ETIPS

Educational Theory into Practice Software



Real-World Curriculum


ETIPS - Make Thinking Visible

Added Value

Technology use provides added value to teaching and learning. Educational technology does not possess inherent value but rather it offers immense potential when intentionally coupled with grounded planning and solid teaching. Technology should not be used as filler for lesson plans or as down time for the teacher but rather to enhance student learning on a particular topic. This resource area explores specific options for adding value to classroom through technology but is by no means an exhaustive list.

For learning, educational technology may support the accessing of data, processing of information, or communicating of knowledge by making these processes more feasible.

Access

Educational technology can increase access to people, perspectives, or resources and to more current information. Many times, software's interface design allows learner interaction or presents information in a multi-sensory format. For instance, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) enables social studies classrooms to bring data alive through visualization tools. Online reference materials have expanded the primary and secondary sources of information available to the social studies student. And now, through instantaneous multimedia, students can relive events in modern history.

Accessing information by using technology to :

  • Locate primary source material
  • Make use of interactive maps
  • Make use of online reference materials
  • Obtain real time data
  • Exploring information by using technology to :
  • Gain multiple perspectives
  • Develop Multimedia content
  • Create virtual field trips
  • Experiencing information by using technology to :
  • Gain global perspectives
  • Facilitate international collaborations
  • Establish real time/real world connections
Process

Educational technology can support students learning-by-doing or aid them in constructing mental models, or making meaning, by scaffolding their thinking. For example, a database can allow students to compare, contrast and categorize information through query features. Students can gather information from a plethora of sources, but they have the added responsibility to evaluate the reliability of these sources. Technology tools greatly increase students' ability to effectively compare and contrast, organize, and analyze information.

Comparing and Contrasting information by using technology to :

  • Assume differing perspectives
  • Compare data over time
  • Compare and contrast data from different geographic regions
  • Create parallel timelines
  • Organizing information by using technology to :
  • Use graphic organizers to give structure to concepts
  • Use visualization tools to organize geographic information
  • Gather survey data and sort electronically

Use defined internet resources, rather than random searches for information

  • Analyzing information by using technology to :
  • Identify key concepts for classroom presentations
  • Link interconnected ideas through hypermedia
  • Discover patterns with geographic visualization tools
  • Analyze numerical data by creating differing electronic charts and graphs
  • Evaluate information found on the internet for authenticity and reliability
Communicate

With educational technology students are able to create more authentic and professional communication, and in the style and format appropriate for the topic, whether to their peers or outside experts. Students can communicate via email with mentors across town or students from another part of the world. Student publishing can now reach a world-wide audience through the Internet.

Communicating and Presenting information by using technology to

  • Communicate with experts and historical figures
  • Participate in e-mentoring opportunities
  • Create web pages to publish research
  • Present electronic multimedia reports
  • Collaborate with classrooms around the world on classroom projects
  • Publish through online e-zines

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Social Studies Lesson Plans, Classroom Activities and Web Resources
MarcoPolo

URL: http://www.wcom.com/marcopolo

Grades: K-12

Description: MarcoPolo is a service of the MCI WorldCom Foundation and is designed to provide no-cost, standards-based Internet content for K-12 teachers. A comprehensive search engine allows teachers to search for lessons and content by any combination of subject, grade level or keyword.

Geography Awareness Week Activities

URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/gaw

Grades: K-12

Description: Interactive, online activities are provided in the following areas: Biodiversity, Fresh Water, Population, and Oceans. This site is intended for students in K-12 to learn about and appreciate the importance and breadth of geography from a conservationist approach.

Sponsoring Organization: National Geographic Online www.nationalgeographic.com

The AskERIC Lesson Plan Database

URL: http://ericir.syr.edu/Virtual/Lessons

Grades: K-12

Description: This site contains over 1100 unique lesson plans in many areas including Social Studies. Browse by subject, search the database or explore other sources.

The Globe

URL: http://www.globe.gov

Description: Worldwide network of students, teachers and scientists working together to study and understand the global environment.

Sponsoring Organizations: This project is sponsored by dozens of organizations world wide. There are several partners in the United States as well as in Europe and East Asia.

