Mapping - GPS / Spatial Representation / Concept Mapping

(1) Introduction & Practice

Read the chapter in the Sourcebook for Teaching Science on mapping (Download and read the pdf of Chapter 21 from book) and the online GPS resources.
Read the GPS manual and lessons on using Google Earth. Familiarize yourself with all of the functions on your GPS device.
Input GPS tracking and waypoint data, and anlyze with TraiRunner and Google Earth.
Create a sample tour using photos and data from Dr. Herr

Check out a GPS device.
Take a "hike" around CSUN, your school, or a field trip site. Take photos of at least five items of interest. For example, biologists may wish to photograph tree species, while historians may wish to photograph items that reflect the campuses history and technology teachers may wish to photograph items of technical interest such as routers, labs, antennae, etc. Write a brief description of each item photographed, and enter all data using the class survey. (class results)
Read how to use xls files to make kml files.
- Note - GPS coordinates may be given degrees, minutes and seconds, or in decimal units. For uniformity, record all GPS coordinates in digital degrees format. All values west of the Prime Meridian, and all values south of the Equator are negative. To convert to digital degrees, use the converter.
  
  34.241231,-118.530759 (Digital Degrees)
  34 14.473859, -118 31.84554 (Digital Minutes)
  +34° 14' 28.43", -118° 31' 50.73"(Digital Seconds)
Read how to use xls files to make kml files. (Sample file - Water Missions International - Uganda)
Convert the class file to an Excel file, then convert the Excel file to a kml file using an online xls to kml converter.
Add photos into your kml file
- Attach photos to your way points using html code: <img src="http://imagepath/image.jpg"><br/>Text
- Install hyperlinks using html code:<a href:"http://linkpath.page.html">Text</a>
Post with a commentary on your website.

Subject Matter Points of Interest (POI)
- Review selected points of interest
Class survey | Class Results
Convert to a kml file, and add the following features
- photos
- descriptions
- active links
Create a flyby movie.
Post kml of movie with a commentary on your website.

Review selected points of interest
Chose your own points of interest related to a topic you teach. Enter at least five points here.
Review the results of class input here.
Input your points of interest in the survey.

Review the MyMaps instructions.
Integrate the photos you posted on Picasa and your route with Google Maps. (examples; practice photos for making MyMaps. )
Collaborate to construct an online map that includes points of interest (POI) from your colleagues. The POI should include (a) Descriptive text, (b) photos, and (c) links for more information.
Make your maps public and post links on your website.
Save the collabortive map as a kml file for use in Google Earth. (Note: Not all browsers will generate kml files from Picasaweb. Try Firefox and make sure to use the SaveAs name and add the extension kml to the end).

Make a contribution to Panoramio or one of the other layers in Google Earth. Document your contribution

Write a lesson, relative to your discipline, that requires uses of one or more specialy maps (in Google MyMaps ) or layers (in Google Earth).

Read Chapter 9 from the Sourcebook for Teaching Science. (Download and read pdf from book).
Using concept mapping tools, develop a concept map, mind map, or flow-chart to illustrate and teach concepts or processes related to the discipline you teach.