Schools help The Big Report break world record

Schools across Australia and The Weather Channel smashed the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest interactive weather report as part of National Science Week.

To break the record, they had to top the previous record held by the BBC, which had 261 UK schools measure the temperature in their playground.

Yesterday 502 Aussie schools did the same at midday AEST and submitted the readings to The Weather Channel, via weatherchannel.com.au/bigreport.

“We’re absolutely over the moon that we’ve managed to beat the record and thrilled that so many schools participated,” says Dick Whitaker, Senior Meteorologist for The Weather Channel said.

“We’ve been amazed by the diversity of the schools who have signed up to participate. From home schools to special needs schools, foreign language schools to one-teacher schools, it’s literally been an aspect of National Science Week that every sort of school can, and has, participated in.

“It’s been wonderful to be involved in a project where country kids, indigenous kids and inner city kids have all been united in one common goal.”

Participating schools across Australia included Braeside Primary in Katanning, Western Australia; Araluen Christian College in Alice Springs; Tagai State College in the Torres Strait and Lindisfarne Primary in Tasmania.

The Big Report was also simulcast live on the Nickelodeon channel in a rare joint broadcast.