U.S. Department of State's Geographic Learning Site

URL: http://geography.state.gov/htmls/statehome.html

Description: This site, from the US Department of State, uses maps, data tables, photo essays, and more to show how geography affects the world. It is also informative on issues such as international affairs and the jobs of US Diplomats.

Sponsoring Organization: US Department of State http://www.state.gov/index.html

PBS Teacher Source

URL: www.pbs.org/teachersource

Grades: preK-12

Description: One of the most comprehensive Web sites ever created for preK-12 educators, PBS Teacher Source aggregates the educational services that PBS and its local stations provide and helps teachers learn effective ways to incorporate video and the Web in the classroom. Resources are grouped into five subject areas, are searchable by subject, grade level and keyword, and correlated to many sets of national and state educational standards.

Sponsoring Organizations:

PBS Online http://www.pbs.org/
MediaSeek http://www.mediaseek.com/

Annenberg/CPB Projects Exhibits Collection

URL: http://www.learner.org/exhibits

Description: Offering high quality interactive learning experiences with topics such as "Russia", "Middle Ages", "South Africa" and "Statistics" (world statistics). These are excellent multimedia projects that can be used as the basis for lessons.

The History Channel

URL: http://historychannel.com

Description: This site has articles and quizzes on every imaginable topic, from crime stories to the AFL to This Day in History stories.

CivNet

URL: http://www.civnet.org/index.htm

Grades: 8-12

Audience/Format: "Civnet is a website for civic education practitioners (teachers, teacher trainers, curriculum designers), as well as scholars, policymakers, civic-minded journalists, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) promoting civic education all over the world."

Description: Civnet provides an international electronic resource where civics teachers can instantly receive and download resources and scholarly articles. Civic educators may read what their colleagues are up to in Civnet news, network with their counterparts in other organizations, and learn about upcoming civic events on the Civnet calendar. Civnet links to a vast number of other civic Web resources.

Sponsors & Affiliates: CIVITAS International

Library of Congress

URL: http://www.loc.gov/help/about.html

Grades: K-12

Audience/Format: Teachers, students, and families

Description: This is the site to visit for information and activities related to the United States Congress. There is a link to Thomas, the comprehensive federal legislative information site, as well as links to The American Memory Collection, Online Congressional Exhibitions and America's Story, an interactive student site.

Subtopics/Links: Thomas: Find information about pending legislation, current members of Congress, current committee assignments.
http://thomas.loc.gov/

Online Congressional Exhibitions: Over fifty online versions of exhibitions mounted by the Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/

Sponsors & Affiliates: Library of Congress

American Memory: Historical Collections for the National Digital Library

URL: http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/index.html

Grades: K-12

Audience/Format: Teachers and students

Description: American Memory, created by the Library of Congress, offers public access to over seven million historical items, presented in over 100 thematic collections through the World Wide Web. These items that include documents, photographs, films, and audio recordings reflect the collective American memory, its history and culture.

Subtopics/Links: Activities: Online activities that guide students through topical studies using the American Memory Collections.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/ndlpedu/activity/index.html

Sponsors & Affiliates: Library of Congress

EconEdLink

URL: http://www.econedlink.org

Grades: K-12

Audience/Format: Primarily for teachers, this site includes lesson plans, economic news items, web links, and economic data sets.

Description: EconEdLink , a MarcoPolo partner site, has a wealth of material for teachers. Lesson plans vary from simple "EconomicMinutes, quick and engaging activities that make economics relevant and fun," to "NetNewsLine, a multifaceted resource for exploring the economics behind current issues in the news." This site also includes, DataLinks, current events, and economics education standards. The site is searchable using the MarcoPolo Search Engine.

Subtopics/Links: DataLinks: Many of the data sets here are available to download as electronic spreadsheets, allowing students to graph the information and develop higher level inferences.
http://www.econedlink.org/datalinks/index.cfm

EconomicMinutes: Over fifty age-graded lessons (some as low as K-2) covering a wide range of topics.
http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?LessonTypeID=1

NetNewsLine: More in depth lessons for high school classrooms.
http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.cfm?LessonTypeID=3

Sponsors & Affiliates:
National Council on Economics Education
MCI/Worldcom

National History Day in Minnesota

URL: http://www.mnhs.org/school/historyday/

Grades: Teachers grades 6-12

Audience/Format: Information for teachers interested in participating in Minnesota History Day
Description: One stop website for everything a teacher needs to know about having students participate in Minnesota History Day. Provided at this site are teacher materials, lessons, program information, and entry forms.

