Global Learning and Observations To Benefit the Environment (GLOBE)

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 950113015-5089-02]

RIN 0648-ZA12

Global Learning and Observations To Benefit the Environment

(GLOBE)

AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, COMMERCE

(DOC).

ACTION: Notice of program and invitation to participate.

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SUMMARY: This is an invitation for U.S. K-12 schools to participate in

an international environmental science and education program known as

Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE).

U.S. schools can participate in the GLOBE Program if they meet the

``basic requirements'' described in the announcement below. This notice

revises a previous invitation to schools to participate in the GLOBE

Program, which was published in the Federal Register on November 23,

1994 (59 FR 60351). Federal assistance is not available at this time to

enable schools to participate in the GLOBE Program to enable them to

meet the ``basic requirements.'' In addition, more detailed information

is provided for the scientific measurement instruments, other program

information is updated, and the Government no longer provides Internet

access to registered schools. This notice incorporates an Announcement

section that includes a form for use by schools to register to

participate in the GLOBE Program. This Announcement is also available

in electronic and hard copy form from the sources listed below.

The GLOBE Program is a hands-on program that joins students,

educators, and scientists from around the world in studying the global

environment. GLOBE is a worldwide network of students who work under

the guidance of GLOBE-trained teachers to make environmental

observations at or near their schools, report their data to a GLOBE

processing facility, receive and use global images created from their

data, and study environmental topics in their classrooms. GLOBE in the

United States is managed by an interagency team that includes the

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National

Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science

Foundation (NSF), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the

Department of Education and State. GLOBE leadership also includes the

Council on Environmental Quality and the Office of Science and

Technology Policy, both within the Executive Office of the President.

NOAA is the lead agency for GLOBE. As lead agency, NOAA invites U.S. K-

12 schools to participate in the GLOBE Program as described in the

announcement below.

DATES: This invitation is open until further notice.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Further information or copies of the Announcement below, which includes

a registration form, may be obtained by connecting to the GLOBE

Internet World Wide Web server at http://www.globe.gov, by sending a

request by electronic mail to [email protected], by calling the GLOBE

information line at 202-395-6500, by mail to Thomas N. Pyke, Jr.,

Director, The GLOBE Program, 744 Jackson Place, N.W., Washington, D.C.

20503, or delivered by express or courier service to Director, The

GLOBE Program, The White House, New Executive Office Building, 725 17th

Street, N.W., Room G-1, Washington, D.C. 20006.

ANNOUNCEMENT: April 20, 1995.

The GLOBE Program

744 Jackson Place / Washington, DC 20503

U.S. SCHOOLS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GLOBE PROGRAM

U.S. K-12 schools are invited to participate in a new international

environmental science and education program known as Global Learning

and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE). U.S. schools can

participate in the GLOBE Program by agreeing to meet a set of GLOBE

``basic requirements'' as listed below in ``How to Become a GLOBE

Schools'' and completing the attached registration form.

The GLOBE Program is a hands-on program that joins students,

educators, and scientists from around the world in studying the global

environment. GLOBE is a worldwide network of students who work under

the guidance of GLOBE-trained teachers to make environmental

observations at or near their schools, report their data to a GLOBE

processing facility, receive and use global images created from their

data, and study environmental topics in their classrooms. The data

acquired by students will be used worldwide by environmental scientists

in their research to improve our understanding of the global

environment.

GLOBE is managed by an interagency team that includes the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Aeronautics

and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF),

the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Departments of

Education and State. GLOBE leadership also includes the Office on

Environmental Policy and the Office of Science and Technology Policy in

the Executive Office of the President. NOAA is the lead agency for

GLOBE.

[[Page 19728]]

What is GLOBE?

GLOBE is a hands-on, school-based program that will:

--Enhance environmental awareness of individuals throughout the world,

--Enable students to make environmental observations that will

contribute to improving the health of planet Earth,

--Give students the opportunity to work with world class scientists,

collaborating together through a worldwide network,

--Involve students, teachers, and scientists in sharing information

about the global environment,

--Enrich and supplement existing school curricula in science and

mathematics, and

--Help all students reach higher standards in science and mathematics.

