Students

Students look at light pollution by participating in GLOBE at Night.

What Is GIS Watch the "What Is GIS" video.

Try GIS Yourself Visit the ESRI GIS Education Community Web site for free Web mapping, downloadable GIS software, and other resources.

Free GIS Software for Everyone Download ArcGIS Explorer and explore your world.

Where’s the closest store? Where does your water come from? What parts of your community would you change? In what ways are the actions of people around you connected to the lives of others around the planet? All these questions deal with geography. Geography is more than countries and capitals, it’s about how things here relate to things over there.

A geographic information system allows you to investigate data, see it, and use it to answer questions. You can use these tools to study things from a single cell to the cosmos and topics from farming to climate change, local law enforcement to global health issues, and biodiversity to the location of a new computer store.

Youth Groups

4-H, scouting, and other youth clubs around the world are expanding their classroom learning, career opportunities, and community involvement with GIS. Join in the fun!

GIS in Action

• Watch videos showing how GIS managers, conservationists, helicopter pilots, and health researchers use GIS.
• Check out the Map Book Gallery to see how people in different jobs use GIS.
• Learn about geospatial careers.
• Visit the Community Atlas to investigate projects by other students and plan your own.
• Read case studies that show how students and youth use GIS.
• Explore various demos, literature, and books.