We have written a number of laboratory exercises suitable for beginning GIS students with support from NSF (DUE-9850344). These exercises are based on interviews with workplace GIS experts to provide realistic experiences when the students begin their first GIS job. The data sets are not proprietary, and most are widely available. Instructors can substitute their own data if they do not wish to use Texas examples. Our partners are testing the exercises before we release them to our colleagues. The sample exercises we present include using census data to analyze retail locations and locating facilities within political boundaries.