The GLOBE concept was announced by Vice President Al Gore on Earth

Day, April 22, 1994. Since then, over one hundred nations have

expressed interest in joining the U.S. in the GLOBE Program. GLOBE will

begin operation on the 25th Earth Day, April 22, 1995, and schools in

the U.S. and throughout the world are invited to join in this exciting

new venture.

How to Become a GLOBE School

A school can register to become a GLOBE school if the school meets

the GLOBE ``basic requirements,'' by agreeing to:

--Have its students acquire environmental data using scientific

measurement instruments at their school,

--Have its students transmit these data to a GLOBE processing center as

often as required for each measurement,

--Have its students study the global environmental images that will be

generated based on GLOBE data taken by students around the world,

--Have its students participate in GLOBE guided by one or more teachers

trained through the GLOBE Program, who will use GLOBE-provided

educational materials,

--Send at least one teacher to a GLOBE-provided 3-day training workshop

at a location in the school's general part of the country,

--Have the necessary GLOBE scientific measurement instruments, as

identified below, for use by students, and

--Have a suitable school computer configuration, as described below, to

be available for use at least 20% of each school day to support

participation in GLOBE, i.e., to be used for data entry and

transmission to a GLOBE processing center and for viewing of global

environmental images and related information generated from GLOBE data

by a GLOBE processing center.

GLOBE Scientific Measurement Instruments

The GLOBE environmental measurements are in the following study

areas:

Atmosphere/Climate

Hydrology/Water Chemistry

Biology/Geology.

The initial GLOBE measurements and their respective instruments

are:

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Measurement Instrument Grade

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Atmosphere/Climate:

Air temperature............ Maximum/Minimum Thermometer. K-12

Calibration Thermometer...... K-12

Instrument Shelter. K-12

Precipitation.............. Clear Plastic Rain Gauge. K-12

Cloud cover................ Cloud Charts................. K-12

Hydrology/Water Chemistry:

Water pH................... Litmus Paper................. K-5

pH Pen....................... 6-8

pH Meter..................... 9-12

Water Temperature.......... Alcohol Thermometer. K-12

Soil Moisture.............. Soil Moisture Meter and 9-12

Gypsum Blocks.

Auger and PVC Piping. 9-12

Biology/Geology:

Habitat Study.............. Compass...................... K-12

Meter Measuring Tape. K-12

Surveying Markers or Stakes. K-12

Tree Height................ Hand-made Clinometer. K-8

Clinometer................... 9-12

Tree Canopy................ Hand-made Densiometer. K-8

Densiometer.................. 9-12

Tree Diameter.............. Diameter Tape. K-12

Species Identification..... Dichotomous Keys. K-12

Phenology (seasonal change) 35 mm camera and film. K-12

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The total cost of the instruments, if they are not already

available at the school, is estimated to be between $300-350 for

elementary schools, $350-400 for middle schools, and $800-950 for high

schools. After the initial year of GLOBE operation, additional

measurements will be added, based on continuing work on the part of the

GLOBE scientists and educators and the results of evaluation of the

initial GLOBE Program by GLOBE teachers and others. The additional cost

of the instruments necessary at that time to make these additional

measurements is estimated to be about $100 for elementary schools, $300

for middle schools, and $500 for high schools.

School Computer Configuration and Internet Connectivity

Either an IBM-compatible PC or an Apple Macintosh computer can be

used. An IBM-compatible PC must have at least a 386, 20 Mhz processor,

4 MB (preferably 8 MB) of RAM memory, and at least 60 MB of available

hard disk. An Apple Macintosh computer must have at least a 68030, 20

Mhz processor, 4 MB (preferably 8 MB) of RAM memory, and at least 60 MB

of available hard disk.

The computer must have either a direct Internet connection or a

dial-up capability to the Internet using a 14.4 kbps or faster modem,

preferably employing V.42 bis data compression, and using either SLIP

or PPP protocols. The computer must be configured with a World Wide Web

browser that supports the ``forms'' capability. If a school is not now

connected to the Internet, the GLOBE Program will provide information

and assistance, if needed, to help the school make contact with an

Internet access service provider.

