February 2011 Resource Review

Free Resources & GIS Happenings

• Discover HealthLandscape, an interactive web-based mapping tool that allows health professionals, policy makers, academic researchers, and planners to combine, analyze and display information in ways that promote better understanding of health and the forces that affect it. 
• Read how maps disputes are changing the face of Texas’ politics and follow the election process with your students using the official primaries map.
• Welcome to the newest addition to our planet! NASA reports a new volcanic island is forming in the Red Sea this month. 
• Browse a stunning collection of geological volcano maps that will take your breath away! Spend time with each of them, it is truly beautiful destruction.
• Looking for a new way to connect with your students? National Geographic has created a downloadable and printable mini graphic novel to introduce the concept to students. 
• Expanding demand from a growing world population exerts unprecedented pressure on global resources, especially forests, water, and agriculture. Review USGS Uses Landsat Data to track trends in key resources. 
• This month, NASA released its 2012 version of the famous “Blue Marble” image. By Due to popular demand, they created an image focusing its lens toward the East and showing Africa, Saudi Arabia and India.
• In honor of the new "Blue Marbles" rolling out, we explored the process NASA uses to create these iconic images from space.
• GRAIL Satellite’s First Video of the Far Side of the Moon - watch the first movie taken of the moon’s far side captured by one of NASA’s twin GRAIL satellites this January 19th.
• Follow the link to see the latest dramatic image of sea surface heights in the Pacific Ocean from NASA’s Jason-2 satellite, showing that the current La Niña is peaking in intensity.

Apps We Love & Geo Fun

• Apps We Love: My Place History - This powerful app from ESRI utilizes geomedicine, a modern framework for bringing everyday information into the physician/patient relationship or to understand and explain health trends.
• Apps We Love: Britannica Kids, Volcanoes - This lava hot app is a great source of information, activities and games geared for students all about volcanoes! It provides wonderful, educational content in a friendly presentation.
• Apps We Love: Life On Earth a.k.a. the First Digital Textbook - eBook implementation abounds, and as the new media opens up, we explored an all digital biology textbook for the iPad. What makes this link extra fascinating is the video on the conceptualization of the etextbook. Enjoy!
• Made from a Map: Home is where the HEART is - Just in time for Valentine's Day, we shared this creative idea for creating art from maps that tell your story.
• Just for Fun: Copycat Geography Game - National Geographic has created the "SIMON" of geography. It’s the perfect game for your students to play during down time!

Costa Rica 2012

• Costa Rica 2012 - We are eager to invite teachers of all levels to build their technology skills and experience sustainable development in Costa Rica. You will discover lush tropical environments ranging from rainforest, grasslands, rivers, foothills, and their impact on the marine national park of Marino Ballena. These 9 days will offer a blend of engaging hands-on experiences in digital technologies, useful in offering key community leaders and businesses valuable products, resulting in meaningful service.
• Download Flyer
• Full Itinerary
• Register Here