cluster map

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

resources for great lakes and Climate change


Here are a few resources to enhance teaching of the Great Lakes and Climate Change

A resource on climate change from the Council on Foreign Relations (independent think tank).
covers many of the geopolitical, economic and environmental issues that confront the Earth as global temperatures rise. Rather than produce a full length feature film, they have organized the this as an interactive video, allowing the user to get short (a couple of minutes) answer to specific questions about the science, foreign policy or economic ramifications of adapting to climate change.
A fantastic free resource to teach climate change and environmental issues
Rise and Fall of the Great Lakes
Though nearly 50 years old this is still a gem.  Students initially think it is hokey but become very engaged. Great way to introduce Geologic history of the Great Lakes Basin.
“this short documentary from conservationist Bill Mason, he illustrates that although the Great Lakes have had their ups and downs, nothing has been harder to take than what humans have done to them lately. In the film, a lone canoeist lives through the changes of geological history, through Ice Age and flood, only to find himself in the end trapped in a sea of scum.”
WaterLife
This has been around for a couple of years but it’s interactive nature and multimedia nature makes very engaging .
The story of the last great supply of fresh drinking water on earth

Map of great lakes freight
Great annotated map in JPEG format. Jam packed full of info and really needs to be deconstructed but very usful  



Mark Lowry
Geography and Geotechnologies Instructional Leader
Social World Studies and Humanities
Toronto District School Board
1 Civic Centre Court
Toronto , On ,M9C 2B3
Tel; (416) 394-7269
Cell; (416) 576-4515
Fax; (416) 394-6420
twitter @geogmark



Friday, November 23, 2012

ESRI Canada has new web site and design for Education


I just received the following note from ESRI Canada . Please note and change your favourites accordingly .
We have a new web site now - http://edu.esri.ca/en/content/education

You can find our resources in the new lesson planner: http://edu.esri.ca/en/resources/lesson-planner

We are in the process of posting all our resources to it. Currently, not everything is up there, so if you are looking for something and cannot find it let me know.
If you want to see everything that is posted right now, just click the Find button (in orange) in the Lesson Planner. Let me know what you think of it. Thanks, Angela



Angela Alexander
Education Program Specialist, Education and Research
Esri Canada
12 Concorde Place, Suite 900
Toronto, ON, M3C 3R8
Direct: 416-386-6464
Office: 416-441-6035
Fax:    416-441-6838
aalexander@esri.ca

Cheers Mark
Mark Lowry
Geography and Geotechnologies Instructional Leader
Social World Studies and Humanities
Toronto District School Board
1 Civic Centre Court
Toronto , On ,M9C 2B3
Tel; (416) 394-7269
Cell; (416) 576-4515
Fax; (416) 394-6420
twitter @geogmark



Tuesday, November 20, 2012


Just a few resources to get us through November.
Some interesting Spatial video’s  November   2012
10 World Biggest Holes Created By Human and Nature
10 World Biggest Holes Created By Human and Nature  Song: Unknown Artist - American Beauty (Breakbeat Rmx of Jakatta - Amercian Dream by Thomas Newman) Pictures are taken from: http://intradayfun.com/2011/01/10-world-biggest-holes-created-by-human-and-na..
Tour the Amazon with Street View
Published on Mar 21, 2012 by Google
Google Maps with Street View now allows you to visit parts of the Amazon Basin including the Rio Negro tributary and the surrounding communities.
The top 10 buildings lost to demolition in Toronto
The top 10 buildings lost to demolition in Toronto is surely a strange title. In that these buildings no longer exist, the "top" serves the double function of referring to the merits of these former structures and the tragedy that was their demolition. And tragedy isn't really too strong a word. Toronto would be certainly a better place if these and many of the other buildings that were often rather carelessly destroyed remained vital pieces of our urban environment. But, for reasons that I've never fully made sense of, the city planners of the 1960s and 70s had virtually no historic sense, and numerous buildings of great significance were destroyed in favour of bland structures of little consequence or, unconscionably, parking lots.

Latitude and Longitude of a Point
How The US expanded!!
Got 30 seconds and want to see exactly how the country now known as the U.S. expanded across the continent? Ever wish you could see all that in one simple animated GIF? Me neither.

