Dear
GLOBE Teacher, Trainer, or Parent
The
Soil Moisture Investigation team would like to introduce you to a new opportunity
for you and your teachers to participate in an important scientific project,
collect student research data, prepare for a local science fair and/or learn
about soils in your area. We are seeking your participation in a twice a year
soil moisture data collection campaign (Apr.
16-24 and Oct. 8-16, 2005) that shares many similarities with a
MUC-athon (a group land cover data collection campaign).
The
goal is to create global and regional snapshots of near-surface soil moisture
for comparison with satellite and model data sets. In short, we ask that you
organize groups of students, parents and teachers to collect duplicate
near-surface (0-5 and 10 cm) soil moisture measurements across as large an area
as possible (any one group should not have to travel more than 1 hour away). In
general, this measurement is relatively simple to make and does not take any
expensive equipment (except the soil drying oven and GPS, but see below). We
recommend introducing this activity before or during the measurement period
with a short overview, practice and group construction of soil pouches,
followed by a day-long campaign to collect as much data as possible.
This
packet contains the following materials to help encourage, train and support
your effort. This material is also located on-line <
www.hwr.arizona.edu/globe/sci/SM/SMC/>. We recommend that you copy the
following sheets together back-to-back in the order indicated:
Cover
Letter
Background:
·
Teacher’s
Guide
·
Curriculum
Connections
Protocol
Guides:
·
Field
Guide – Sample Collection Protocol
·
Lab
Guide – Gravimetric Sample Drying Protocol
Data
Worksheets:
·
Field
Data Sheet – Single Site (2 pages)
·
OR
·
Field
Data Sheet - Multiple Sites (1 page)
Optional
“How to” instruction guides
·
Foil
Pouch soil sample containers
·
55
gallon drum soil drying oven
Evaluation:
·
Teacher
Feedback Form
As the forms indicate, the primary point of contact
for this effort is our post doc, Martha Whitaker mplw@hwr.arizona.edu. Please let us know
if you have any questions or suggestions for improving this activity.
Jim Washburne, Ty Ferré,
Bart Nijssen, Martha Whitaker
GLOBE Soil Moisture
Principal Investigators
Dept. of Hydrology &
Water Resources
University of Arizona