Registering as a GLOBE School

Schools that agree to meet the ``basic requirements'' listed above

in ``How to Become a GLOBE School,'' are invited to complete the

registration form included below. The form must be signed by the

school's principal, its designated GLOBE lead teacher, and by an

official authorized to make the necessary certification on behalf of

the school if the principal is not so authorized. The completed form,

with original signatures, should be mailed to The GLOBE Program, 744

Jackson Place, Washington, D.C. 20503. Facsimile copies are not

acceptable.

For each registered school, the Federal Government will provide:

--Global environmental images accessible through the Internet, based on

the measurement data taken by GLOBE students around the world and a

broad range of other information relevant to the study of the global

environment,

--An opportunity for students and teachers to work interactively

through the Internet with world class scientists, collaborating in the

study of the environment, [[Page 19729]]

--An opportunity for students, teachers, and scientists to share

information about the global environment through the Internet with each

other,

--Training for one teacher (the GLOBE lead teacher for the school) at a

3-day workshop to be held at a location in the school's general part of

the country (but not including the cost of travel or per diem for the

teacher to attend the training or the cost of a substitute teacher if

one is necessary),

--A set of GLOBE educational materials for use by teachers and students

in the school to enrich and supplement existing school curricula,

--Information, if needed, to help the school establish its own

connection to the Internet through a suitable Internet access service

provider,

--Access to GLOBE school computer software for use of the World Wide

Web information browser through the Internet, if the school does not

already have software that can be used for this purpose or cannot

obtain this software from its Internet access service provider. (This

is the software necessary to transmit GLOBE data and access GLOBE

global environmental visualizations and other information), and

--Access to the Internet-based help facility to obtain answers to

frequently asked questions and to obtain assistance relative to program

participation, and toll-free telephone access to a GLOBE help desk.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Connect to the GLOBE Internet World Wide Web

Server at http://www.globe.gov, send a request by electronic mail to

info@globe,gov, call the GLOBE information line: (202) 395-6500, or

send a request by mail to The GLOBE Program, 744 Jackson Place, NW.,

Washington, DC 20503.

[Copies of this form may be reproduced so that a completed form can

be submitted for each school.]

Registration for a School To Participate in the Globe Program

Name of School---------------------------------------------------------

Street Address---------------------------------------------------------

City-------------------------------------------------------------------

State------------------------------------------------------------------

ZIP--------------------------------------------------------------------

Type of school:

Elementary-----------------------------------------------------------

High school----------------------------------------------------------

Intermediate/middle/junior high--------------------------------------

Name of the GLOBE Lead Teacher for the School

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Name of the School Principal-------------------------------------------

Phone numbers to reach the Teacher and Principal (with area code)

Voice ( )-----------------------------------------------------------

FAX ( )-------------------------------------------------------------

Internet address for the Teacher, if available

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Certification

I certify that this school meets the ``basic requirements'' to

become a GLOBE school as described in the GLOBE School Invitation

dated (Insert date of publication in Federal Register], and that the

school intends to participate in the GLOBE Program for a period of

at least 3 years.

Signature of the GLOBE Lead Teacher

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Signature of the Principal---------------------------------------------

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Identification of Local Educational Agency (e.g. school district) is

this school is part of such an Agency

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Name, title, and signature of official authorized to sign this

certification on behalf of the registered school (e.g. authorized

L.E.A. official)

Date-------------------------------------------------------------------

All communications, materials, or other resources under this

agreement are administered as a joint project between the registered

school and the Federal Government through the authority of the U.S.

Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration under 15 U.S.C. 1525.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT NOTICE: This notice contains a collection-of-

information requirement subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act. The

collection of this information has been approved by OMB, OMB Control

Number 0648-0287, with collection approval through 11/30/97. Public

reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to

average .5 hours per response, including time for reviewing

instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and

maintaining data needed, and completing and reviewing the form used for

collection of information. Send comments regarding this reporting

burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information,

including suggestions for reducing the burden, to Thomas N. Pyke, Jr.

(see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section), and to the Office of

Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,

Washington, DC 20503 (Attention: NOAA Desk Officer). The required form

for registration is included above.

Thomas N. Pyke, Jr.,

Director, The GLOBE Program.

[FR Doc. 95-9760 Filed 4-19-95; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-12-M