USGS: Ideas for Teaching Topographic Maps

screen-shot-2016-09-25-at-7-51-16-amUSGS Topographic Map Lessons

USGS Topographic Map Lessons.  I’m so excited about this one. I love being in the Library but I am still a geography – and map – geek. This set of fully online lessons basically amounts to an introductory course on understanding topographic maps.  Granted it’s based on US Topo Maps, but the ideas are transferable.  Drop by the Library where I am home to a great collection of Canadian Topo Maps – we work with them with the Grade 9 Geo classes later in the year.  I even have a few fabulous US maps from my time at grad school in the US.  Reminder that you can access all things Canadian, and related to digital map resources, at the GeoGratis site, into which Toporama has been relocated.  Thanks to my friend Richard Byrne at FreeTech4Teachers for pointing me in this direction.

Pixton

screen-shot-2016-09-19-at-6-17-28-amPixton

Pixton is a relatively new online comics generator.  If you’re serious about wanting your students to be using comics – or get them creating their own graphic works – Pixton looks like it’s heads and shoulders above the rest of what I’ve seen out there.  Start a 7 day free trial and play around.  At $6 per month it’s far less expensive than any other paid comic service I’m aware of.  And best of all, it’s a Canadian start-up.

QR Codes for Data Collection

screen-shot-2016-09-11-at-6-25-45-pmQR Codes for Data Collection.

I love using QR codes and make good use of them.  They save the environmental expense of having to print off lots of little bits of paper for people to take home.  They save the annoyance of getting home and having to process all those little bits of paper you’ve collected along the way.  Check out this little blurb, and short video, from my favourite EdTech guy, Richard Byrne of FreeTech4Teachers, to learn how you might make use of QR codes in your classroom and/or at school events.