Stars and STEM Stories
Over 100 Campers Enjoy Summer 2023 NASA GLOBE IOP at Camp Discovery
Over 100 campers from Camp Discovery in Blythewood, South Carolina, USA supported NASA’s missions this summer by participating in month-long NASA GLOBE IOPs during June and July. The campers ranged in age from 6-14 years old and were proud to be working as NASA GLOBE citizen scientists.
Camp Discovery staff set up data collection sites in two microclimates: one in an open grassy field and the other creekside in a deciduous forest. For four weeks in June and three weeks in July, campers collected air, surface, and water temperatures, as well as soil temperatures at three depths. In addition, Camp Discovery collected cloud observations all summer. It was a huge thrill for campers to receive notifications that their cloud observations matched NASA satellites and for the campers to see the data comparison tables in the emails from NASA.
The campers loved using infrared, air, and water thermometers, soil meters and the GLOBE Observer app. Their clipboards with data sheets and iPads became powerful data collection devices as these young people followed protocols, just as scientists do. Some of the highlights from campers' data analysis included them realizing that the water temperature was actually higher for two days after rain which was the opposite of their prediction and that soil at the lowest depth was cooler, validating their predictions. The surface temperature team was astounded that the temperature of a plastic bench made out of recycled milk jugs climbed to 52.78 degrees celsius in late July.
Camp Discovery is honored to be a NASA GLOBE Model Camp and looks forward to continued work with NASA GLOBE.
Images courtesy Tina Harte, NASA GLOBE Goes to Camp.