Alan Raflo at the Virginia Water Resources Research Center runs “Virginia Water Radio.” The link provides an index of all audio clips currently available. Each clip is about 3 minutes long and introduces a concept related to water/the environment and goes on to make it relevant in Virginia. The clips are organized by theme (e.g., History, Birds, Fish, Weather, etc.). Feel free to use these resources in Geography and other classes that involve the environment. …Luke Juran, VT
Civil War 150 HistoryMobile applications for tour stops in 2015 due September 5
The award-winning Civil War 150 HistoryMobile is available to travel to schools during the 2014-15 school year. Applications for tour stops in 2015 are due September 5 and can be found online here: http://www.virginiacivilwar.org/historymobile_application.php.
The Virginia Civil War 150 HistoryMobile, a walk-through, interactive “museum on wheels,” allows students to imagine events related to the Civil War from many points of view. The exhibit carries students through battlefront, home front, and the journey to freedom to explore the impact of the Civil War on Virginia, the end of slavery, the reunification of the nation, and the war’s enduring and often controversial legacy.
A Teacher’s Guide contains detailed information about the exhibit and offers ideas for before and after the visit. More information about the Virginia Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War Commission can be found at www.VirginiaCivilWar.org
If you have questions, please contact Cheryl Jackson at (804) 786-3591, ext. 276 or by email to info@virginiacivilwar.org.
National Geographic to host a Young Explorers Grant Workshop in Knoxville, TN
The RCE (Research, Conservation, and Exploration) team from National Geographic is hosting a Young Explorers Grant Workshop in at University Center, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, Saturday, September 20th, 2014. Learn how you can become a National Geographic Young Explorer.
The National Geographic Society Young Explorers Grant Program is open to individuals ages 18-25 to pursue research, conservation and explorations related projects. The grants workshop is free to students interested in pursuing grants from National Geographic to support their research or project.
Schedule includes:
- Introduction to National Geographic
- Presentations from Young Explorers
- Guide to applying for a grant
- Panel discussion on developing outstanding field projects, with Q&A
- Networking and refreshments
Presented by: Rebecca Martin, Director, Expeditions Council, National Geographic Society; Carol Harden, Professor, Department of Geography, University of Tennessee, and member of Committee for Research and Exploration, National Geographic Society; National Geographic Young Explorers (former Young Explorers Grant recipients)
——————————————————————————————————————————————
About the National Geographic Society Young Explorers Grants Program
An initial grant from National Geographic helped launch the career of many of the Society’s — and our planet’s — most renowned explorers. Young Explorers Grants offer opportunities to individuals ages 18 through 25 to pursue research-, conservation- and exploration-related projects consistent with National Geographic’s existing grant programs. These grants help cover field project costs for hard-working, passionate, creative individuals with great ideas. We are committed — as we have been for more than a century — to supporting new generations of archaeologists, anthropologists, astronomers, conservationists, ecologists, geographers, geologists, marine scientists, adventurers, storytellers and pioneers.
See flyer for registration information. Evening presentation open to public. For more information about the program visit, http://www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/grants-programs/young-explorers/
Great opportunity for a recent HS graduate, college student, or a beginning teacher!
Investigate Land Use change using USGS historical topographic map viewer
Investigating land use change over time has always been a mainstay of geography and environmental education and research. Recently, several new ways of accessing more than 175,000 historical USGS topographic maps through ArcGIS Online make land use change even more accessible to students, educators, and researchers. In his recent essay, Joseph Kerski focuses on the USGS Historical Topographic Map Explorer, and in future essays will discuss some of the other ways that you can easily access these maps in ArcGIS Online.
The Silk Road: Connecting the ancient world through trade–a lesson by Shannon Harris Castelo
Shannon Harris Castelo has prepared this lesson in conjunction with TED-Ed. See it at http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-silk-road-history-s-first-world-wide-web-shannon-harris-castelo. Some of Shannon’s ideas originated with her work with the VGA’s committee on World History and Geography.
New online atlas tracks Nunavut’s centuries-old Inuit trails
“The Northwest Passage and the construction of Inuit pan-Arctic identities” (funded by SSHRC—the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council), and co-directed by Claudio Aporta (Marine Affairs Program, Dalhousie University), Michael Bravo (Geography, University of Cambridge), and Fraser Taylor (Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre, Carleton University is a project that is looking at Inuit occupancy of the Northwest Passage, through a study and documentation of Inuit traditional trails and place names, which have interconnected Inuit groups across the Arctic since time immemorial.
Read more at: http://www.nunatsiaqonline.ca/stories/article/65674new_online_atlas_tracks_centuries-old_inuit_trails/
View the interactive atlas at http://www.paninuittrails.org/index.html?module=module.paninuittrails.
Johnny Finn has new publication
Johnny Finn, Christopher Newport University, has an article titled “Soundtrack of a Nation: Race, Place, and Music in Modern Brazil” in the current issue of the Journal of Latin American Geography. You can find the abstract at http://muse.jhu.edu/login?auth=0&type=summary&url=/journals/journal_of_latin_american_geography/v013/13.2.finn.pdf
Fredericksburg High School takes first place in 2014 National Geography Challenge for Grade 9
Riverbend High School’s ninth grade geography team took first place in the 2014 National Geography Challenge for Grade 9. See more at http://www.examiner.com/article/fredericksburg-area-high-school-takes-first-national-geography-challenge?cid=rss.
New Publication: Jamestown to Appomattox–Mapping US History with GIS by Chris Bunin and Christine Esposito
The Virginia Geographic Alliance in partnership with Carte Diem Press brings you this one of a kind historical geography resource and an easy way to bring GIS into your history classroom. Don’t pass up this student-tested collection of lessons, maps and resources!
Available from GIS ETC (Geographic Information Systems: Education Technology Consultants), with a percentage of proceeds going to the VGA.
Get your advanced copy now for $5 off (until July 1, 2014). To order go to: http://gisetc.com/product/mappingushistory/.
Congratulations to Chris and Christine on the completion of this publication!
geoenabling citizen science
A new article by Joseph Kerski on geoenabling citizen science – the whys, and some of the hows: http://blogs.esri.com/esri/esri-insider/2014/06/04/geoenabling-citizen-science/
