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K-12 Teachers: share your GIS adventures with us

Are you a K-12 teacher in Canada? Have you been using GIS in your teaching? Do your students use ArcGIS to learn about Canada and important global issues? If so, we want to hear from you. Find out what you need to send us to be included in an upcoming blog post. Send your submissions in by February 3rd, 2017.

Using GIS in your teaching is a great way to engage students, meet curriculum outcomes, bring real world issues into the classroom and for your students to analyze and create interesting web maps and apps. With the year coming to an end, we are interested in finding out how K-12 teachers across Canada have been using ArcGIS with their students in 2016. Share an interesting project or activity that you have done with your students using spatial technology and we may highlight your work in a blog post.

Here’s what to include in your submission:

  1. Your name, school and grades/course you teach
  2. What ArcGIS software you use – ArcGIS Online/ArcGIS Desktop
  3. How long you’ve been using the ArcGIS software
  4. Why you decided to use GIS in your teaching
  5. Share your project/activity details and how the students enjoyed and benefitted from it
  6. Tell us how you will continue to use ArcGIS in your teaching – highlight any new projects or activities
  7. Share links to web maps and apps that your students have created (do not include student names)
  8. Send your submission to k12@esri.ca with the subject line “My GIS Adventure” by February 3rd, 2017.

A cool GIS activity to try with your students: This is a map tour story map created by two students from teacher David Ast’s class using Snap2Map that explores urban land use close to Harbord Collegiate Institute in Toronto. This field study was done as part of the Liveable Communities unit that’s outlined in the Ontario Grade 9 Geography curriculum covering the characteristics of land use in Canada.

If you’re a teacher who hasn’t integrated GIS into your teaching yet, here are some past blog posts that may inspire you to get started soon:

David Ast: Using ArcGIS Online to teach local and global issues

Perth Students use mapping technology to learn about a mining company in their community

Carson Lau: A student with the GIS-edge

Cory Munro: A passionate teacher who knows how to engage his students

Read other blog posts that focus on K-12 education and use the Esri Canada Resource Finder to begin your GIS journey today.

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