Grant students help with TV weather segment
Jan 31, 2017 03:09PM ● By Julie SlamaAnthony Thompson, with the help of Photographer John Eulberg, got to hold the television camera when KUTV Good4Utah aired from his Grant Elementary classroom. (Julie Slama/City Journals)
By Julie Slama | [email protected]
When fourth-grade teacher Ginger Shaw heard that KUTV needed classrooms to air weather segments for Good4Utah and that her students could learn from a meteorologist between segments, she called the station.
About one week later, on Jan. 6, meteorologist Devon Lucie was explaining to students about precipitation, transpiration and warm, cold and stationary fronts as part of the television station’s weather school program. He also explained to them how he reads weather charts.
“I could see the students making a personal connection, learning, exploring, having a spark of knowing new things,” Lucie said. “It’s my hope that they realize math and science are important in today’s life and it’s everywhere around them. Many people don’t realize that.”
Lucie, who has lived in Utah for about eight months, said that the students surprised him.
“I’m impressed with their knowledge of knowing every county in Utah and with their knowledge about the weather in fourth grade. They sang songs about these and taught me as well,” he said.
And not only did the class join him live on television as he gave the forecast, but he invited them to sing. They shared with viewers their “Cloud Song,” an original lyric song by Shaw set to the tune of “Polly Wolly Doodle,” which describes cumulus, nimbus, stratus and cirrus clouds.
Shaw has another song, “On Top of the World,” that includes meteorology terms such as anemometer, barometer, prediction, rain gauge and more.
“I write these songs so they can remember what they’re learning and having them be part of the weather school and on TV will be another highlight they’ll remember from fourth grade,” Shaw said.
Photographer John Eulberg said that they travel weekly to classrooms throughout the year as they want to be actively involved in the community and help students learn.
“These students knew more about the weather than I’ve picked up the three years I’ve been working at the station,” he said. “And they’re showing they want to learn. This is giving us a chance to be out in our community, meeting people and making relationships.”
Eulberg made a connection with nine-year-old Anthony Thompson when Anthony asked the camera man how heavy the television camera was.
“He told me he’d show me after we were done,” Anthony said. “Then, he let me hold it and showed me where to look and aim. It was my favorite part of their visit. I liked learning more about the weather. It was a fun experience.”
Classmate Preslee Stock said it was not only fun, but she learned about cold, warm and stationary fronts.
“We hadn’t talked about those, but it was easy to understand,” she said. “Being on TV was fun and a little scary at first since we couldn’t see who was watching and we didn’t want to make a mistake. But it was fun. It’s been great day learning about how TV works and more about weather.”