Putting Space and Place Together: GIS

for Upper Elementary and

Middle School Classrooms

Putting Space and Place Together: GIS

for Upper Elementary and

Middle School Classrooms

Dr. Mike CharlesPacific University

Forest Grove, Oregon

Dr. Mike CharlesPacific University

Forest Grove, Oregon

GIS-Geographic Information SystemGIS-Geographic Information System

• Digital maps with multiple layers

• A map built from a database

• Wikipedia’s definition

• Digital maps with multiple layers

• A map built from a database

• Wikipedia’s definition

Mapquest-a familiar GISMapquest-a familiar GIS

GIS in classroomsGIS in classrooms

• GIS/GPS use is growing in K-12 classrooms (and in the rest of the world)

• Problem: Use is idiosyncratic and often not coordinated across grade level – typical of emerging technology use

• Curriculum development is difficult - bu worthwhile because…– Well suited to inquiry approaches– Aligns well with national standards

• GIS/GPS use is growing in K-12 classrooms (and in the rest of the world)

• Problem: Use is idiosyncratic and often not coordinated across grade level – typical of emerging technology use

• Curriculum development is difficult - bu worthwhile because…– Well suited to inquiry approaches– Aligns well with national standards

Google Earth

ArcExplorer-Java Edition for Educators (AEJEE)

My World - developed at Northwestern and distributed

by PASCO

We’ll focus on the first two today

Google Earth

ArcExplorer-Java Edition for Educators (AEJEE)

My World - developed at Northwestern and distributed

by PASCO

We’ll focus on the first two today

GIS toolsGIS tools

Google EarthGoogle Earth

• Open Google Earth• Fly to “Portland, Oregon”• Find and label the Oregon

Convention Center• What else can you find?

– Where you are staying– Your own home– Your own school

• Open Google Earth• Fly to “Portland, Oregon”• Find and label the Oregon

Convention Center• What else can you find?

– Where you are staying– Your own home– Your own school

Google EarthquakesGoogle Earthquakes

• Turn on the earthquake “layer”• Find the location of the earthquake

closest to the convention center• Is this actually the closest earthquake?• Visit http://earthquake.usgs.gov/ to find

recent earthquake information• Use Google’s “Add a placemark” tool to

locate the earthquake– Don’t miss the “Tilt up” and “Tilt down” tool

• Turn on the earthquake “layer”• Find the location of the earthquake

closest to the convention center• Is this actually the closest earthquake?• Visit http://earthquake.usgs.gov/ to find

recent earthquake information• Use Google’s “Add a placemark” tool to

locate the earthquake– Don’t miss the “Tilt up” and “Tilt down” tool

DiscussionDiscussion

• What might you do with your students with a tool that allows you to view both rich geospatial information and add placemarks of your own?

• What might you do with your students with a tool that allows you to view both rich geospatial information and add placemarks of your own?

Google Earth-potential problems

Google Earth-potential problems

• A commercial tool migrating to education– The invasion of “sponsored speech”– The “bars/clubs” layer

• May use more bandwidth than your school is able to provide

• A commercial tool migrating to education– The invasion of “sponsored speech”– The “bars/clubs” layer

• May use more bandwidth than your school is able to provide

AEJEEAEJEE

Invitation for collaborationInvitation for collaboration

Curriculum connections for the Google Earth tool

Mike CharlesCollege of EducationPacific UniversityForest Grove, Oregoncharlesm@pacificu.edu

Curriculum connections for the Google Earth tool

Mike CharlesCollege of EducationPacific UniversityForest Grove, Oregoncharlesm@pacificu.edu

Potential GIS benefitsPotential GIS benefits

• Attracts visual learners to studying science, social studies, mathematics and technology

• Can promote higher-order thinking skills• Facilitates the use of real data• Lets students connect with local spaces

and places (local data is available)

• Attracts visual learners to studying science, social studies, mathematics and technology

• Can promote higher-order thinking skills• Facilitates the use of real data• Lets students connect with local spaces

and places (local data is available)