Magic Planet One Sphere of Influence

Director Bill Thomas

Pacific Services Center Mission

NOAA PSC provides integrated, locally relevant services and information that support the well-being of Pacific coastal and ocean communities, economies, and natural resources.

Why use the Magic Planet?

• Portability allows larger audience to be reached

• Excellent tool for outreach events

• Touch screen feature creates more interaction

• Educates on a variety of topics• Grabs audience attention

Magic Planet at PSC

• Datasets• Narratives • Lesson Plans• Collateral Materials• Outreach

Dataset Development

Library of about 70 datasets • Created by Matthew McBride• Regional collaboration • Data from various partners • SOS Website and convert to DDS format

Four Main Categories• Climate• Hazards• Biology• Geology/Oceanography

“The possibilities are as boundless as your creativity”

What am I Looking at?

Narratives created (27)• Created for datasets in the current library• Ocean Literacy Principles K-12 (National Science Education Standards) • Used in conjunction with the touchscreen• Brief description for viewer what is being seen on the Magic Planet• Voice recorded for auto play

Benefits• Helps to increase understanding of what is being viewed• NOAA messages get across to audience • Auto play allows for freedom

Target Audience• General Public• Students K-12

The New Teacher’s Aide

Alan Nakagawa Lesson Plans• Created for grades 5-8• Specific to the Magic Planet• Meet state benchmarks• Hands-on learning• Cross curriculum (Science, Math, Language Arts)• CD-Rom format

Thematic Units• Focusing on grades 3-5• Modify lessons for younger students• Meet state benchmarks• Hands-on learning• On-line accessibility• For use when Magic Planet goes into the classroom

Hello I’m Brian the brain coral! Grab your scuba gear and let’s take a journey under the sea to a place that holds 25% of the oceans marine life. It is known as the “rainforest of the sea”. You might better know them by the name of Coral Reefs.

Take the Message Home

Collateral Materials1.) Postcards• Several complete others in production• Cover various topics• Actually mail them out

2.) Tri-fold Brochures• Tsunami Awareness (Past and Present)

3.) Workbooks• Covering various topics relating to Thematic Units in

development

4.) CD-Rom• Teachers can take Allan’s lessons plans and thematic

units back to the classroom

5.) Podcasting• Download datasets with narration

Magic Planet Stats

Outreach Events• Average of once per month with about 500+ people reached per event

Recent Events• E-School Conference• Science and Engineering Fair• Mad About Science• Collaboration with Bishop Museum on the

Humpback Whale Exhibit

“…..an environmentally literate public and a diverse workforce who will use NOAA’s products and services to make informed decisions that enable responsible action.”

Supporting NOAA’s Education Plan