Thursday, February 28, 2008

Cool Stuff to do with Google Maps

http://geography.about.com/b/2008/02/25/100-things-to-do-with-google-maps-mashups.htm

GeoTech 2008-day 1

I'm at GeoTech 2008 this week in Dallas, TX! We had a great day of pre-conference workshops today. I enjoyed hearing Bob Coulter of the Missouri Botanical Garden talk about Historic GIS Data. Bob did a great job talking us through downloading and incorporating the downloaded files into our own GIS projects.
http://www.nhgis.org/

I worked with a great group of folks in the afternoon session exploring Literature Latitudes.

I'm looking forward to another great day tomorrow!

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Activity Testers Needed for Rural STEM Project

GIS in Education Community
The National Center for Rural STEM Education at James Madison University is looking for activity testers for a new set of GIS activities written for AEJEE and ArcGIS 9. The lessons are written for middle school students, but we would be interested in testers at all primary and secondary school grades.
We'll offer a $100 stipend for teachers to classroom test and comment on two of the lessons in the collection. You'll need to do the lessons with your students, fill out an evaluation form and send in a couple of examples of student work. If you'd like to be involved in this, please send Barbaree Ash Duke (baduke@mindspring.com) the following information by 20 Feb.:
Name
School
Size of School (students and urban/suburban/rural)
Location
Grade Level/Subject Taught
Number of Students
List of activities you're willing to test**
**Choose 3 activities from our collection (we'll try to give you 2 from your choices, but we want to make sure we can get them all tested). The collection is as follows (more info is available at http://www.isat.jmu.edu/stem/curriculum.html):
Cabela's Activity - Revised 26 July 2007
In this activity, students use GIS to find the ideal location for a new Cabela's outdoor gear store in Virginia.
World Demographics - Revised 26 July 2007
In this activity, students use GIS to explore the economies and standards of living of countries across the world.
Disasters - revised 23 July 2007
In this activity, students use GIS to explore the impact of natural disasters, including hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, etc. on their local area. They also explore which health care facilities are important in the case of disaster.
Energy - revised 23 July 2007
In this activity, students use GIS to explore the production and consumption of energy by countries around the world. By comparing energy use of different types, students explore energy sustainability. Both the AEJEE and ArcMap versions are included in the zip file below.
Drinking Water Activity - Posted 26 July 2007
In this activity, students use GIS to explore the source and quality of drinking water in their community by investigating local aquifers. They'll use the concentration of Arsenic and EPA-listed toxic discharge sites to help them compare the quality of their water with drinking water across the U.S.
Watersheds - Revised 26 July 2007
In this activity, students use GIS to explore their watershed and how that watershed relates to other watersheds. This is a good follow-on to the water quality activity above.
Carbon Footprint - Revised 2 September 2007
In this activity, students use GIS to explore the concept of carbon footprint and the its relationship to the population and size of different countries. It is part of the Environment series of activities.

Bats in the Neighborhood - New 14 October 2007
In this activity, students use GIS to explore the habitats of bats in their state or region and compare/contrast the different species of bats. It is part of the Environment series of activities.
Survivor Agriculture - New 28 November 2007
In this activity, students use GIS to explore the agriculture productivity of their state and determine if it could support the state's population in the wake of a large-scale disaster. Students also compare and contrast their state with neighboring states. It is part of the Environment series of activities.
Farm Economics - New 15 January 2008
In this activity, students use GIS to explore the agriculture economics of their state and county and discover where high sales farms are located across the U.S. The students also construct a plan for creating a viable farm locally. It is part of the Environment series of activities.
Invasive Species: Plants - available by 15 Feb. 2008
In this activity, students use GIS to explore the impact of invasive plant species on their local area. They also explore what their state and community can do to prevent further damage.
Invasive Species: Animals - available by 15 Feb. 2008
In this activity, students use GIS to explore the impact of invasive animal species on their local area. They also explore what their state and community can do to prevent further damage.
Testing can start soon (though the Invasive Species activity won't be available until Feb.). Testing must be completed by the end of April.
Stipend checks will be sent when you've returned the evaluation paperwork to Barbaree Ash Duke. We only have 30 testing slots available, so if you're interested, please let us know soon. Thanks for considering this request.
Bob Kolvoord
Bob Kolvoord, Ph.D.
Professor, Integrated Science and Technology and
Educational Technologies
James Madison University
MSC 4102
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
+1 540/568-2752 (o) -2768 (f)
kolvoora@jmu.edu

ASCD Conference - New Orleans, LA

Want to talk curriculum and GIS in Education with a friendly face?

If anyone is attending the ASCD conference and would like to chat, please let me know. I'm not presenting but will be there...since it's in my backyard. My friends from ESRI will be in the Exhibit Hall also.

If you're attending, zap me an email and we'll plan to have a chat!

Barbaree
baduke@mindspring.com