Sponsors & Affiliates: Minnesota Historical Society

SCORE: Schools of California Online Resources for Education (for History and Social Sciences)

URL: http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/index.html

Grades: K-12

Audience/Format: SCORE is a California education site for all teachers in the country.

Description: This online resource centers in California links quality resources from the World Wide Web to the California state curriculum. The site includes an online database of lessons (not necessarily all utilizing technology) that is searchable by grade, topic, or keyword. Also included are virtual projects /field trips.
http://score.rims.k12.ca.us/virtproj.html

Sponsors & Affiliates: San Bernardino county Superintendent of Schools and the California Department of Education together the California Technical Assistance Project

Social Studies School Services

URL: http://www.socialstudies.com/

Grades: pK-12

Audience/Format: Social Studies School Services is a commercial site intended for teachers.

Description: Social Studies School Services has a wealth of supplemental materials for sale (and some free online). Online resources include lesson plans, articles, online activities, professional development materials, and more. It is possible to search the site by keyword, grade level, or type of media. See subtopics below for links within this site to specific types of resources.

Subtopics/Links: Online Activities: Social Studies School Services hosts a variety of online activities such as virtual fieldtrips. Students use linked websites to remotely explore a location or topic.
http://socialstudies.com/c/Pages/activities.html
Teacher Created Lessons: Lessons included that make extensive use of online resources.
http://catalog.socialstudies.com/c/@yxoLl0_oQ7mSc/Pages/samplelessons.html

Sponsors & Affiliates: Writing Company and Zenger Media.

The World Factbook 2001

URL: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html

Grades: 4-12

Audience/Format: Teachers and students

Description: Created by the CIA, this site has the most up-to-date factual information about countries. Information is "printer friendly" enabling it to be easily used offline. Information is rich with factual data that lends itself well to developing database and spreadsheet activities.

Sponsors & Affiliates: Central Intelligence Agency

EDSITEment

URL: http://edsitement.neh.gov

Audience/Format: Students grades K-12, teachers, and parents

Description: EDSITEment is a MarcoPolo partner site. It provides a access to teachers, students, and parents seeking high-quality Internet resources in the subject areas of literature and language arts, foreign languages, art and culture, and history and social studies. One of the strengths of the EDSITEment website is the wealth of lesson plans available, correlated by grade level and subject. The site includes a vigorous search engine that will search all the MarcoPolo partner sites for a topic.

Subtopics/Links: Lesson Plans: Many lesson plans are designed specifically for the EDSITEment site.
http://edsitement.neh.gov/lessonplans.html

Sponsors & Affiliates: National Endowment for the Arts
Council of the Great City Schools
World Com

National Geographic Xpeditions

URL: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/

Grades: K-12

Audience/Format: Teachers and students

Description: Xpeditions is a partner site of MarcoPolo. The site is the ultimate resource for the teacher and the geographer in everyone. Highlights of the site include; an atlas of blackline masters of countries and regions of the world; lesson plans which can be sorted by grade-level, geography standard, or title; online activities for all grades; and an interactive xpedition hall that uses the latest internet technologies to explore geographic concepts.

Subtopics/Links: Atlas: Maps can be printed from the internet, or enlarged and printed from PDF files.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/atlas/index.html

Lesson Plans: Divided into grade levels k-2, 3-5-6-8, and 9-12, many of these lesson plans can be taught in the classroom without computers.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/matrix2.html

Online Activities: These activities are geared for the entire family, with variations for older and younger students and for families.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/activities/matrix.html

Sponsors & Affiliates: National Geographic Society

Smithsonian Institution: Resources for Teachers

URL: http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/

Grades: K-12

Description: The Smithsonian, made up of sixteen museums and millions of artifacts, is an American treasure. Resources for teachers include the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies that includes lesson plans and a teacher's toolkit for teaching museum skills. Also included is the Encyclopedia Smithsonian with facts sheets, reading lists, and web links.

Subtopics/Links: Virtual Smithsonian: With a fast internet connection, this shockwave tour of the Smithsonian shouldn't be missed.

Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies
http://scemsweb.si.edu/

Smithsonian Encyclopedia
http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/start.htm

Sponsors & Affiliates: Smithsonian

The Digital Classroom

URL: http://www.nara.gov/education/classrm.html

Audience/Format: Teachers

Description: The Digital Classroom provides materials from the National Archives and includes methodology suggestions for using primary sources in the classroom. Also available at this site are generic primary source analysis worksheets.

Sponsors & Affiliates: National Archives and Records Administration

Cyberschoolbus

URL: http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/index.html
Grades: K-12

Audience/Format: Students and teachers

Description: The mission of Cyberschoolbus is to promote learning about international issues and the United Nations. This site contains an on-line global education community with action projects to illustrate to students that they play an essential role in finding solutions to global problems. This site offers high-quality teaching resources to a wide range of educators.

Subtopics/Links: Model UN: Find discussions, online experts, and starter kits.
http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/munda/index.html
Curriculum Units: Extensive units focusing on global issues with comprehensive resources. http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/cur.html

Community: Online topical discussion areas for youth, special events, galleries of art from students around the world.
http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/com.html

Sponsors & Affiliates: United Nation's Global Learning and Teaching Project

Minnesota Historical Society

URL: http://www.mnhs.org/index.html

Audience/Format: Teachers and students grades 4-12

Description: The Minnesota Historical Society website provides information for teachers about fieldtrips and tours, online history resources and information about MHS publications. Website users can take a "virtual" tour of statewide museums and historical sties.

Subtopics/Links: Museums and Historical Places:
http://www.mnhs.org/places/index.html

Minnesota Communities: http://www.mnhs.org/school/classroom/communities.html

National History Day in Minnesota: http://www.mnhs.org/school/historyday/index.html

Place Names: http://mnplaces.mnhs.org/index.cfm

Sponsors & Affiliates: Minnesota Historical Society

e-Pals Classroom Exchange

URL: http://www.epals.com/index_en.html

Grades: 2-12

Audience/Format: Teachers and students

Description: ePALS Classroom Exchange is a clearinghouse for establishing e-pal connections with classrooms around the world. ePALS offers monitored email with instant language translation. The site also offers safe and secure discussion boards, private chat rooms, lesson plans, and other interactive educational content and resources.

Sponsors & Affiliates: e-Pals.com (Although a commercial venture, with features that cost, this company provides many services free of charge.)

The White House: George W. Bush

URL: http://www.whitehouse.gov/index2.html

Grades: K-12

Description: This is the "official" white house website. In addition to providing information about the current administration's policies and news, many multimedia features at this site bring the history of the White House and the American Presidency alive. A "virtual" tour of the White House is available with QTVR, with a children's version featuring the White House pets.

Subtopics/Links:
President's Hall: http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/

Kids Only: Fun for elementary students.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/kids/

Policy and News: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/

Sponsors & Affiliates: Current United States Administration

Young Investor's Website

URL: www.younginvestor.com

Grades: Elementary

Description: Elementary students can choose a character to guide them through a stock-market learning activity online.

An Abridged History of the United States

URL: http://www.us-history.com

Description: An online textbook covering all of the major periods in modern American history.

Researchpaper.com

URL: http://www.researchpaper.com/

Description: The writing center provides information on all aspects of the writing process for students of all ages. The idea directory provides resources to get students started thinking about topics related to history, society and more.

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Elementary
Exploring Places, People and Cultures with Email

Added Value with Technology:

Summary:

Students will communicate with students from another state or country and exchange information about school, climate, culture, geography, foods, clothing, music and other areas of interest. Students will then present information gathered in a slideshow.

Access to authentic resources and experts
Access to current and live information
Communicate results and reflect on thinking using a variety of media

Resources:

Computer with Internet and email capabilities for each group of three to four students
Networked printer
Classroom map
Internet access to keypal sites: www.epals.com or www.hi.com.au
Introduction: Using email, students will communicate with students from another state or country. Students will exchange information about school, climate, culture, geography, foods, clothing, music and other areas of interest. Students will present information gathered in a slideshow.

