Abstract

A Social Studies GIS Lesson Using Local Manitoba Caribou Data
Track: Education
Authors: Tony Viveiros

The Manitoba Model Forest (MBMF) established the Eastern Manitoba Woodland Caribou Advisory Committee (EMWCAC) in 1994 to conduct research and educate the public on the habitat requirements and use patterns of regional boreal woodland caribou. In an effort to promote the understanding of boreal forest ecosystem functions and natural resource management, the MBMF has developed curriculum packages for Manitoba teachers. The MBMF recently completed a curriculum package for Grade 10 Social Studies called Natural Resources, Forestry. A component of this curriculum package is a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) lesson on woodland caribou incorporating research from the EMWCAC. By integrating GIS and caribou data into the Grade 10 Social Studies classroom, students and teachers are provided the opportunity to increase mapping and spatial reasoning skills through analysis of regional caribou datasets. This presentation highlights a Grade 10 Social Studies GIS lesson that uses ArcGIS software to explore boreal woodland caribou data.