Stars and STEM Stories
GLOBE Oman: Hands-On GLOBE Learning Through Field Trips and Celebrations in October
GLOBE Oman was busy this October. Read a few examples of how they are implementing GLOBE and fostering environmental stewardship and STEM skills, including exciting field trips to a farm, groundwater reservoir, and sites that grow the Farfar plant; in-school celebrations for World Space Week; and Arab Environment Day.
Using GLOBE Protocols to Study the Farfar Plant
The GLOBE environmental team from Hafsa bint Sirin School visited two sites in Al Buraimi to study the Farfar plant. The Farfar plant is special because of its medicinal benefits. The sites were chosen with help from environmental specialists in Al Buraimi Governorate. One of the sites was the entrance of Al Buraimi, and the other was in Falaj Sharm. The visit was led by Program Supervisor Ms. Amna Al-Saadi and Ms. Naeema Al-Ghaithi. During the visit, students conducted the GLOBE Soil and Water Protocols and learned that the Farfar plant needs sandy clay soil to grow and thrives abundantly in mountainous areas and near valleys.
Celebrating World Space Week
In celebration of World Space Week (4–10 October 2024), the GLOBE Oman team, supervised by Ms. Shaikha Al-Zaidi at Elayet Fida School, organized a drawing competition for the event’s theme, “Space & Climate Change.” Students were asked to create a drawing depicting the relationship between space and climate.
This competition was an opportunity to promote a culture of preserving the planet among the school's students while also highlighting the significance of the GLOBE Program as one of the global efforts to raise awareness about the environmental problems facing Earth by sharing these artistic works on social media platforms.
Visiting the Al-Khali Village to Observe the Effects of
Rainfall on a Groundwater Reservoir
In early October, the GLOBE Oman team at Elayet Fida School, along with Team Supervisor Ms. Sheikha Al-Zaydi, conducted a visit to Al-Khali village to observe the effects of rainfall on their running water and to study running water as a factor of soil erosion. This was an opportunity to do a lesson on the impact of rainfall on the groundwater reservoir. Additionally, students were introduced to the importance of the data collected through the implementation of the GLOBE protocols, as these data help researchers and scientists understand natural phenomena.
From these visits, “water samples are collected to conduct
tests for transparency and oxygen levels, which are then uploaded to
the program's website. This creates a database that the GLOBE
community can benefit from,” said Ms. Sheikha Mohammed Al-Zaidi, the
GLOBE Program educator at Alaya Fida School.
Students are already thinking of ways to apply their learning from the site visit. As one student noted, “This visit helps in identifying research problems for participation in the [International Virtual Science Symposium] IVSS competition.”
Visiting a Farm to Apply the GLOBE Vegetation and Soil Protocols
On 11 October, the Amjad Oman Basic Education School team visited a farm to take GLOBE measurements. Students, under the leadership of Educator Mai Al-Sawafiya, took measurements using the Vegetation and Soil Protocols. During the visit, students collected vegetation density measurements along with water transparency and soil temperature readings at depths of 5 cm and 10 cm.
The GLOBE Oman team is striving to collect more data to include on the program's website. These data will benefit students in the IVSS competition and provide a database for researchers and scientists to conduct further studies on the environmental issues facing the planet.
Celebrating Arab Environment Day
In celebration of Arab Environment Day, observed annually on 14 October, Alaya Fida Basic Education School organized an event to mark the occasion. The celebration included a lesson for second-grade students titled, "How Do We Care for Our Environment?" During the lesson, activities were presented on ways to preserve and care for the environment, classify correct behaviors, and introduce the GLOBE Program. The event also featured various competitions.
This celebration aligns with the objectives of the GLOBE Program, which aims to raise awareness about the importance of environmental conservation. Students expressed their happiness in participating and emphasized the importance of promoting the GLOBE Program at both national and global levels.
The Joy of Rain
A large and unexpected rainfall in the Saeed bin Nasser Al Kindi School area offered an opportunity for students, ages 12–14 years, to measure the amount of rainfall, study the pH of the water, and use the hydrology protocol. New students were introduced to GLOBE, and the class learned how to share their results by entering their observations into the GLOBE database.
Thank Yous
Thank you to Aziz Al-Hadi and Badr Salem Al-Me’mary for sharing these
stories and great photos with the GLOBE community. Congratulations to
GLOBE Oman teachers and students on their successful activities!