Learn GIS online and for Free
There are a few online options to learn GIS for free.  Take advantage of resources that provide you access to free courses from some of the world's best universities and institutions.  Learn GIS on your own or supplement your existing geospatial education with these free resources. Toronto District School Board Teachers can obtain a copy of ARCGIS 10 for their home computer by contacting Mark Lowry.
All other teachers in Ontario need to contact their schools OSAPAC rep or their school IT department to get a copy. Part of the license agreement with ESRI allows all teachers to have it on their personal computer
Dig a hole through the Earth
To Quote Malcolm MacInerney  a fellow Geography Consultant and vas source of Geography resources  from Australia “I am not sure what classroom use this site can be but for engagement value, why not have a play in the class.”
The View from Space - Countries and Coastlines
These high-res time-lapse sequences captured by astronauts aboard the International Space Station give us a beautiful and clear view of some well-known coastlines and countries around the world. Get a good look at England, France, Italy, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Greece, the island of Crete, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, the United States, Mexico, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Cuba, and more. We've attempted to show as many countries as we would, but inevitably we've left many out. Please write to the the astronaut photography office at NASA's Johnson Space Center to request inclusion in this amazing series of sequences.
Earth 100 Million Years From Now
Earth’s landmasses were not always what they are today. Continents formed as Earth’s crustal plates shifted and collided over long periods of time. This video shows how today’s continents are thought to have evolved over the last 600 million years, and where they’ll end up in the next 100 million years. Paleogeographic Views of Earth’s History provided by Ron Blakey, Professor of Geology, Northern Arizona University.
Run Over By A Tornado (Cow Shaken Up but OK)
Roger Hill and crew put a camera in the path of an oncoming cow, and a tornado. Roger’s incredible book “Hunting Nature’s Fury” is available at http://www.wildernesspress.com.
The Most Powerful Objects in the Universe
Enjoy this 1080P EXPANDED and REVISED version of our show originally titled “Cold Sparks and Black Holes.” All across the immense reaches of time and space, energy is being exchanged, transferred, released, in a great cosmic pinball game we call our universe.
How does energy stitch the cosmos together, and how do we fit within it? We now climb the power scales of the universe, from atoms, nearly frozen to stillness, to Earth’s largest explosions. From stars, colliding, exploding, to distant realms so strange and violent they challenge our imaginations. Where will we find the most powerful objects in the universe?
Today, energy is very much on our minds as we search for ways to power our civilization and serve the needs of our citizens. But what is energy? Where does it come from? And where do we stand within the great power streams that shape time and space?
Energy comes from a Greek word for activity or working. In physics, it’s simply the property or the state of anything in our universe that allows it to do work. Whether it’s thermal, kinetic, electro-magnetic, chemical, or gravitational.
The 19th century German scientist Hermann von Helmholtz found that all forms of energy are equivalent, that one form can be transformed into any other. The laws of physics say that in a closed system – such as our universe – energy is conserved. It may be converted, concentrated, or dissipated, but it’s never lost.
James Prescott Joule built an apparatus that demonstrated this principle. It had a weight that descended into water and caused a paddle to rotate. He showed that the gravitational energy lost by the weight is equivalent to heat gained by the water from friction with the paddle. That led to one of several basic energy yardsticks, called a joule. It’s the amount needed to lift an apple weighing 100 grams one meter against the pull of Earth’s gravity.
And some local Stuff for the Toronto folk
A brief history of the Mod Club Theatre










Mark Lowry
Geography and Geotechnologies Instructional Leader
Social World Studies and Humanities
Toronto District School Board
1 Civic Centre Court
Toronto , On ,M9C 2B3
Tel; (416) 394-7269
Cell; (416) 576-4515
Fax; (416) 394-6420
twitter; @geogmark




Tuesday, November 13, 2012

What are the Skills of the Geographer?

WHAT ARE THE SKILLS OF A GEOGRAPHER?

