Klimamatch: From the classroom to climate data
Klimamatch: From the classroom to climate data
More than 250 school classes are participating in Klimamatch and have already entered over 600,000 historical weather observations, helping researchers understand climate change.
Klimamatch engages students across Denmark
The ropes are cast off and Klimamatch has set sail. Over 250 school classes from across Denmark have already embarked on a journey towards new knowledge and verified more than 600,000 historical weather observations from old ship logs in the Danish National Archives. The project turns students into active participants in climate research.
Students turn archival records into climate knowledge
In Klimamatch, students across the country earn points by entering small pieces of weather information from old ship logs. These historical data help researchers understand how the climate has developed over time and provide an important contribution to research in Denmark and internationally. The project also shows how archival materials can gain new life in modern teaching.
In the game, students build their own avatars, complete missions and collect points – both individually and as a class. Everything takes place in a digital learning universe, where play and teaching go hand in hand with climate research as the common goal.
A competition with the wind in its sails
Klimamatch is a nationwide competition for lower secondary students in grades 7–10, where the goal is to enter the most and most precise data. The class with the best effort can win 25,000 DKK for a school trip, class party or a unique experience. In addition, 5,000 DKK is awarded to each regional winner, and when the competition concludes, the winners are celebrated at the M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark in November.
Learning universe: Dive into Denmark’s maritime heritage
Klimamatch was developed in collaboration with the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI) as a part of the project ROPEWALK.
Klimamatch also offers a free learning universe, where students can dive into exciting stories about life at sea, navigation before GPS, extreme weather situations and the importance of weather observations. All in cross-disciplinary material that is especially suited for science and history.
Citizen science and climate research
Klimamatch is an example of citizen science, where citizens – in this case students – contribute to scientific results. By entering data from ship logs, the students help researchers access unique sources that would otherwise take decades to review manually. This makes young people an active part of the green transition and gives them insight into how research works in practice.
From classroom to climate data
The many weather observations entered are used directly in climate models at DMI and other research institutions. This makes Klimamatch an important tool for researchers analyzing the historical development of the climate, while students gain experience with data management, source criticism and collaboration.
