What are your favorite climate change and remote sensing apps?

My Favorite Apps for the Study of Climate Change and Remote Sensing

(as of May, 2011)

David Bydlowski

Wayne County Mathematics and Science Center at Wayne RESA

ICCARS Project

bydlowd@resa.net

Climate Change News -- RSS, news, and video feeds.  ($2)

Climate Mobile (CliMate) -- Personal Climate Analyzer: Database of the most current climate change data along with historical data analysis.  (free)

Gaia GPS -- Offline topographic maps, compass, and GPS tracking. ($13)

GISRoam -- Mobile GIS application. (free)

iMatter -- Student Activism. Best section is kids versus global warming. (free)

MotionX GPS HD -- GPS, maps and navigation. ($3)

NASA App HD -- Satellites, remote images and much more. (free)

NASA Now -- Aggregates NASA feeds. (free)

Negotiator -- Information on the UN Climate Change Conferences (free)

Our Choice -- Interactive book by Al Gore on climate change. ($5)

Satellites -- Displays the location of the International Space station. ($1)

What are your favorite iPad (iOS) resources for the study of climate change and remote sensing? I did not list any tool apps. Share your comments and share your favorite climate change and remote sensing apps!!  Looking forward to your comments.....

Project-Based Learning

Edutopia has recently come out with a great series of resources on Project-Based Learning.  In the first article, written by Bob Lenz, he talks about making Project-Based Learning easy.  You can read the full article by clicking HERE.  He understands that there is only so much time in a day, so he shares three principles for instruction:

1. Academic Rigor -- Ask a Question
2. Balanced Assessment -- Write an Essay with a Rubric
3. Active Exploration and Adult Connections -- Conduct an Interview

The next resource is entitled: Core Strategy; Project-Based Learning.  Project-based learning is a dynamic approach to teaching in which students explore real-world problems and challenges. With this type of active and engaged learning, students are inspired to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subjects they're studying.  You can view the full resource by clicking HERE.  They project two videos:

1. An Introduction to Project-Based Learning (three minutes)
2. Project Based Learning: An Overview (nine minutes)

The next resource is an article written by the staff of Edutopia.  It is entitled--Why Teach with Project-Based Learning?:  Providing Students With a Well-Rounded Classroom Experience.  The major point of the article is that Project-based learning helps students apply what they learn to real-life experiences and provides an all-around enriching education.  You can read the short article by clicking HERE.

The next resource is blog posting from Suzie Boss.  It is entitled, Perfecting with Practice: Project-Based Teaching.  I think you will find the links within the article very helpful.  You can read the posting by clicking HERE.  She shares a few "gems":

1. Get Minds Inquiring
2. Lay a Foundation
3. Look to the Discipline for Cues
4. Develop Confidence
5. Build Some Buzz
6. Establish the Right Context

The final resource is a TED Talk.  John Hunter puts all the problems of the world on a 4'x5' plywood board -- and lets his 4th-graders solve them. At TED2011, he explains how his World Peace Game engages schoolkids, and why the complex lessons it teaches -- spontaneous, and always surprising -- go further than classroom lectures can.  I think you will see that it could easily be adapted to fit the kinds of questions that come up in your classroom.  You can watch the 20-minute video by clicking HERE.