Geographers look at the world and its issues from a wide range of perspectives. That is why they are very attractive to future employers. However what makes Geographers and those that do geography uniquely different from other skills sets and professionals?  What is a person practicing Geography doing that others don’t do? Well they are making connections. The overriding and main connection they are making in connecting the WHAT of a place or issue with the WHERE of that same place. Geographers are always thinking of these two parts of a Geographical question together. These are the spatial parameters of places or those items that  gives us all our sense of place. It is with this in mind that the geographer needs to focus on specific skills and tools to better demonstrate and explain  the Where side of the equation (WHAT +WHERE =PLACE)
                Once we have identified the where in this equation, Geographers want to look at the reasons as to why a place is unique?  In other words Geographers want to look at the WHY THERE? And once again to understand the uniqueness of the reasons that one place is different from another, Geographers need to call on  specific skills and tools. Many  of these tools are used in other areas and fields of endevours but when the individual is using them they are always doing Geography.  
Finally we are all citizens and participants in families, neighborhoods, countries and the world. In other words we are all Global Citizens. And with this come a number of rights and responsibilities. However Geographers have the ability to apply their geographical and spatial skills to their specific focus. It is important for everyone when they are working through Geographical issues or problems that they are able to come up with answers both for themselves and for society. In other words, they need to be able to answer WHY CARE? These answers may reflect broad areas such as Social justice, environmental stewardship, and/ or sustainability.   They may be more specific as in making decisions such as those professionals  like a planner, geologist, or policeman. However all of these decisions are made using the specific tools of Geography.
Geographers s are adept in collecting and analyzing information using various technical and laboratory-based methods for the collection and analysis of spatial and environmental information (e.g. GIS, remote sensing and mathematical modeling) and recognizing the moral and ethical issues involved in debates and enquiries.
Just as a scientist goes through a process for  conducting experiment to prove a theory or concept, an engineer uses a specific process to design and  build an bridge, or a doctor uses processes to diagnose and cure an illness ,well so does the Geographer . In order to do Geography properly we need to follow a Geographic process.  This is known as the Geographic inquiry process.Through  it the Geographer:
·         Asks a Geographic (spatial) Question?
·         Acquires Geographical (Spatial) information or data.
·         Explores the Geographical (Spatial) information or data.
·         Analyses the Geographical (Spatial) information or data.
·         Makes conclusions and Acts on the Geographical (Spatial) information or data.
  
It needs to be noted that this process is not a sequential or linear process.  The Geographer will upon acquiring different data or information   go back and change the Geographic question and acting on geographic  conclusions will generate new Spatial or geographic questions .
However in order to follow this process and work as a true geographer we need to have access to a Geographical or spatial toolkit. this is the unique skill set of the Geographer.

 These are the skills that Geographers take into the workforce.Geographers look at issues from a wide perspective and develop a range of skills that are attractive to a very broad range of future employers. Specific technical skills directly relevant to geography-related careers include field work, research and report writing, preparing maps and diagrams, and using social survey and interpretative methods.

Geography graduates are also adept in collecting and analysing information using various technical and laboratory-based methods for the collection and analysis of spatial and environmental information (e.g. GIS, remote sensing and mathematical modelling) and recognising the moral and ethical issues involved in debates and enquiries.

