Abstract
Connecting Classrooms to Real-World GIS-Based Watershed Investigations
Track: Designing GIS Curriculum for K–12 Education
Author(s): Cathlyn Stylinski, David Smith
Incorporating authentic science investigations and data into school curriculum can be challenging. GIS technology provides a way for teachers and students to examine relevant real-world issues with data and tools regularly used by science professionals. We will explore a multiweek supplementary curriculum that has students mapping watersheds, analyzing land-use impacts on stream ecosystems, and applying their new knowledge and skills to develop watershed management plans. We will discuss how these GIS-based environmental investigations can enhance student learning and support science standards.
Cathlyn Stylinski
University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Appalachian Laboratory
301 Braddock Road
Frostburg, MD 21532
US
Phone: 301-689-7272
Fax: 301-689-7200
E-mail: cat@al.umces.edu
David Smith
Northwestern University
School of Education and Social Policy
Annenberg Hall, room 330
2120 Campus Drive
Evanston, IL 60208
US
Phone: 847-467-5272
Fax: 847-491-8999
E-mail: dasmith@northwestern.edu