Mission Geography

Linking to the Curriculum

• What is Mission Geography?

• How can Mission Geography help anchor ISSEarthKAM to the curriculum?

• What are the connections to the curriculum in your state?

NASA’s Education Program & Evaluation Framework

Cooperative venture between …

Mission Geography• Subject matter focus:

– Seeing the World in Spatial Terms– Physical Systems– Environment and

Society

Mission Geography• Module Fundamentals

– Must teach interesting and meaningful geography;

– Must model geographic thinking and problem solving;

– Must engage students in real world contexts and problems.

Module Components

• Module Overview– Linked to Math,

Science, Technology Standards

Module Components

• Module Overview– Linked to Math, Science,

Technology Standards

• Investigations– Linked in detail to

Geography Standards

• Teacher’s Guide– Suggested strategies,

background, answers

Module Components• Module Overview

– Linked to Math, Science, Technology Standards

• Investigations– Linked in detail to Geography

Standards

• Teacher’s Guide– Suggested strategies,

background, answers

• Student Logs and Supporting Materials– Everything needed for the

investigation

Natural Hazards• Volcanoes: Local hazard, global issue?

– NASA: Detecting change in Earth systems through monitoring signals.

– What role does volcanism play in the Earth system?

• Images• Data

Aerosols (atmosphere)

Hazard zones(lithosphere/biosphere)

Mission Geography Module

• Phase 1: Skill building and subject matter mastery.Case study of effects of volcanic eruption on Earth system, by sphere

• Investigation to clarify effects of volcanic eruption on different subsystems

• Image analysis to compare effects before/after• Develop concepts related to areal extent of

damage: buffer zone analysis

Mission Geography Module

• More skill building and subject matter mastery

• Case study of effects of volcanic aerosols on Earth system through three signal sensors: photographs from Space Shuttle, TOMS, & AVHRR– Profile & correlate temperature and aerosol index to

determine relationship

Mission Geography Module

• Phase 3: Problem solving task.Problem: Where is it safe to fly? Monitoring regions with aerosol hazards

– Collect TOMS data. – Map it. – Develop a systematic categorization

of world regions in which there is a potential hazard from volcanic ash and other aerosols.

http://missiongeography.org

http://geoearthkam.tamu.edu/mg-ek2.htm