 |
|
GIS Lesson at Stewart Middle Magnet School for Math/Science/Technology
Hillsborough County, Florida
|
On January 18 & 25, 2005, Kristine Martella, GIS Specialist (IAP World Services, Inc./USGS National Wetlands Research Center), met with Ms. Smithwick's 6th grade class at Stewart Middle Magnet School in Tampa, Florida and gave them lessons on mapping wetlands in Tampa Bay using a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technique.
For the first lesson, the students discussed 'what is GIS?' and 'what is a GIS data layer?'. They also learned how scientists and managers use GIS and about the importance of mapping habitats and land uses using GIS. They looked at aerial photographs and satellite images and discussed their role in creating GIS data layers.
In groups of three, the students created their own GIS data by coloring different habitats on transparency paper and stacking them in layers over a topographic map of Weedon Island, in St. Petersburg, FL. The transparencies are a simplified data layers, which can then be transfered to a computer to create digital data layers in a GIS.
During the second lesson, they learned about the scale of maps and how to compare maps of different scales. Scale is important when you want to calculate distance or overlay data from different maps. They looked at a topobathy map of Tampa Bay and discussed what the map represents.
On their computers they went to the Gulf of Mexico Integreted Science Website where they opened the Tampa Bay Interactive Mapping System (IMS) and learned how to navigate and use an IMS. The IMS is an online GIS, containing GIS data layers. The IMS demonstrates the broad use of GIS for studying and managing our natural environment.
Visiting USGS scientists demonstrates to students how things they learn everyday in the classroom can be applied to a career in science. It encourages and inspires the students to be curious about their environment, but also enforces the lessons teachers try to teach them everyday: that learning should be a part of their life and does not end when they leave the classroom.
|
|
|
|
