Storm Evader: Using an iPad to Teach Kids about Meteorology and Technology

We have developed and released an iPad application, Storm Evader, to demonstrate to youth how technology can be used as a tool and to teach youth about weather and its impact on real-world activities, including flying. As technology becomes more widespread in modern society, many young people overlook the usefulness of technology and have instead come to see it primarily as a provider of entertainment. Storm Evader exposes children to meteorology and aviation in an engaging way. The game requires players to route planes across the United States while avoiding dangerous storms and conserving fuel. The artificial intelligence inside the game suggests routes around a storm. To maximize their scores, players should take the computer’s suggestions into account. Players are exposed to actual radar data and are aided by computer-generated forecast models and storm outlooks from the Storm Prediction Center. In the future, we will include a turbulence model. Exposure to the variety of weather forecasts and their use in the game introduces children to new weather concepts. We also report results of surveys of learning from groups of children playing the game.