large transfer of heat between the ocean surface and the atmosphere. It also causes surface waters to diverge, bringing cooler water from below to the surface (upwelling). These effects are so large that they can be seen by a drop in sea surface temperature (SST) in satellite data observations along the path of the storm. The cooler water conditions may last for a week or longer after the storm.

In this lesson, you will examine a historical Category 5 hurricane, Hurricane Rita, that crossed the Gulf of Mexico during September 18-24, 2005. First, you will use the MY NASA DATA Live Access Server to obtain sea surface temperature data maps of the Gulf of Mexico. Then, you will construct a time series of SST data (line plot) for a location within the path of the hurricane where a drop in SST is observed.

The lesson has an online vocabulary unit.  Each hyperlinked word has a definition and a picture depicting the same.  Here are the words for the Hurricanes as Heat Engines lesson.

coordinates heat latitude longitude MCSST sea surface temperature upwelling
		Image accompanying the definition of upwelling.  Image courtesy NASA Mission to Planet Earth.

Students first log into the MY NASA DATA Live Access Server (LAS) and become familiar with the interface.  During the lesson, students generate different kinds of daily sea surface temperature visuals. They need to create longitude-latitude maps (xy) color plots and time set (t) line plots.  Examples are shown below.

The training session helped me to quickly become familiar with the LAS interface.  It took some practice.  After receiving directions about creating a certain plot, the instructor displayed the correct image.  Sometimes, my plot was different.  This gave me the chance to figure out where I entered the wrong information.  The Hurricanes as Heat Engines lesson also includes sample plots and maps so that you can compare your results with theirs.  So whether you take the online training class or decide to delve into the lesson independently, the lesson affords many opportunities to become familiar with the LAS interface.

	Sample daily sea surface temperature map created using the LAS.  Image courtesy of MY NASA DATA.		Sample line plot created with the LAS indicating a drop in sea surface temperature during hurricane Rita.  Image courtesy of MY NASA DATA.

To learn more about the Hurricanes As Heat Engines lesson, visit MY NASA DATA.  Search for some additional lessons, and let NASATalk know about your experiences.  Submit a STELLAR Award to share your experiences about teaching with NASA educational resources.

Here are some additional hurricane-related resources.

• Hurricane Katrina: A Problem-Based Learning Module
• NASA’s Hurricane Resource Page
• How Do Hurricanes Form? (Elementary resource)
• Hurricanes and the Oil Spill