Friday, November 9, 2012

Using Google Earth Engine and Google Outreach to create Spatial Journals


Google Earth ‘s Engine and the aforementioned Google Earth engine are great ways to institute and demonstrate the concept of “Spatial Journals “ or that very logical Geographical concept of “What is Where, why there ? and why Care ?” . Why Geography?: by Charles Gritzner. From Journal of Geography, March/April 2003.
Certainly our students can create journals with video, images text and personal reflection both globally and locally . Give it a try.
A number of good and short YouTube video’s on the ever changing earth with short geovisual representations using Landsat imagery with the Google Earth Engine .
1/A Planetary Perspective: With Landsat and Google Earth Engine
Since July 1972, NASA's Landsat satellites have gathered images over the entire land surface of the Earth, creating the most complete record ever assembled. These images, archived at USGS, reveal dynamic changes over time due to human activity (deforestation, urbanization) and natural processes (volcanic eruptions, wildfire). Now, Google Earth Engine allows scientists, researchers and the public to easily view and analyze this treasure trove of planetary data. http://earthengine.google.org.
Specific Ones:
2/Amazon Deforestation: Timelapse
Explore a global timelapse of our planet, constructed from Landsat satellite imagery. The Amazon rainforest is shrinking at a rapid rate to provide land for farming and raising cattle. Each frame of the timelapse map is constructed from a year of Landsat satellite data, constituting an annual 1.7-terapixel snapshot of the Earth at 30-meter resolution. The Landsat program, managed by the USGS, has been acquiring images of the Earth's surface since 1972. Landsat provides critical scientific information about our changing planet.
For the interactive timelapse version of this tour, visit http://earthengine.google.org
3/Drying of the Aral Sea: Timelapse
Explore a global timelapse of our planet, constructed from Landsat satellite imagery. With water diverted to irrigation, the inland Aral Sea has shrunk dramatically. Many areas were completely dry by 2009. Each frame of this timelapse map is constructed from a year of Landsat satellite data, constituting an annual 1.7-terapixel snapshot of the earth at 30-meter resolution. The Landsat program, managed by the USGS, has been acquiring images of the Earth's surface since 1972. Landsat provides critical scientific information about our changing planet.
4/Las Vegas Urban Expansion: Timelapse
Explore a global timelapse of our planet, constructed from Landsat satellite imagery. This timelapse from 1999 to 2011 captures the rapid growth of Las Vegas, Nevada, the fastest growing city in the United States over the past two decades. Each frame of the timelapse map is constructed from a year of Landsat satellite data, constituting annual 1.7-terapixel snapshot of the Earth at 30-meter resolution. The Landsat program, managed by the USGS, has been acquiring images of the Earth's surface since 1972. Landsat provides critical scientific information about our changing planet. Credit: CMU Createlab http://earthengine.googlelabs.org

Some other Interesting examples from Google outreach follow:
1/Introduction to Google Earth Outreach
Explore, create and connect with Google Earth Outreach. Explore our gallery of public-benefit maps in the Showcase. Create maps with the help of online tutorials and tools. Connect with others and apply for grants in the Community.
2/Maps for Good, with Google Earth Outreach
Nonprofits are using maps to solve the world's most pressing issues, from environmental and humanitarian issues to disaster relief. They are learning how with the help of Google Earth Outreach, http://earth.google.com/outreach.
Google Earth Outreach in Canada
Celebrate the launch of Google Earth Outreach in Canada, and get inspired by the amazing examples of nonprofit organizations already using mapping tools in their work:
"Caribou Migration," by Golder Associates Ltd & Hugh Stimson
"I Am Fish," by the David Suzuki Foundation
"Canada's Boreal, the World's Largest Intact Forest," by Pew Environment Group
"Voices on the Land," by Okanagan Nation Alliance, Gregory Kehm Associates & Ecotrust Canada
"Oil & Water Map," by the Living Oceans Society
"Natural Capital," by the David Suzuki Foundation
Finally for a Friday afternoon I just wanted to show you all that the black and white photograph is not dead . Some spectacular images from Africa that are always good

Have a great weekend
Mark Lowry
Geography and Geotechnologies Instructional Leader
Social World Studies and Humanities
Toronto District School Board
1 Civic Centre Court
Toronto , On ,M9C 2B3
Tel; (416) 394-7269
Cell; (416) 576-4515
Fax; (416) 394-6420



Wednesday, November 7, 2012

a couple of cool things


Hi All: here are a couple of cool resources that you might find of interest. The First comes from Google Search. This is a group of lessons and challenges to support your students in becoming better web searchers. I am especially excited by the  challenges section . Even though Google is certainly an American intuition they recognize Geography as an area. This are some really cool challenges that will benefit all your students.
Help your students become better searchers
Web search can be a remarkable tool for students, and a bit of instruction in how to search for academic sources will help your students become critical thinkers and independent learners.
With the materials on this site, you can help your students become skilled searchers- whether they're just starting out with search, or ready for more advanced training.
And thank you Taina Kanera for passing this on from the Huffington Post
This is a link to great interactive before and after images of Hurricane Sandy. As you move the line along the image you can see the before and after split.

