This document provides a list of GIS resources for use in classrooms, including web applications, story maps, videos, and lessons. It outlines resources from Esri like ConnectEd, ArcGIS Online, and the Story Map Gallery that provide teaching materials. Examples are given of story maps and lessons created by students at Edward Little High School on topics like community safety and airport history. The document also lists opportunities for teacher professional development in GIS through Esri online courses and organizations like the Maine Geographic Alliance.

1.
GIS Resources for the Classroom
Erin Towns
Edward Little High School
Maine GIS Education Partners
Web Application: GIS In The Classroom
Connect Your Classroom
The official Connect Ed request form. This will provide you with an account to access the needed
online programs.
https://esri.app.box.com/connectedrequest?utm_source=esri&utm_medium=email&utm_term=6940
3 &utm_content=article&utm_campaign=connected_2014
Esri’s Schools Program Manager:
The ConnectED website,​ http://connected.esri.com​, is indeed the best single page to know. The
student videos are key, and the elements in the orange "Resources" section offer teachers many
options and selections to teach GIS.
Esri K12 GIS Organization ­ ​This website offers teachers of all ages access to instruction materials,
map and app collections, blogs, lessons, videos, and partners to assist with the teaching of GIS in the
classroom.
http://k12statelicense.maps.arcgis.com/home/
ArcGIS Online ­ ​Students can sign up for a temporary 60 day account to try out ArcGIS if your
organization does not have an account. After 60 days interested students can be put onto
organizational accounts to create and use data, maps, and story maps of all kinds.
https://www.arcgis.com/home/
ArcGIS Story Map Gallery​ ­ Story Maps can be used to help students examine the world while building
basic geography skills and more complex spatial reasoning skills.
http://storymaps.arcgis.com/en/gallery/#s=0
Examples of ArcGIS Story Maps​ ­ Here are a few notable and entertaining examples story maps:
Anthropocene: The Age of Humans
http://story.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/?appid=d14f53dcaf7b4542a8c9110eeabccf1c
Where Did Your Thanksgiving Dinner Come From?
http://storymaps.esri.com/stories/thanksgiving/#
Living on the Edge: The Extremes of Human Inhabitance

2. http://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/?appid=8f4ee2f2397a4539afb079a4cff1d0f0
A Journey Through Star Wars Filming Locations
https://unigraz.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=3d22347862ce40119b2267d7fc
6f41f5
Examples of Education Resources for the Classroom
Geospatial Revolution video​ – ​Professionally­produced series of videos illustrating the use of
geotechnologies in society, and the importance of spatial analysis and GIS for 21st Century decision
making
http://geospatialrevolution.psu.edu
Elementary School Geography and Science with ArcGIS Online​ ­ This collection of instructional
materials for the elementary geography and science classroom is completely free, requires no login,
and no installation of software. The activities are for a one student to one computer/device (1:1)
learning environment. Activities, designed to be teacher­friendly, provide a student worksheet and
assessment. The activities are for 4th and 5th grade, but may serve younger or older learners based
on reading levels.
https://blogs.esri.com/esri/gisedcom/2015/09/02/elementary­school­geography­and­science­with­ar
cgis­online/
Geography for You and Yours​ ­ Modeled after Seth Dixon’s spectacular web app (he is a geography
professor at Rhode Island College), this is used in my classroom to help students build foundational
geography skills. It also stimulates interest in geography by providing students with concrete, real
world connections through geography stories and videos from around the world.
https://elhs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/?appid=ed0e1da599f24ca4a80737e9ba213de3
Community Profile: Safety in Auburn Maine ​­ Sophomore students at Edward Little High School
examined crime in their city. They mapped areas of safety and infrastructure concerns. Information
was made into a Story Map Web Application and sent to the Auburn Police Chief.
https://elhs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/?appid=62900743ab89487a8f21ae359879324a
Web Presentation: Ancient Cities​ ­ This is used to teach students about location of ancient cities and
also provides links to articles about ancient cultures and cities of the world.
https://elhs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/presentation/index.html?webmap=56dad2c7f1ef44e6bae593bab
d62c741
Edward Little High School Tour​ ­ This map was created using a cell phone app called Snap 2 Map. It
allows students to take photos that automatically upload to a map. Students can then edit and
present the photo tour. This particular tour is a work in progress and will be added to an international
exchange blog for students in South Africa and Kazakhstan to view.
http://arcg.is/1P9kRKo

3.
The History of Presque Isle Airport ­ ​This is a web application that was designed by students at
Presque Isle Middle School. It is a history of the Presque Isle Airport from the grass runway to the
Army Base, to the Airforce Base and ends at the Industrial Council.
http://pimswildcats.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapTour/index.html?appid=68791093e0674ee58987f8d1
2b7b4aa0
Last Recommendation
Once you have an organizational account Esri offers a number of professional development
opportunities through online courses and presentations. Here is an example:
Teaching with GIS: Introduction to Using GIS in the Classroom
http://training.esri.com/Courses/GISEd_Intro/player.cfm
State Professional Development
Maine GIS Education Partners Website
Maine Geographic Alliance: Teacher Professional Development ­ University of Maine, Farmington
http://www.mainegeographyed.org
National & International Professional Development
K­12 and Teacher Education: American Association of Geographers
http://www.aag.org/cs/education/k12_and_teacher_education/k12_and_teacher_education_overvie
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