Outcomes:

Collect, organize and display information about another country
Locate and describe other regions of the United States and the world
Compare local community to another and describe similarities and differences

Instruction:

Working individually or with a partner, students will locate an email pal.
Once the pal is approved by the teacher, students can locate and label the pal's location on a classroom map.
Brainstorm information and questions to include in an introductory letter.
Identify the specific information and questions all students will include in the first letter.
Write, print and send the first email.
As a class, determine the information to be included in a presentation of each email pal's location.
As emails are exchanged, students can take turns reading selected messages (sent and received) aloud to the class.
Students prepare and present a multimedia presentation about their email pals to their class, families and other classes in the school.

Assessment:

Log of email messages sent and received, monitored by teacher
Multimedia presentation of the land, people and traditions of the state or country of the email pal

Sample of Student Work:

Testimonials from ePAL users can be found at: http://www.epals.com/feedback/samples_en.html

Presidents of the United States Database
Summary:

Students will create a database on the Presidents of the United States and prepare a list if fields of information to collect on each president, create the database, collect and enter the data into a class database. Students will then sort and search the class database to pose and answer questions and prepare reports about likenesses and differences among the presidents and possible reasons for the results.

  • Make judgments about relevant data and ways to represent the data
  • Access to large amounts of searchable and sortable data
  • Categorize, analyze and synthesize large amounts of relevant data
  • Sort and search data in order to make comparisons and contrasts and draw conclusions
  • Communicate results using a variety of media
Resources:

Computer with projector system.
Computer for each group of two to three students, networked
Database software (e.g. ClarisWorks, FilemakerPro, Access)
Print and electronic reference material

Introduction:

Students will create a database on the Presidents of the United States. The class will prepare a list if fields of information to collect on each president, create the database, collect and enter the data into a class database. Students will sort and search the class database to pose and answer questions and prepare reports about likenesses and differences among the presidents and possible reasons for the results.

Outcomes:

Read resources for detail and categorize information
Answer own questions by gathering information from a variety of print and non-print resources
Create, enter data, sort, search and report information using an electronic database
Analyze historical events and contributions of key people from different time periods

Instruction:

Prepare a list of the names of the Presidents of the United States.
Brainstorm information students know about specific presidents.
Brainstorm categories (fields) of data that students want to know about the presidents (age when elected, birth date, home state, political party, time in office, outstanding accomplishment as president, etc.).
Have students take turns to create fields for the database using the computer with projector.
Copy the database to the small group computers.
Assign groups of students to collect data on different presidents and then enter the data in their own database.
When finished, export all the data to one database and then copy the large database to all computers.
Model how to sort and search the database.
Brainstorm questions that could be answered by sorting and searching the database.
Have groups select a question and prepare a report of their answer, the process they used and possible reasons for the results.

Assessment:

Peer assessment of contributions to group work
Pose and answer a question supported by data from the database

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Secondary
Individual vs the Welfare of Society: Bill of Rights post Sept. 11

To be engaged citizens, students need to explore societal issues and the multiple perspectives surrounding them. This is no more apparent then when studying the Bill of Rights. This vignette utilizes the internet and free online reference databases to examine the Bill of Rights post 9.11. It follows a webquest structure and uses a structured controversy methodology.

Added Value:

Content representing multiple perspectives via online reference databases
Digital content available only on the internet
Online webquest directs students to specific content on the internet

Grade Level: 9-12

Resources:

Portable laptop lab (10 computers)
Access to the internet

Introduction:

It’s our charge as social studies teachers to bring civics alive for our students. It’s clear that we need to reach beyond the content of our textbooks. There are many opportunities for us to engage our students in real world experiences related to civics—from local caucuses to political involvement, we can challenge our students to participate in our democracy.

To be engaged citizens, students need to explore societal issues and the multiple perspectives surrounding them. This is no more apparent then when studying the Bill of Rights. A constant struggle exists between individual rights and the general welfare of society. But how do we as teachers engage students in exploring multiple perspectives? And how do we find content that conveys the richness of opposing viewpoints?

This lesson utilizes the internet and free online reference databases to examine the Bill of Rights post 9.11. The lesson follows a webquest structure and uses a structured controversy methodology. The actual webquest is posted to an active URL (see sample below). The lesson takes two to three periods.