Mark Lowry
Geography and Geotechnologies Instructional Leader
Social World Studies and Humanities
Toronto District School Board
1 Civic Centre Court
Toronto , On ,M9C 2B3
Tel; (416) 394-7269
Cell; (416) 576-4515
Fax; (416) 394-6420


Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Important to keep in Contact


Hi all; During these times of labour strife it is important to keep in continual contact and I will try to do this through my list serve and blog. Remember that all that I send out to you is archived on the blog site ‘ Geography Resources and Ideas’ http://geographysites.blogspot.ca/
Just remember when you are wondering if and why you are needed as geography teachers remember to check this out and thank your lucky stars that you live in Canada ( the tattoo reference refers to one of the last links however considering the day –election and all this needs to be at the top also )

As it is a confusing time for you , it is similar for us in Teaching and Learning, though we work in central positions we are also teachers and belong to the various federations also . therefore we are trying to get clarity on what we are able to do or not. Please feel free to email and ask any questions and I will be sure to pass them on and try to get clarity as soon as possible. However , after listening to last night’s town hall meeting I would like to re-iterate what was said regarding field trips . They are to be considered as ongoing and as long as on calls are not needed they should proceed as normal . What will happen to trips down the road (no pun intended ) is anyone guess. I know many have you have asked me to come in to help in the setup and use of the new laptops . I am waiting on some clarification on this and will communicate with you individually when I know. In the meantime I am proceeding with creating a DVD of ArcGIS 10.1 that I will send out to all schools for teachers to install on their home computers.
In the interim here are a number of great sites thanks to our friends in Australia. Please keep you great resources coming and I will try to filter them out as quickly as I can .
Here are a number of Great Twitter sites ( mostly for  geo-visualization but also great for student research)
Useful #geography visualisation 44 - Global #CO2 emissions 1960-2008 by country with comparison (interactive map):http://bit.ly/TQHnbg
* Useful #geography visualisation 43 - How will #hurricane #Sandy rank? Historical UShurricane damage cost graph http://huff.to/Q2Bqg5
* Webcam feed providing real-time visuals of the effects of #hurricane #Sandy on Manhattan. Worth a look http://nyti.ms/Q2B6xO #geography
* Amazing #population #geography resource. Contemporary, high resolution #GIS compatible, downloadable data for Asian and African countries.
* Useful #geography visualisation 42 - Arms exports from US, Russia and China to the Middle East, 1992-2012 (flow map):http://bit.ly/VxDHwr
* Interesting infographic showing levels of tertiary #education in the top 10 of 42 (mainly OECD) studied : http://bit.ly/VxCJ3n
* How many people have ever lived? How many are still alive? http://bit.ly/Rj8xKY&http://bit.ly/Rj86jR #population#demography#geography
#geography at work: Theory links levels of violence and conflict to climate -http://usat.ly/Rj6tmd
* Useful #geography visualisation 41 - China's global investment reach by sector and country (interactive, data):http://n.pr/SjNLL1
* Useful #geography visualisation 40 - Average annual consumer expenditure per capita, 20 selected countries (map):http://bit.ly/SjH0Jd
@The_GA Citizenship Toolkit: Free activities, teaching about sustainable communitieshttp://bit.ly/P3swgS #AustralianCurriculum:#Geography
* Useful #geography visualisation 39 - Compare countries by indicators and size map (interactive - site now expanded):http://bit.ly/VpCUxv
* Useful #geography visualisation 38 - Marine pollution around Australia (PDF download map/infographic):http://invent.ge/VpC2Jf
* Useful #geography visualisation 37 - Shrinking ozone hole over Antarctica Jul-Oct 2012 (animation and article):http://bit.ly/VpBoM0
* Useful #geography visualisation 36 - Sustainability [an #AustralianCurriculum #Geographyconcept] (infographic): http://bit.ly/VpAPlh
* Useful #geography visualisation 35 - Global spatial variation in opinion towards the United States (maps) for analysis:http://bit.ly/Vpzfjm
* Useful #geography visualisation 34 - Comparative cost of living in 15 global cities across 15 indicators (interactive):http://bit.ly/Vpy5o2 (I do critique the use of line graphs for some indicators)
* Exploring possible relationships between nations' energy consumption and their economic output - straightforward?http://bit.ly/VpwRJj
* Useful (& 'local' for me) #geography visualisation 32 - Pedestrian counts in the Melbourne CBD (interactive map, data):http://bit.ly/TEEoCF
* If female employment rates matched those of men, how much would a country's GDP increase by 2020? See here:http://econ.st/UwrMTM #geography
* Useful #geography visualisation 31 - Poverty in the United States 1967-2010 broken down demographically (interactive):http://bit.ly/Uwp5S9
* Data for #geography: countries with the most migrants per 1000 populationhttp://bit.ly/RQyIpA.
* Australia sits at =9th; how do others rank?   Instant demographic data for almost anywhere in the world. http://bit.ly/RQxZVm - a great#geography resource.

