GIS in K-12 Education

GIS (Geographic Information Systems) is part of Geospatial Technology, a collective term referring to technologies that collect, store, query, analyze, visualize, and present spatial information. GIS, along with GPS (Global Positioning Systems), RS (Remote Sensing), and Surveying comprise geospatial technologies.

Using and teaching GIS enhances students' ability to think critically about analyzing data. GIS as an instructional tool helps students engage in inquiry and solve problems. This powerful tool enables students to use data to visualize spatial patterns, linkages, and relationships, and supports informed decision making. And GIS is fun! This presentation will focus on suggestions for incorporating GIS applications and analysis opportunities into classroom instruction. 'See' examples of real life applications of GIS in the video.

GIS is used for analysis of information that can be tied to location. Where does crime happen? Where are property lines? Where did military battles take place? Where are relevant historic Iowa locations found? Where are unique Iowa geologic formations found? Where are crops at risk of failure? Where is deforestation taking place? Which direction are wind patterns forcing wildfires? Where did famous authors or composers live? Where are all of the people from who visit the Iowa State Fair? Where are your favorite hiking trails, fishing holes, state parks? Where are your favorite sports teams located?! 'Where' questions are unlimited. The next section displays links to K-12 mapping resources and a sampling of map examples relevant to location for a variety of curriculum topics with real world applications.

The format is a 'slideshow' so click on the arrow icon to the right of the slides to move from one to the other. The first slideshow contains images - with hyperlinks - to a number of Ready-to-Use mapping resources. The slideshows that follow display a variety of maps about various topics - all interactive. You can zoom in and out; click and hold somewhere in the map to move it around; in several maps you can click on a point or symbol or polygon to see a popup with more specific information for a specific location. Sometimes you must zoom in further to see all available information. Most maps have a Legend you can click on at bottom left of the map - when you open the legend you may also be able to turn some of the layers on and off; many have a Search function (top left of the map) in which you can type a city name or an address to explore a specific location's data. Please note: some of the map layers may take several seconds to draw in the map, so be patient!

You don't need a degree in GIS to easily introduce simple geospatial activities into your curriculum. For example:

• Check out the Map Galleries on the Esri website for maps like those in the slide shows above, or explore the Story Map Gallery for more extensive maps which can include images, text, videos, and more, like this Story Map. They are easily shared with students of all ages and can support many topics in the classroom. See the Resource List at the end of this Story Map for links to these galleries.
• Simple 15-Minute GeoInquiries are available on the Esri website. These include content for elementary and secondary students in American Literature, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Government, Human Geography, Mathematics, Upper Elementary, US History, World Geography, and World History. The lessons in these collections can be tailored for more advanced learners at the college level. See Resources.
• Many free lessons and tutorials are available, with step-by-step instructions and easy access to the ArcGIS Online mapping application. Students and teachers at IHCC can join the IHCC Organization Account for free access. The Learn ArcGIS series of lessons are extensive, with content for every discipline. See Resources.
• Some favorite mapping sites might be of interest or spark ideas for adding geospatial thinking to your curriculum. See Resources for some links to unusual and fun mapping resources.
• Don't hesitate to contact stevensde@wmpenn.edu for more information or assistance. She is part of the team trained by Esri in the "Teachers Teaching Teachers GIS" (T3G) program. Our Iowa Geographic Information Council has members across Iowa willing to mentor teachers and classes. Reach out to us!

Students are fearless and don't hesitate to try new technology. Esri sponsors a Map Contest for students 4 - 12th grade each school years. Iowa participates. Take a look at the maps submitted in 2021! All topics, all levels of skill. The students are amazing. The winning students, one 6th grader and six 7th graders at Waukee South Middle School, and the links to their Story Map entries include:

1st Place – The Geographical Features of Iowa | Bo Bechler and Lavanya Prem Map Link:  https://arcg.is/1Cb9Di  | Details Page Link:  https://arcg.is/0qT4by   

2nd Place – RAGBRAI: The Ride Across Iowa | Vivian Steger and Jessica Kratky  Map Link:  https://arcg.is/1yPXqT   | Details Page: Link:  https://arcg.is/1zeCWC   

Tie for 3rd Place – The Bridges of Madison County | Abigail Welch and Sarah Mathew Map Link:  https://arcg.is/Xn9CT  | Details Page Link:  https://arcg.is/W0aOC   

Tie for 3rd Place – Lewis & Clark Expedition: Iowa | Ella Stobbe Map Link:  https://arcg.is/08qyvv  | Details Page Link:  https://arcg.is/095Hje   

• Lindsey the GIS Professional Book Series - Currently eight books in the series; includes a library of resources for teachers and students; visit SteamAtWork.com to browse printable activities and games;  https://www.bolton-menk.com/Resources/childrens-library/ ;  https://learn.arcgis.com/en/esripress/steam-at-work/ 
• Story Map Gallery -  https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/products/arcgis-storymaps/stories   Scroll down and browse the story albums by topic.
• Map Gallery -  https://mapgallery.esri.com/#/  A searchable collection of more than 4,000 maps; search by Industry/Theme, Type of Map, Most Popular Maps.
• GeoInquiries -  https://www.esri.com/en-us/industries/education/schools/geoinquiries-collections  Dive into the numerous lessons and levels under each topic.
• Learn ArcGIS.com - A collection of lessons with user-friendly steps for mapping projects in a variety of subjects.  https://learn-arcgis-learngis.hub.arcgis.com/  This link will take you directly to a set designed for educators -  https://teach-with-gis-learngis.hub.arcgis.com/ 
• An Historical Atlas (Digitized for the 21st Century) -  http://dsl.richmond.edu/historicalatlas/ 
• WorldMapper -  https://worldmapper.org/  A collection of world maps, where territories are re-sized on each map according to the subject of interest.
• Earth as Art - beautiful imagery from satellites and, more recently, drones that uses the color bands of the images to create art. There are now six collections to enjoy.  https://www.usgs.gov/centers/eros/science/earth-art?qt-science_center_objects=2#qt-science_center_objects 
• See Collections toward the beginning of this StoryMap for additional resources!
• Looking for specific mapping topics or ideas? There are thousands of resources. Ask. We may be able to help you find what works for your classroom.