Learning Outcomes:

Students will:

  • examine multiple perspectives around the restriction of personal rights after Sept. 11 attack
  • distinquish fact from opinion
  • write an opinion letter on the controversy
Preparation

Identify the digital content related to the controversy in the lesson. Minnesota teachers have free access to two wonderful online references: ProQuest and Infotrac. ProQuest provides archived articles (back to 1985) for the LosAngeles Times, Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Minneapolis Star Tribune. Full articles can be bookmarked for viewing on the internet or printed out for hard copies. Infotrac provides full text articles from over 2000 periodicals and journals. Once again, Infotrac articles can be bookmarked or printed out. Check with your media specialist for details on accessing these reference sources or follow the links in the sample lesson posted to the internet (see sample below).
Familiarize yourself with structured controversy methodology as developed by Roger and David Johnson at the University of Minnesota. (the following URL gives a good overview: http://www.manhattan.edu/services/c_teach/march02news.html). Divide your students into heterogeneous ability groups of four.
Develop the activity using a WebQuest format. (for more information on WebQuests go to http://webquest.sdsu.edu/webquest.html) The webquest process has students explore content via the internet as they work in collaborative groups. Post your webquest to a free site for teachers: http://www.TeacherWeb.com/.

Instructions:

This lesson is designed for use with a laptop lab. Audio content (meeting the needs of less-able readers) is downloaded from National Public Radio. Most other content can be printed out if preferred, thereby making the lesson less dependent on computers in the classroom.
Students work together on the webquest and create a chart organizing opposing viewpoints and supporting facts. Students then individually write a letter to the editor expressing their opinion on the controversy.

Sample on the Internet

You can view this entire webquest lesson on the internet at http://www.TeacherWeb.com/MN/Minneapolis/ToddPierson

Standards:

Minnesota High Standard 701: United States Citizenship
Minnesota High Standard 101: Reading, Listening, and Viewing Complex Information

Assessment:

Rubric for student products and collaborative group work
Written opinion letter by student

Global Warming
Summary:

Complex concepts are often difficult for students to grasp. Social scientists use sophisticated visualization tools for the computer to model processes and explore scenarios given current trends. It is one thing to describe to students the consequences of global warming; it is another thing for them to see on a map the amount of coastal land that will be covered by the ocean given a specific increase in temperature. This lesson enables students to easily use Geographic Information System (GIS) tools to manipulate variables and explore outcomes related to global warming.

Computer visualization tools enable students to do sophisticated modeling
Most current data available

Grade Level: 9-12

Resources:

Access to computer lab
Worldwatcher software (available for free at http://www.worldwatcher.nwu.edu/)

Introduction:

Complex concepts are often difficult for students to grasp. Social scientists use sophisticated visualization tools for the computer to model processes and explore scenarios given current trends. It is one thing to describe to students the consequences of global warming; it is another thing for them to see on a map the amount of coastal land that will be covered by the ocean given a specific increase in temperature. This lesson enables students to easily use Geographic Information System (GIS) tools to manipulate variables and explore outcomes related to global warming.

Learning Outcomes:

Students will:

  • learn how to use GIS software (Worldwatcher) to examine geographic data
  • draw conclusions as a result of the outcomes of their explorations
Instructions:

Explore with students the factors influencing global warming. Using Worldwatcher software, examine the rise in carbon dioxide emissions over the last fifty years. What regions of the world have experienced the greatest increase.

Next have students map temperature increases over the past fifty years. Do the areas showing increases correlate with the areas that had a rise in carbon dioxide emissions? Create animated maps showing the changes over time.

One of the possible outcomes of global warming is a rise in the level of the oceans. Such a rise would threaten many inhabited coastlines. Using the modeling capabilities of Worldwatcher, examine coastal areas of the world that would be threatened with a temperature rise of two degree rise. What population areas might be affected? (Be sure to direct students to view heavily populated coastal regions in southeast Asia and southern United States for very dramatic impacts.) Have students write a paragraph decribing the impact on the coastal population regions given an two degree temperature increase.

Applicable Standards:

Minnesota High Standard: People and Culture: Human Geography

Minnesota High Standard: Resource Management: Natural and Managed Systems

Assessment Tasks:

Student create animated maps that can be saved and electronically handed in.

Students write impact statements related to increased global temperatures.

Samples:

To examine some of the visualization capabilities of Worldwatcher software visit their website at http://www.worldwatcher.nwu.edu/softwareoverview-vis.htm

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