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Discover Mappy Activities for Earth Day

Maps are a great way to discover new information about a topic. With Earth Day approaching, we have put together a list of story maps and activities that explore an important aspect about our environment that you can use in your teaching. New and experienced ArcGIS Online users can try them.

Earth Day is celebrated globally on April 22. It’s a time for reflection and an opportunity to discuss the impact humans have on their environment and ways we can lessen our footprint. We have put together a list of ready to use story map and activities that you can use with your class today. No accounts are required if you are new to ArcGIS Online.

Activities

Canada's Atlantic Ocean & Fisheries
In this activity, you will explore the Atlantic Ocean, collapse of the Atlantic cod, current state of Atlantic fisheries and sustainable management practices.

The Arctic Ocean
In this activity, you will explore the Arctic Ocean, the importance of Arctic sea ice and how the Earth's changing climate impacts both Arctic and global systems.

Toronto’s Urban Forest
In this activity, you will learn about Toronto's urban forest, and you can add information about your community trees to a public web map.

Learn about the pressures on Atlantic fisheries in the Canada's Atlantic Ocean & Fisheries story map.

Story Maps

Atlas for a Changing Planet
Understanding natural and human systems is an essential first step toward reducing the severity of climate change and adapting to a warmer future.

The Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals are 17 goals set out to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This Story Map Journal lets you explore each of the 17 Goals, visualize the related data and learn about the details behind each.

The Ocean
This story map describes the importance of the ocean and how it makes life on earth possible.  

A World of Waste
In this story map, explore the places where garbage collected by humans ends up in the world.

Learn more about how we manage our solid waste by exploring the story map, A World of Waste.

Climate Migrants
In this story map, you will explore how climate change is displacing thousands of people. There is little doubt that the coming decades will see a vast increase in the number of people forced from their homes by global warming.

Disappearing Glaciers
This map journal shows how six glaciers around the world are melting and retreating dramatically. 

The Cost of Beef
In this story map, you will discover how consuming meat comes at considerable cost to the environment and threatens our ability to feed the world's growing population.

Find out how global beef consumption is affecting the environment in The Cost of Beef story map.

We are Living in The Age of Humans
This story map presents a series of maps showing humankind's profound effects on Earth's natural systems.

Strange(r) Things Found on Canadian Shorelines
A story map of weird and wacky things found on shorelines by volunteers through the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup.

Are you a K-12 teacher who’s new to ArcGIS Online? Want to create your own maps and story maps? Sign up for an account at k12.esri.ca/#access. Find free ArcGIS Online resources at k12.esri.ca/resourcefinder.

About the Author

Angela Alexander is a K-12 Education Specialist in the Esri Canada Education and Research group. She has over 15 years of experience working with educators across Canada. Angela focuses on producing geographic information system (GIS) and curriculum-specific resources, and conducting and creating custom workshops for educators. She manages the GIS Ambassador Program and is the Technical Chair for the annual Skills Ontario GIS competition. Angela also writes monthly posts for the Esri Canada Education and Research blog, highlighting K-12 educators and partners, new ArcGIS resources and GIS-related events.

Profile Photo of Angela Alexander