School CO2 NetStart of an educational projectaround Groningen University

Harro A.J. Meijer (CIO) and Martin J. Goedhart (IDO)

Goals:Let pupils experience: CO2 is NOT exotic, but measurable at and

around school (and in the class room)Learn about making measurements (reliability, calibration)Learn about the carbon cycleLearn about atmospheric processes and basic meteorologyLearn about climate issues and global change in general

Necessity (1): Instrumentation

CO2 analyser: needs to be - reliable- cheap- yet reasonably accurate

Analyser of choice:

Vaisala GMP 343

Supply secondary schools with a monitoring station consisting of :a CO2 analyser and a basic meteorological station

(1) Instrumentation (cntd):

For monitoring: - Wind speed and direction- Temperature, pressure and humidity

Our choice: Davis Vantage Pro wireless. Extras: solar insolation, precipitation amount

Select a basic meteorological station

Necessity (2): Data handlingDatabase system for - Data storage and processing

- Visualisation- Data exchange between schools- Availability of the CIO station Lutjewad data- General information about the project- Educational materials and links

Necessity (3): Educational material

Use the existing network between the didactics organisation ofthe u. Groningen natural science faculty and secondary school teachers

- Consider both the measurement results and the measurement process- Huge potential for pupil exam projects- Texts, leaflets, booklets- Excursions taking the CO2 analyser along(class room, parking houses, pastures, crop fields, woods, greenhouses)-Visits to the participating schools by CIO scientists- Site visits by school classes or groups of pupils

Practicalities

-Financing: First 3 schools paid by private Dutch foundation (Gratama foundation).One school in the city, one in the "suburbs", one rural.

- Team of 8 interested schools is formed for educational material development, 5 of them on the waiting list for equipment

Time ScheduleJuly 2005: Gratama foundation grants applicationSeptember 05: Selection and Purchase of instrumentsNovember 05: Elementary form of data base readyNovember 05: Start of Educational material developmentDecember 05: Installation of the devices on the roofs of the schools

Outlook

- General enthusiasm among secondary schools

- More funding needed (about 5 k€ instrumentation per school)

- If project extends: personnel support will be needed beyond our CIO research group (at present only few months of student

assistance included in application)

Extension with the Wageningen E-mission project (Hilhorst)

European dimensions??