October 2024: Weather to Go to School

Drive engagement and real-world impact in STEM classrooms.

Brought to you by the Student Press Initiative​​​

ENTER TO WIN

​ABOUT THE BOOK
While studying relationships between weather-related variables in science class, students at New York City's Heritage High School took their classroom studies into the real world, researching raw data sets based on historical atmospheric data and comparing the results with school attendance data. Throughout the process, students wrote research proposals, created graphs, and analyzed the data, finally coming to a conclusion surprisingly not in line with their original hypothesis. Based on this discovery, students crafted a proposal to their principal suggesting a change in school culture. Rain or shine, fair or foul — what keeps students from their appointed rounds?

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CONNECTING STEM TO THE REAL WORLD
Weather to Go to School​ illustrates that publication projects don’t have to be confined to ELA classrooms; they can be powerful motivators in STEM subjects as well. By engaging in such projects, students can explore, discover, and research, cultivating agency and the ability to create change. 

Teachers can use this book as an example to show students how their work can transcend traditional classroom boundaries and have real-world applications. For instance, in science classes, students can conduct research on environmental issues, analyze data, and publish their findings to advocate for sustainable practices within their school or community. In math, they can explore statistical data, create compelling visualizations, and propose data-driven solutions to school-wide challenges. This text serves as a testament to how students can harness their findings and insights to impact their school environment, demonstrating the practical application of their studies and the potential for their voices to effect meaningful change.