www.ctetrailblazers.org stepping up to a nontraditional challenge
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www.ctetrailblazers.org
Stepping up to a nontraditional challenge
Spatial thinking is an increasingly important skill for livingand working in the 21st Century. Geographic Information System (GIS) technology can help educators teach this skill to students. Spatial literacy will play an increasingly important role in today’s information-based economy and should be incorporated into k-12 instruction.
Learning to Think Spatially
Spatial GIS is a powerful analytic tool that helps students understand the significance of spatial distribution patterns through experiences that involve students in “authentic inquiry.”
GIS in Schools
Enhancing Spatial Literacy:What can GIS do for you?
Why Teach GIS?• Standards for National Geography, Science, Mathematics and Social
Studies
• Increases the recognition that geography education is important to society
• Work with Real-World Data in an inquiry-based, problem-solving mode
• Essential skills that the job market of the future will require
• Multidisciplinary learning at a scale from local to global
• Problem Based Learning and Reality Based Learning
• Integrated approach to learning with computers
• Conduct authentic investigations
Lesson Plans Using GISVirginia
http://www.cteresource.org/featured/geospatial.html
Virginia Geospatial Academy
http://www.fw.vt.edu/geoacademy/index2.html
Virginia’s Geospatial Extention Program
http://www.cnr.vt.edu/gep/resources.html
USGS Resources
http://www.gis2gps.com/GIS/lessons/lessons.html
GIS Loungehttp://gislounge.com/k-12-education-in-gis/
Colorado Schools
http://www.dolorescounty.k12.co.us/cboyd/boyd/GPS_GIS_lesson.ht
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I Love GIS (GIS4KIDS)
http://www.ilovegis.com/SampleProjects.html
GIS4Kidshttp://gis4kids.wordpress.com/
Geospatial Technologies: Real Projects in Real Classroomshttp://www.pbs.org/teachers/librarymedia/aasl/kolvoord.pdf
Sample Projects
Middle School Science: Earth Science: Biology:Exploring local area Climate of local area Wetlands/stream Monarch Migration Alternative Energy Frogs in HeatWhere am I? Local area characteristics
Criminal Justice: Health: Economic Development:Criminal ActivityPandemic Impact of building
Lesson Plans Using GIS
Geospatial Technology ICourse 8423 – 36 Weeks:
Managing Geospatial Projects:
Students develop a project to investigate and present
Understanding of Geospatial Technologies:
Global Positioning Systems (GPS) – Gathering Long/Lat points
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) – Viewing geodata
Remote Sensing (RS) – Using Digital Photography
Geographic Information Systems:
Data that is identified by location (long/lat/elevation) may be:
• Assembled
• Stored
• Manipulated
• Analyzed
• Displayed
Databases can be directly entered into a GIS to create a map that can reveal important new information that leads to better decision-making.
What is GIS?
Assembling DataFree:
• Your County Mapping Department
• Virginia Government: http://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/cldownload.shtml
• UVA: http://www.lib.virginia.edu/scholarslab/resources/index.html
• National Atlas: http://nationalatlas.gov/pros.html
• Geodata.gov: http://gos2.geodata.gov/wps/portal/gos
• Yellow Pages: http://www.yellowpages.com
• Census: http://www.census.gov/
Purchase:
• AGI Website: http://www.agiweb.org/pubs/globalgis/orders.html
Creating a Geodatabase
• Open a Text File using delimiters
• Save as a xls file
• Import an Excel File into Geodatabase
• Add to ArcMap
Attribute Table
Organization
•Predefine storage locations
•Save data in folders for easy navigation
•Create a Naming Convention for easy grouping
•Maintain a backup of data
•Locating data sources that are no longer visible in your map
File Organization
Manipulating Data
•Easy to “Clean” data in Excel before adding to ArcMap
•Headers – only 10 letters or numbers, NO spaces
•No Special characters in the data
•Find/Replace
•Check Spelling and Abbreviations for Geocoding Matching
•Add or remove data
Analysis
•Changing GIS Symbology
•Creating Multiple Views
•Joining Tables
•Using Extensions
Displaying Data
•Zooming around your data
•Identifying Features
•Creating a Map Layout
•Adding a report
Weldon Cooper CenterDemographics and Workforce
When looking for data – check with us first:http://www.coopercenter.org/demographics
Other Data Sources:American Fact Finder (Census.gov) - http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en
American Community Survey - http://www.census.gov/acs/www/
Historical Census - http://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/hiscendata.html
Virginia Vital Statistics - http://www.lva.virginia.gov/whatwehave/vital/