Announcing “Picture Post for Environmental Conservation”—A New Program for Middle School Youth at Blue Hill Observatory with Supporting Online Units Coming Soon—Developed in Partnership with the Yawkey Foundation
- Temperature Trends
- Droughts
- Precipitation
- Haze
- Freeze/Thaw Cycles
- Sunshine Duration
- Changes in Flora
- Means and Extremes
- Analyze and interpret data from the Blue Hill Observatory’s 137-year climate record including, but not limited to temperature, precipitation, or sunlight duration data.
- Describe changes over time that they identified in Blue Hill Picture Post photographs to answer critical questions and make predictions.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the physical processes that they are investigating including, but not limited to, movement of water in the water cycle, freeze/thaw cycling, importance of sunshine duration, etc.
- Design, organize, plan, and implement an original research project using principles and data from the curriculum.
- Make informed predictions about future environmental change and propose future action to reduce or mitigate the consequences of their predictions.
Other Educational Programs
Blue Hill Observatory and Science Center also offers additional fee for service programs for teachers, students and the general public to learn more about climate science. These include programs weather watching at Blue Hill, weather forecasting, making and flying kites, balloon launches, guided hikes of Great Blue Hill, and many others.
You can even create a custom program that suits your particular needs.

Weather Watching at Great Blue Hill
Tour the Observatory using a study guide and learn about weather instruments and how observers record and analyze the weather.
Cost: | $50, plus $2.00 per student and $4.00 per adult. Maximum group size is 60 students with one chaperon for each 6 to 10 students (no charge for chaperons). |
Time: | About 75 minutes |

Kite-Making Workshops
Design, build and fly your own kite! Travel with a guide through the history of kites and their use at the Observatory. Kite Flying on Blue Hill is possible time and weather permitting.
Cost: | $75, plus materials ($1.00 to $75 per kite depending on style) |
Time: | 30 to 90 minutes |

Windy Weather
Make wind catchers and explore the wind with a guided tour of the Observatory.
Cost: | $75, plus materials ($1.00 to $10 per student depending on activity) |
Time: | About 75 minutes |

Guided Hikes
Trek through the Blue Hills and learn about your environment.
Cost: | $45 per guide, plus $2.00 per student and $4.00 per adult. Maximum group size is 24 students with one chaperon for each 6 to 12 students (no charge for chaperons). |
Time: | About 45 minutes |

Weather Forecasting
How do meteorologists make weather forecasts? Learn from the experts in a forecasting workshop.
Cost: | $50, plus $2.00 per student and $4.00 per adult. Maximum group size is 16 students with one chaperon for each 6 to 8 students (no charge for chaperons). |
Time: | About 90 minutes |

Balloon Launch
Track and learn properties of the wind with bio-degradable balloons.
Cost: | $40, plus $1 per balloon |
Time: | 20 to 30 minutes |

Observation Exploration
See the Observatory in action. Discover the tools used by Blue Hill meteorologists since 1885 on a detailed tour.
Cost: | $45, plus $1.50 per student and $3.00 per adult. Maximum group size is 16 students with one chaperon for each 6 to 8 students (no charge for chaperons). |
Time: | About 45 minutes |

The Math of Meteorology
How do you find the average wind speed, temperature range and relative humidity? Use math skills to learn about the weather.
Cost: | $50, plus $2.00 per student and $4.00 per adult. Maximum group size is 60 students with one chaperon for each 6 to 10 students (no charge for chaperons). |
Time: | About 75 minutes |