Each one of the red highlights is in fact a hyperlink(just use control and click)

TED Talks In this short talk, TED Fellow Sarah Parcak introduces the field of "space archeology" -- using satellite images to search for clues to the lost sites of past civilizations

This image of Earth’s city lights was created with data from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) Operational Linescan System (OLS). Originally designed to view clouds by moonlight, the OLS is also used to map the locations of permanent lights on the Earth’s surface. Great image downloads.

The ease of navigation of this site allows the user to conduct a specific search of simply exploredemographiceconomicenvironmental and development data on any country in the world.

Environmental refugees have been forced to leave their homes beause of soil degradation, deserticfication, flooding, drought, climate change and other environmental factors.

This is an excellent video for population and demographic units, but also for showing regional and spatial patterns within the global dataset (since terms like 'overpopulation' and 'carrying capacity' inherently have different meanings in distinct places and when analyzed at various scales).
With Place Geography being so important to the Australian Curriculum: Geography I thought this article is worth a read




TED Talks Western countries throw out nearly half of their food, not because it’s inedible -- but because it doesn’t look appealing. Tristram Stuart delves into the shocking data of wasted food, calling for a more responsible use of global resources.








Some more interesting gis stuff:


and from those comments try http://maps.nokia.com; under Map view choose 3D - you'll need to install an extension (at least on Chrome), but the results are incredible

;-)

Chris Metropolis
Toronto Urban Studies Centre
Toronto Outdoor Education Schools

Quirky geography stuff

On this tattoo map, you've got to earn the ink by traveling to the country. A real geography nerd

From: Royal Ontario Museum [mailto:rom@rom-on-ca.ccsend.com] On Behalf Of Royal Ontario Museum
Sent: Monday, November 05, 2012 11:21 AM
To: Mewhinney, Robert
Subject: Register Today! Canada's Oceans & You - November 16&17


 

National Oceans Symposium
with top North American Experts
Presented by the Vancouver Aquarium and the Royal Ontario Museum

Friday, November 16, 9 am - 8 pm &
Saturday, November 17, 9 am - 1:30 pm

  Photo: Allison Clark

This symposium represents an opportunity for world-leading experts to come together to share stories and research findings with each other and the public in an open and safe environment at the ROM. 

The program also features a screening of Revolution the new film by award-winning filmmaker  Rob Stewart (Sharkwater), presented Friday Nov 16th, 7 pm, before admission to the ROM's exciting new Friday Night Live adult program.

 

See Program Schedule for complete list of talks.                                                                         



This email was sent to robert.mewhinney@tdsb.on.ca by programs@rom.on.ca |  
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Royal Ontario Museum | 100 Queen' Park | Toronto | Ontario | M5S 2C6 | Canada
Please let’s try to keep the lines of communication open .
“Three or four times only in my youth did I glimpse the Joyous Isles, before they were lost to fogs, depressions, cold fronts, ill winds, and contrary tides... I mistook them for adulthood. Assuming they were a fixed feature in my life's voyage, I neglected to record their latitude, their longitude, their approach. Young ruddy fool. What wouldn't I give now for a never-changing map of the ever-constant ineffable? To possess, as it were, an atlas of clouds.”
― David MitchellCloud Atlas
Mark Lowry
Geography and Geotechnologies Instructional Leader
Social World Studies and Humanities
Toronto District School Board
1 Civic Centre Court
Toronto , On ,M9C 2B3
Tel; (416) 394-7269
Cell; (416) 576-4515
Fax; (416) 394-6420