The Geonauts inquire into the oceans
Abstract
The main idea of this project was to maintain the link between research and school in order to avoid mutual lack of understanding. In that way, it is particularly important to meet and speak together, inside the teacher-researcher-child triptych, to define the better way to transmit to children scientific knowledge, but above all the idea that science can be funny and not so difficult. We have to take the advantage of the children's native curiosity to stimulate them and then amplify the field of exchange. From February to June 2000, several presentations of what can be learn from satellite altimetry to improve knowledge about oceans, have been performed into six classes (8--10 years old) of Grasse (France). The goal was to encourage the children (called Geonauts) to put in search mysteries of the oceans, and to become sensitive of ocean's role for climate stability. For each theme (tides, circulation, sea floor, interaction between ocean and atmosphere, etc) a scientist has been invited to present it into each classroom to go further a cordial exchange. In the frame of this project, we have asked children to present us back what they have considered to be the high points of this exchange, using their preferred medium (drawings, poetry, etc). In parallel, we have used the children and teacher feedback to develop a CD-ROM. Results from children and a web version of the CD-ROM have been put inside a Web site: http://grasse.obs-azur.fr/cerga/gmc/kids/. The CD-ROM is now ready and contain a French and an English (Mac/PC compatible).
- Publication:
-
EGS - AGU - EUG Joint Assembly
- Pub Date:
- April 2003
- Bibcode:
- 2003EAEJA.....5394B