With a total solar eclipse comes changes in the environment. NASA even collects data about wildlife and weather changes. On Monday, April 8, two of Bryant’s teachers will be collecting data as well.
Computer Science teachers Alana McGinness (BJHS) and Brenda Qualls (BHS) attended a training in February to prepare to collect data on light and temperature levels during the eclipse. The Arkansas Department of Education’s Office of Computer Science is partnering with the University of Central Arkansas and the Science Specialists at the state’s education cooperatives. As part of the partnership, McGinness and Qualls, along with other Arkansas educators, will participate in a Statewide Solar Eclipse Data Collection project.
At the training, they built a device and coded it to collect the light and temperature during the solar eclipse. Since Bryant Schools are closed that day, they’ll collect the data from their own backyards, then they will share it with UCA and others collecting data across the state. All the information collected during the project will be shared in classes so students can learn about data collection, the types of data, and how to interpret the data using graphs and charts.
If you want to help collect data during the eclipse, you can participate in NASA’s Eclipse Soundscapes Citizen Science project. There are several levels of participation, making it easy for all ages to take part!
