Upper Elementary Talks Climate Change with Meteorologist David Heckard

Our Upper Elementary students deepened their climate change study by meeting virtually with Spectrum News Orlando meteorologist David Heckard. He is a member of the National Weather Association and is certified by the American Meteorological Society. Heckard offered students a glimpse of Earth via satellite photos, climate maps, and graphs. He explained how he reports the weather, gave public speaking tips, and even introduced the students to his dog, Doppler.

Heckard highlighted the differences between weather and climate and explained a consistent uptick in the global temperature. He also touched on some of the ways to slow down global warming, such as turning off lights and devices when not in use, using less plastic, and washing clothes on cold cycles. Our students had great questions and made observations, including climate change leading to an increase in insect-borne diseases, noticing cherry blossoms blooming in January, and experiencing a surge in hurricanes and storms.

Presentations like these offer real-world connections and promote a rich, well-rounded learning environment for our students. We pride ourselves on our interdisciplinary STEAM program, which incorporates science, technology, engineering, arts, and math throughout our curriculum. Hudson Montessori School offers many programs to enrich the students’ curriculum, particularly our STEAM program, the first elementary school in New Jersey to meet stringent requirements to become nationally certified by the National Institute of STEM Education.