---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 11 Jul 2000 09:30:13 -0400
From: Fred Schaff <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: K-12 GIS Education
Someone recently requested information relative to the education of
children relative to GIS problems/results.
The URL taken from GEOWorld Magazine has access to several subjects that
would be of interest to a teacher in this area and I've reproduced it
below. It is primarily describing the region of Idaho, Wyoming, Montana and
the Dakotas but has GIS information of interest to all.
Looking briefly into the URL myself, I got to a section called "Lesson
Plans" at <nasc.uwyo.edu/edPARC/teachMod/lessons.html> which has 12
diffeent lesson plans downloadable as Adobe Acrobat "PDF" files. They are
designed to run with the software program ARCView.
Fred Schaff, Spring Grove, PA, USA, <[log in to unmask]
"The Meek shall inherit the Earth. The Rest of Us will go to the Stars."
John W. Campbell
and/or
The Meek shall inherit the Earth... but not the Mineral Rights.
...J. Paul Getty
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UPPER MIDWEST AEROSPACE CONSORTIUM
<http://www.umac.org>
The Upper Midwest Aerospace Consortium (UMAC), a Public Access
Resource Center (PARC), uses satellite imagery and other spatial
technologies to develop products and services for agriculture,
natural-resource management and K- 12 education. The consortium also
provides, via its regional centers and World Wide Web site, information and
educational outreach services to the general public with respect to
regional effects of environmental and climatic change.
Comprised of nine universities and one federal agency-the Earth
Resources Observation System (EROS) Data Center, a data management, systems
development and research field center for the U.S. Geological Survey's
National Mapping Division-UMAC is organized and managed by the University
of North Dakota, Grand Forks, N.D. The consortium includes participants
from universities, industries and governments located throughout North
Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.
As a PARC for remote-sensing data and related spatial
technologies, UMAC aims to reach beyond scientific research communities to
provide a knowledgeable source of practical geospatial information where
users live and work. In addition, UMAC customizes products and services to
local needs.
UMAC develops spatial data products and services using satellite
imagery, aerial imagery, geographic information and other datasets.
Although the consortium primarily relies on NASA satellite imagery, it
welcomes spatial data from any source to helr provide solutions.
The consortium first works with farmers, ranchers, foresters,
natural resource managers, teachers, agribusinesses, government agencies
and other end users in the region to determine problems that spatial data
can potentially solve. UMAC then develops prototype products and services.
UMAC's main goal is to provide environmental information that
helps people make decisions that improve their economic competitiveness,
quality of life and educational preparedness. Thc consortium's information
can be used in a variety of applications, including the following:
Farmers practicing precision agriculture
Ranchers seeking optimum grazing capacities
Foresters engaged in sustainable forestry
Educators teaching responsible stewardship
Students of earth science
UMAC's Web site features a variety of topics and subtopics for
agriculture, natural resource management and education communities,
including the following:
· Farming and ranching - these pages involve Ag-PARC, which works directly
with farmers and ranchers to determine beneficial applications, including
advances in precision farming. Other remote-sensing applications offer a
more synoptic view, either in space or time, to deliver more specific
information to individual producers.
· Forestry and natural resources - this section involves NRPARC, which
serves the forestry and
natural resource management communities. NR-PARC's mission is to foster the
use of satellite remote sensing to understand ecology.
· Climate and weather - part of the consortium's information and outreach
commitment, UMAC provides timely and accurate climate and weather
information for its five-state region. Users can access up-to-date weather
images, determine current drought conditions, view long-term climate trends
on a state-by-state or regional scale, and learn more about UMAC's climate
change assessment activities.
· Environment - UMAC's Environmental Information Network helps users learn
more about global and regional environments as well as issues that affect
where they live.
· K-12 education - this section of UMAC's Web site details Ed-PARC, which
serves the K-12 educational community. Ed-PARC provides tools and resources
in "user-friendiy" formats that are relevant to local and regional
settings, allowing teachers and students to take advantage of spatial data
and remote-sensing technologies.
UMAC works with several industry partners, government agencies,
tribal organizations and private citizens. Key government partners include
the EROS Data Center and NASA's Earth Science Enterprise program. UMAC also
is a member of NASA's Earth Science Information Partners, exploring ways to
enhance the EOS Data and Information System, and Regional Earth Science
Application Centers, working to regionally assess effects of various
climate-change scenarios.
UMAC's main goal is to further the general public's education
and understanding of earth science's practical benefits as well as how the
study of Earth and its interacting systems can improve lives. Each UMAC
activity results from a need expressed by individuals or organizations of
stakeholders. The consortium is distributed geographically to bring
information close to its end users.
from July, 2000 issue of GEOWorld, <www.geoplace.com>
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