“WetterXtreme” Educational Materials Bring Extreme Weather Research into the Classroom

To mark the start of the new school year, “WetterXtreme” now offers free teaching materials on the topic of extreme weather. The resources are particularly well-suited for geography, biology, and science classes and combine the latest research findings with modern teaching methods. The materials were developed as part of the research mission mareXtreme —Marine Extreme Events and Natural Hazards of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM).

Extreme weather events such as heat waves, heavy rain, and storm surges are occurring with increasing frequency—and highlight the importance of climate education in the classroom. Through four flexible modules, school classes gain scientifically sound knowledge about extreme weather and its consequences for the environment and society. In addition to experiments and hands-on activities, digital learning formats are used. For example, with the virtual reality application VR-Xtreme, students experience storm surges and droughts in immersive 360° views. Interactive simulations illustrate the effects of extreme weather on the Elbe River’s ecosystem and enable inquiry-based learning using scientific methods.

“With WetterXtreme, we’re bringing the latest research on extreme weather directly into the classroom,” says Stefanie Raddatz of the Kiel Research Workshop, which developed the teaching materials through a co-creative approach in collaboration with researchers, teachers, and educational specialists. “The materials help teachers convey scientific findings in an accessible way and raise young people’s awareness of the challenges posed by a changing environment.”

It is now available for free download at: https://www.marextreme.de/bildungsmaterial

About the mareXtreme Research Mission
mareXtreme is a research mission focused on investigating and managing extreme marine events and natural hazards. These extreme events—which include floods, droughts, heat waves, and storm surges—pose significant risks to coastal ecosystems and human communities.

About the ElbeXtreme School Program
ElbeXtreme is a collaborative project of mareXtreme. The Kiel Research Workshop leads this school program, which aims to educate students about extreme weather, the project’s research agenda, and the latest findings. In addition to educational materials for middle and high school students, the Kiel Research Workshop’s “ozean:labor” offers a newly developed one-day program called “WetterXtreme” for school classes. This program can be booked via the following website: www.forschungs-werkstatt.de/angebot/wetterxtreme-klassenstufe-7-bis-13/