Improve data collection and analysis skills with maps and geographical information. Inquiry-based learning encourages students to explore the world from a new perspective.
Using GIS in a project can be as simple as participating in an ongoing study. Observe plant and animal species with iNaturalist, find patterns in the loudness of sounds around you, or engage with another of these ready-to-participate spatial projects.
Utilize inquiry-based learning. Design, execute, and report on a project of your own or your students’ choosing. Tackle a relevant problem through investigation and use it to understand the world around you.
Get inspired by other GIS-enabled classroom projects.
Students from Washington-Liberty High School use systems thinking and GIS to answer complex questions with ArcGIS Pro. Their projects explore climate change on a Navy base; the relationship between the homes of minorities, access to food assistance, and tree cover; and how to reduce the spread of invasive spotted lanternflies.
Elementary students took the stage to introduce National Geographic MapMaker. They demonstrate how to use the app, including a virtual visit to a steep street in San Francisco, an exploration of ethnicity data to identify differences in their community, and finding spatial patterns in historic hurricanes.
Mr. Cushman’s grade 3 class in Canada turned recess into a project, looking at the distribution of interest and space at recess.
Mr. Bentley’s fifth graders learn about being planetary stewards, understanding how plastic moves from suburb to sea. They move beyond understanding to action, presenting leaders with solutions for reducing the volume of plastics flowing to the ocean.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Mr. Winbigler recognized that his eighth-grade students were feeling isolated, and another video chat wasn’t the answer. They shared signs of spring through pictures and writing, integrating language arts and GIS learning.
Explore award-winning work by student Skye Lam, who investigated how geospatial data could be used to determine the degree of racial segregation during the height of Jim Crow.
Stay up to date on the latest GIS lessons, news, and best practices for teaching with geospatial technology.
