GIS K12 in Delaware Schools

1
GIS K-12 in Delaware Schools

• Presented by
• Nicole M. Minni

2
Overview

• Map Projection Basics
• Creating Orange World
• Summer Vacation Atlas
• Fun in the sun with GIS

3
Projecting the Edible Globe

• What is map projection?
• The earth is a spheroid and to make a map you
  must represent it on a flat surface
• This is accomplished by a mathematical
  transformation called a map projection
• Map projections distort shape, area, distance,
  and direction. Some projections preserve one of
  these properties at the expense of others.
• Uncontrolled
• Controlled

4
Projections, continued

• Sinusoidal
• Countries are increasingly distorted away from
  the central meridian(s) and near the poles
• Lambert Conformal Conic
• retains conformity, distances true only along
  standard parallels, directions reasonably
  accurate, distortion of shapes minimal, but
  increases away from standard parallels
• Robinson
• better balance of size and shape of high latitude
  lands, but greatest distortion is near the poles
• Mercator
• preserves direction, but distorts shape

• Your choice of map projection allows you to
  control the type of distortion in a map for your
  area of interest.

5
Summer Vacation Atlas

• Range of the project is the entire school year
  and relates to all areas of education
• Math - measurements/calculations
• History - Cape Henlopen Light House - WWII
• Science - hypotheses
• Biology - mollusks
• Environmental - data attributes, overall care of
  beach
• Reading and writing - report on activities,
  observations and conclusions.

6
Where to begin

• Ask children what they want to discover about the
  Delaware Beaches
• Possible responses are
• What beach is best for collecting shells?
• What beach is best for collecting drift wood?
• What beach is the trashiest?
• What is the foam color, water color?
• What beach has the best waves?
• What beach is the widest?
• What direction do the waves break on the beach?

7
Data Collection Sheet

• Hand out data collection sheet
• Select your first beach to visit
• Gather as much information that you can while you
  are at the beach
• take digital photos
• complete data collection sheet, need clipboard
• GPS unit, if available

8
Map Your Results

• Open appropriate themes
• Add data and attribute information
• Review your analysis
• Report your results
• What is your favorite beach and why?
• How did this study assist in your conclusions?

9
Extras

• Lesson plan web site
• http//www.esri.com/k-12 info on GIS in schools
• http//www.esri.com/communityatlas special
  project
• http//www.esri.com/arclessons GIS Lesson
  repository
• http//www.esri.com/educ Education User Conf,
  July 6-8, 2001

• Questions???
• Nicole M. Minni,
• Water Resources Agency, Institute for Public
  Administration, College of Human
  Services, Education and Public Policy, University
  of Delaware
• nminni_at_udel.edu
• www.wr.udel.edu