Education Blog

Take a dive into the latest National Geographic MapMaker Guided Lessons for grades 6-8.

I'm excited to share a new activity for students - Experience GIS for Conservation. This activity is appropriate for students in environmental science and conservation classes, as well as those in Natural Resources, Environmental Service systems, Conservation and Land Management, Ecological Resource and Development, Environmental Protection, STEM, and Law pathways. 

I recently worked on a new activity to explore and understand Redistricting and Gerrymandering through maps. The patterns I used might help a teacher make an activity that reinforces a topic for their classroom by incorporating maps. Here are some tips for making your own map activity on a topic for one of your classes.

Explore real-world places with spooky names—like Ghost Ranch and Witch’s Canyon—while building mapping and critical-thinking skills.

Many Earth science teachers begin teaching freshwater units in early fall.  Usually these investigations cover at least the flow of freshwater in the water cycle, paying attention to  rivers, lakes, and streams. 

Earth Science Week is from Oct. 12-18 and focused on energy resources. Come explore a map of power plants.

GIS has evolved as a system which encompasses a myriad of moving parts and pieces – it is not just about technology itself, but also how we implement, collaborate, integrate and work across various subsystems and frameworks.

Examine SOFT skills needed for today's workforce, and associated resources to help with learning.

GIS has evolved as a system which encompasses a myriad of moving parts and pieces – it is not just about technology itself, but also how we implement, collaborate, integrate and work across various subsystems and frameworks.

Examine TECHNICAL skills needed for today's workforce, and associated resources to help with learning.

If you have students who are curious about GIS, A student's self-guided exploration of GIS provides resources and a pathway for them to get an introduction and start building a foundation.

Teaching topography and topographic maps are important in Earth science and physical geography; it builds a foundation for understanding how the surface of the Earth shapes natural processes, ecosystems, and human activity. For this reason, topography is often taught at the beginning of Earth science and geography courses - in September!