Windward || For Parents

Windward is Cable in the Classroom’s latest demonstration of the power of broadband (or high-speed Internet) in learning.

Windward provides:

a combination of unique resources and expertise from leading cable networks (Discovery Education and The Weather Channel), a public institution (National Aeronautics Space Administration), and an expert (Bill Biewenga);

a range of multi-sensory content-video clips, music, text, and excellent graphics;

a meaningful, interactive and self-paced way for learners to learn important science concepts.

To learn more about CIC's other broadband demonstrations, visit "Learning with Broadband."

This page will point you to some of the many ways Windward can be used with your children.

Sections:

I. Playing Windward with your child

II. Learning with Multimedia

III. Literature on Weather & Sailing

IV. The Life of a Weather Router

V. Links for learning more about weather & sailing

VI. Museums for Weather and Sailing

If you have comments or questions, send us a message.

I. PLAYING WINDWARD WITH YOUR CHILD

Windward can be used to add some extra excitement to what your child is studying in school.

If your child is studying weather in her science class or geography in his social studies class, Windward will help reinforce the concepts taught in school in a fun and engaging way.

You should probably play the game first yourself, so you have a feeling for what to expect and whether Windward is appropriate for your child.

If your child is naturally interested in weather or sailing, use Windward to help them explore their interests. Then, check out a book on sailing. Visit a sailing or maritime museum in your town or on the Internet.

As you play Windward with your children, ask them to explain the decisions they make. You’ll get a glimpse into their thinking process and can help them improve their skills in reading, predicting, and problem solving.

Have your child play the game and explain it to you.

Race your child and see who can sail around the world in fewer days. Ask your child to explain what they did well (or less well) that helped them win (or lose).

Back to top

II. LEARNING WITH MULTIMEDIA

A multimedia tool like Windward allows a child to follow their own interests.

During the course of the game, children can pause to look up terms, learn more about the challenges, or watch a video.

They should be encouraged to explore all the information in the game—that’s where the best learning happens!

Back to top

III. LITERATURE ON WEATHER & SAILING

Ask your librarian for recommendations on age-appropriate books or use this list as a starting point.

NONFICTION

Sailing by Jeremy Evans
Reading Level: 4/5/6
Summary: A basic guide to the sport of sailing, introducing many kinds of boats and discussing what to do when a boat capsizes and other safety tips. A basic guide to the sport of sailing, introducing many kinds of boats and discussing what to do when a boat capsizes and other safety tips.

Sailing Adventures by Anne Todd
Reading Level: 4/5/6
Summary: Describes adventures in sailing, including a description of how sailboats work, equipment sailors’ use, historic sailing expeditions, and recent sailing adventures.

The Marshall Cavendish Illustrated Guide to Sailing Ships by Christopher Chant
Summary: Provides an illustrated history of sailing ships and describes how they operate.

The story of American sailing ships by Charles Strong
Reading Level: 6/7/8
Summary: The "story of the ships with sails--from colonial America's The Virginian in 1607 to clipper ships, whalers, Revolutionary War privateers and on to modern yachts and racing sailboats."

BIOGRAPHIES

They Sailed Alone by MacDonald Harris
Reading Level: High- 8 thru 12th grade
Summary: These are the stories of men and women who set sail alone on the sea. The book covers the stories of Joshua Slocum, J.C. Voss, Harry Pidgeon, Alain Gerbault, Ann Davison, John Guzzwell, Robin Grahm and Francis Chichester.
Note: This book was written in 1972, and may be difficult to find.

Caught by the sea : my life on boats by Gary Paulsen
Reading Level: 6/7/8
Summary:
Gary Paulsen, author of Hatchet and other adventure novels, tells about his lifelong love of sailing, boats he has owned, and the storms, sharks, and peaceful lagoons he has experienced on his voyages.

FICTION

Windcatcher by Avi
Reading Level: 5/6/7
Summary:
While learning to sail during a visit to his grandmother's at the Connecticut shore, eleven-year-old Tony becomes excited about the rumors of sunken treasure in the area and starts following a couple who seem to be making a mysterious search for something.

The Wanderer by Sharon Creech
Reading Level: 6/7/8
Summary:
Thirteen-year-old Sophie and her cousin Cody record their transatlantic crossing aboard the Wanderer, a forty-five foot sailboat, which, along with uncles and another cousin, is en route to visit their grandfather in England.

The Wreck of the Zephyr by Chris Van Allsburg
- About the book: http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/features/
thepolarexpress/tg/zephyr.shtml#plot
- Author’s website: http://www.chrisvanallsburg.com/flash.html

Back to top

IV. THE LIFE OF A WEATHER ROUTER

In Windward, you met Bill Biewenga. Bill is an accomplished sailor and respected weather router. He’s gone on 26 transatlantic trips and has traveled approximately 320,000 sea miles!

His job is to help sailors, like you, choose a course at sea based upon the weather conditions as they currently exist and are expected to change over time.

His day usually starts early in an office filled with computers and communications devices so that information can be collected, analyzed, applied to a particular boat and situation, and distributed to the people who need to know that information.

As a weather router, he must be aware of a variety of constraints, conditions and goals for the particular project. He needs to know:

What kind of vessel the project is using and its sailing or motoring characteristics such as speed and its ability to deal with various wind angles and sea states.
What the priorities are for the project, such as winning a race or speed record, comfort for the crew, safety, or visiting interesting places at a casual pace.
How prepared is the crew and vessel is to achieve those goals and how effectively can it deal with a variety of weather conditions.
How one reads and interprets a weather map including surface analysis maps, 500 mb charts and forecast maps.
How one reads and interprets a variety of satellite images including visible light and infrared images.
How to find out what the current conditions are by using remotely sensed and directly observed weather data.
How to plot where the boat is currently located and estimate where it can be located at a given time.
How to guide the vessel into the weather conditions that will most effectively satisfy the crew’s goals, subject to the limitations that the boat or crew may have.

Working as a weather router is a bit like playing a game of chess against the weather.

The various weather patterns move and change their position over time, and the weather router is expected to guide the boat into the best weather that suits the particular priorities of the captain of the vessel.

Although the weather router may be ashore, sitting in an office with a number of computers and satellite communications devices, Bill is an integral part of the team that makes decisions on which way the boat goes.