Southwest Florida Middle School Weather Camp – 2016 – Day 2 Reflective Journal Entries
Jake N. – “Today, weather camp was great because we learned about thunderstorms and how they are made. [In an experiment where we created thunderstorms and demonstrated convective heat transfer processes] we used buttermilk, water, food coloring, a loaf pan to hold the water and buttermilk, and [sterno as] fuel. We also made weather systems with milk, food coloring, and some [dishwashing] soap! It was so cool when the food coloring got a drop of soap because it spread out as soon as the soap hit it. I also won a game of “left, right, and center!” I must’ve won 15 lifesavers! This was my awesome second day at weather camp.”
Garrett H. – “Today many things were learned with mixed emotions, like crafting a hot air balloon. I really don’t enjoy that at all and I really don’t like crafting at all. What I did like was [learning] how severe thunderstorms develop and how long a thunderstorm lasts. What I most enjoyed was talking to Greg [Blumberg] at the University of Oklahoma. He influenced me even more in meteorology, and [having such experiences] helps me socialize even more. Hopefully by the time this is over I will be able to understand more meteorology.”
Tom M. – “We started out today studying thunderstorms. We learned about down bursts which was boring because I knew that already. Then we did a really cool and fun experiment where we used buttermilk in water to represent how clouds rise. We added blue food coloring, which made it cool, and we heated it up so the clouds would rise. We learned that if you leave steak in the freezer for six months ice crystals fall on it and it becomes bad [because of the phase change processes related to sublimation and deposition – which are when gas goes directly to a solid, and from solid to gas, respectively]. Then we used whole milk and food coloring to show the Coriolis Effect and he showed us that with one drop of soap the whole bowl clears everything. We had lunch, which was ok. We played [a game called] “Left, Right, Center,” and continued our balloons. We met one of Mike’s [former] interns [who is a current PhD student] at the University of Oklahoma. Then we wrote this [in our journals]. I don’t like writing but it will make my writing better.”
Jolette G. – “Today is day two of weather camp. I learned about thunderstorms, [we went over] more vocabulary words, and we also did a weather map on high temperatures [hand-drawn isotherm analyses] . We also continued the balloon project, we cut the tissue paper, and made a [repair] kit for just in case [our balloons are damaged]. Then we made a small project on the north pole. We had milk, food coloring, soap, and straws [in an experiment where the campers simulated their own atmosphere and created wave patterns to learn about atmospheric wind flow patterns]. Then we heard lightning and thunder, so we knew that there was a storm [approaching our location]. We took a break and Mrs. Tish came to the classroom. She brought us candy and we played a game. We also started writing this.”