Assessing the Risk of Invasive Species Using Community Science Data part of Project EDDIE:Teaching Materials:Modules
This module introduces students who are already familiar with GIS to doing comparative analyses with large-scale community science (often called citizen science) data sets. Students will explore how we can use ...

Karst Hydrogeology: A virtual field introduction using Google Earth and GIS part of Cutting Edge:Enhance Your Teaching:Teaching with Online Field Experiences:Activities
Students will have the opportunity to select and virtually explore the hydrogeology and geomorphology of a karst landscape using Google Earth, lidar data-sourced DEM(s) and geologic maps, and GIS software (QGIS) ...

Modeling Rare Plant Distributions Using ArcGIS part of Teach the Earth:Teaching Activities
In this activity, students work with rare plant occurrence data from the Nature Reserve of Orange County, California to create species distribution maps in ArcGIS. Students are given shapefiles of species ...

Introduction to GIS through river meandering and landslide mapping part of Sedimentary Geology:Sedimentology, Geomorphology, and Paleontology 2014:Activities
The primary goal of this lab is to develop basic ArcGIS skills for geomorphology students and give them a taste of what is possible in GIS. The lab is written for the GIS novice, and thus includes detailed ...

Working with USGS discharge data part of Hydrogeology:Hydrogeology, Soils, Geochemistry 2013:Activities
In this exercise, we use the USGS real-time data available online, and use it to construct a rating curve for the Walla Walla river near Touchet. We then make a simple model of flood inundation in ArcGIS for the ...

Mapping your Neighborhood part of Integrate:Workshops and Webinars:Teaching Environmental Justice: Interdisciplinary Approaches:Activities
Application of GIS in identifying environmental justice in your neighborhood.

Old Sticks in the Mud: Hazards of Lahars from Mount Rainier Volcano part of Curriculum for the Bioregion:Activities
Volcanic debris flows (lahars) flow long distances, bury and aggrade river valleys, and cause long-term stream disturbances and dramatic landscape changes. Students will evaluate the nature, scale, and history of ...

Investigating Earthquakes: GIS Mapping and Analysis (College Level) part of Starting Point-Teaching Entry Level Geoscience:Teaching with GIS:Examples
This is a college-level adaptation of a chapter from the Earth Exploration Toolbook. The students download global quake data over a time range and use GIS to interpret the tectonic context. -

Cyclone Science: A GIS-based Curriculum on Tropical Cyclones part of Teach the Earth:Teaching Activities
Cyclone Science is a four-unit GIS-based curriculum, with exercises using the easy-to-use, open source QGIS software. Detailed instructions guide students through the exercises. The curricular units contain ...

Interpreting the surficial deposits of Glacier National Park, Montana part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Students interpret a GIS map of surficial deposits in Glacier National Park to unravel a bit of the glacial history of the park.

Bedrock Geology Mapping Exercise part of Geoscience in the Field:Activities
As a final exercise in a course on Geological Maps, students conduct a field mapping of a one square mile area over a weekend. Back in the classroom, students are introduced to ArcMAP and Illustrator, with which ...

Evaluating natural hazards data to assess the risk to your California home part of Integrate:Workshops and Webinars:Teaching about Risk and Resilience:Activities
Students use a series of maps and natural hazard data to evaluate the risk to a building structure of their choice in the state of California. For each hazard, students rate the potential risk in two dimensions: (1) Probability - probability that a hazardous event "may" occur, and (2) Severity of Impact - the size of the impact in terms of cost and impact on human health.

Visualizing the impact of storm surge and sea level rise on coastal communities part of Integrate:Workshops and Webinars:Teaching about Risk and Resilience:Activities

Downloading Earthquake Data from the USGS Earthquake Hazards Site for Anywhere in the World and Studying it Using ArcGIS part of Introductory Courses:Activities
Students download earthquake data from the USGS Earthquake Hazards website and plot and anlyze the earthquakes using ArcMap and ArcScene.

Using Google Earth to Explore Plate Tectonics part of Teaching Methods:Teaching with Google Earth:Examples
Students use Google Earth to learn about plate tectonics by exploring the topography of the earth's continents and ocean floor, the distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes, and seafloor age. They become familiar with these global data sets and understand how Earth's tectonic plates and plate boundaries are defined.

Tsunami Travel Time Approximation part of Activities2
Eric Grosfils, Pomona College Summary Students are asked to calculate approximate tsunami travel times across the Pacific basin. The assignment builds off of a lab introducing students to Spatial Analyst, and ...

Critiquing Crummy Maps part of Activities2
Emily Burns, Community College of Rhode Island Summary Students work in groups to identify problems with a group of maps from the internet. Problems include lack of detail, lack of readability, no coordinates, and ...

Conservation Biology GIS lab exploration part of Activities2
Rose McKenney, Pacific Lutheran University Summary Introductory exploration of GIS as a conservation biology tool Context Type and level of course This activity was designed as a one time use of GIS to support ...

Mars Landing Site Analysis Lab part of Activities2
Brian Hynek, University of Colorado Summary Students use recent data acquired from Mars orbiters to assess the safety and scientific value of various proposed landing sites for a future Mars lander. Context Type ...

Using GIS to estimate the volume of snow and water in a drainage basin part of Activities2
Todd Rayne, Hamilton College Summary This activity uses field measurements and GIS to estimate the volume of water in the form of snow in a field site. Context Type and level of course I use this in a ...