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Invitation to Review the Framework: (Updated 7/1/2008)

           The scientific, educational, and public policy communities were invited to provide their suggestions for revisions to the third draft June 6th to 20th, 2008. 

           With thanks for your contributions and participation,

Dr. Roberta Johnson, ASL Framework PI, Director of Education and Outreach, UCAR

Prof. John Snow, ASL Framework Co-PI, Dean, College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences, The University of Oklahoma

Please follow this link to review the
Third Draft Framework Document

Overview of Workshop

            In November 2007, a group of scientists, educators, and policy specialists convened in Boulder, Colorado, to draft a framework for Atmospheric Science and Climate Literacy. This effort was supported by the National Science Foundation.  Participants included ~60 on-site participants from across the country and ~40 on-line participants. Key government personnel joined by video conference from NSF and Goddard Space Flight Center.  The work of all participants during the meeting was generously facilitated by volunteer staff from organizations in Boulder, including UCAR, CIRES, CU, and NOAA.

            This community worked together over 2.5 days to develop a draft framework composed of “essential principles” and “fundamental concepts” for literacy in atmospheric science and climate. After the workshop, the leaders of the project finalized a first draft framework based on the work of this community. 

            In December, reflecting on the outcome of the workshop, it was decided that the framework should be renamed the “Atmospheric Science Literacy Framework”. This change clarifies the distinctions between this effort (sponsored by NSF) and the parallel effort to develop a “Climate Literacy Framework” (sponsored by NOAA). 

            The draft framework was considered by the community during an open comment period in February 2008. Suggestions from the community were considered by the Co-PIs, and a revised version of the framework was made available for comment by the community through 7 May 2008.

Definition of Terms:

            The group adopted a functional definition of atmospheric science literacy for the effort:

A person literate in atmospheric science understands the essential principles and fundamental concepts about Earth’s atmosphere, can communicate about them in a meaningful way, and is able to make informed and responsible decisions regarding the atmosphere.  

            Essential principles are defined as “big ideas” – pithy statements that capture the essence of a system, organize more detailed set of fundamental concepts in a coherent whole, and could never be subordinate to another principle or concept. 

            Fundamental concepts are defined as elements of foundational knowledge required to understand an essential principle and possibly other fundamental concepts. They are rich statements that  can be deconstructed into sub-concepts which when introduced at age and developmentally appropriate times (grade levels),  contribute to first knowing, then understanding of the essential principle.  Finally, some fundamental concepts support two or more essential principles.