Abstract

GIS/GPS: Teaching with GIS across the curriculum
Track: Teaching with GIS in Schools
Authors: Susan Flentie, Van Schelhamer

GIS can be a useful tool across the curriculum to help youth explore their environment and solve problems while meeting state and national standards in various disciplines. For instance, Science standards require that students develop the abilities necessary for scientific inquiry and to use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze and interpret data. Lewistown teachers in grade 5-12 have come together to find ways to cross the curricular boundaries and use GIS in Science, Math, English, Social Studies, Computer Applications, Library, PE and Freshman Academy. GIS has also proven to be a valuable tool in helping us to meet the new state standards for addressing Indian Education for all. Students are developing an awareness of spatial thinking, the relationships between disciplines and the application of these technologies in the community and work place because they are using real data in actual situations to create and understand these visual representations.