In an effort to educate children about weather and how to properly prepare for natural disaster, Midland Radio's Meteorologist, Bruce Jones visited a local school.
ABOUT THE VISIT
Jones visited Canyon Creek Elementary School in mid-December of 2022.
The school is located in Lenexa, Kansas and Jones specifically met with the kindergarteners.
The students were wrapping up a unit on seasons and how to prepare for severe weather.
"Children are naturally curious about the world around them. If you can instill a sense of appreciation for how science explains the things they see, those kids are more likely to do well in science classes. Fascination with science makes learning it fun," Jones said.
TALKING TO KIDS ABOUT WEATHER
Jones said it is important to talk to kids about weather because they often have fears about severe weather and the more they learn, the less scared they become.
"Many children fear thunder. The best remedy is to appeal to their natural curiosity. 'Where does thunder come from? Why does it happen?' Books in the school library can give them the knowledge they need to conquer fear," Jones added.
Jones spoke to the kids about several aspects of weather. This included the different types of clouds, weather, and how to prepare alongside their family.
PREPARING FOR SEVERE WEATHER
Jones encouraged the students to prepare at home alongside their parents.
"When talking about severe weather, I like to challenge the students to go home and educate their parents. 'Here’s some safety information.' Tonight at dinner, tell your parents about having a safety kit, and a plan for severe weather. What kid doesn’t jump at the chance to tell their parents what to do," Jones said.
Some of the lessons Jones passed onto the kids was how to react to tornado warnings, discouraging play near creeks, seeking shelter when a storm approaches, dressing for the weather, and more.
NOAA WEATHER RADIOS
Jones also spoke to the children about the importance of having a NOAA Weather Radio, including the WR120 NOAA Weather Radio and ER40 Emergency Crank Radio.
The WR120 NOAA Weather Radio is great for families and schools as it directly notifies users of warnings and watches straight from the National Weather Service. These immediate warnings give schools, parents, and kids the seconds the need to seek shelter and put their emergency plan into action.
The ER40 Emergency Crank Radio is built to keep on-the-go adventurers informed of their surroundings and the weather impacting that area. With its several power sources including a hand crank, people don't have to worry about losing access to vital information from emergency officials. Because of the several different power sources and flashlight with SOS strobe, it's useful for low light areas and a loss of power.
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