This investigation demonstrates the applicability of images and geography to everyday life. Using an image of a large shopping mall in Huntsville, Alabama, as an example, students will analyze the location of the mall and use of the surrounding... (View More) area. The URL opens to the investigation directory, with links to teacher and student materials, lesson extensions, resources, teaching tips, and assessment strategies. As the first investigation in this module entitled, "Human Footprints on Earth as Seen by NASA Scientists," the teacher's guide begins with a two-page module overview and list of all standards addressed. Note that this is investigation one of four found in the Grades 5-8 Module 3 of Mission Geography. The Mission Geography curriculum integrates data and images from NASA missions with the National Geography Standards. Each of the four investigations in Module 3, while related, can be done independently. (View Less)

Highly productive commercial agriculture, known as industrial agriculture, is the focus of this investigation. Students will analyze and compare the inputs and outputs of industrial agriculture after reading background information, examining photos... (View More) and satellite images, graphing data, and answering questions. The role of technology in shaping industrial agriculture is also examined. Suggestions are offered for optionally assessing this lesson in a debate format or in a role-play format. The URL opens to the investigation directory, with links to teacher and student materials, lesson extensions, resources, teaching tips, and assessment strategies. This is Investigation 2 of three found in the Grades 9-12 Module 2 of Mission Geography. The Mission Geography curriculum integrates data and images from NASA missions with the National Geography Standards. Each of the three investigations in Module 2, while related, can be done independently. (View Less)

Students confront the challenge of improving global agricultural production in order to feed increasingly larger populations. Students evaluate tables, maps, graphs, photos and satellite images detailing global population growth patterns and... (View More) agricultural production levels in order to formulate recommendations. The role of technology is examined throughout. This investigation includes two activities: 1. Students form six teams representing major world regions to consider the need for increasing agricultural production; 2. Students conduct a case study of Mozambique and conclude by distributing and defending monetary investments for possible agricultural production increases. The URL opens to the investigation directory, with links to teacher and student materials, lesson extensions, resources, teaching tips, and assessment strategies. This is Investigation 3 of three found in the Grades 9-12 Module 2 of Mission Geography. The Mission Geography curriculum integrates data and images from NASA missions with the National Geography Standards. Each of the three investigations in Module 2, while related, can be done independently. (View Less)

The 1992 eruption of Alaska's Mt. Spurr was captured in satellite images along with photographs taken from the Space Shuttle. Students will analyze those images and photos to determine the correlation between different types of data, in this case... (View More) data about aerosols and atmospheric temperatures. Students will then graph the aerosol and temperature data from transects of the Mt. Spurr plume and will predict changes along the plume's path. The URL opens to the investigation directory, with links to teacher and student materials, lesson extensions, resources, teaching tips, and assessment strategies. Note that this is Investigation 2 of three found in the Grades 5-8 Module 1 of Mission Geography. The Mission Geography curriculum integrates data and images from NASA missions with the National Geography Standards. Each of the three investigations in Module 1, while related, can be done independently. (View Less)

The impacts of natural disasters are described in imaginary pen pal letters from peers who reside in the pathways of four authentic natural disasters: a volcanic lava flow in Hawaii, a volcanic ash cloud in Russia, a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico... (View More) and flooding in the Midwestern U.S. Students must answer questions posed in the letters (included in the lesson), locate the impacted areas on a map, examine images of the disaster, research the Earth science processes involved and write back to the pen pal. The URL opens to the investigation directory, with links to teacher and student materials, lesson extensions, resources, teaching tips, and assessment strategies. This is Investigation 4 of four found in the Grades K-4 Module 4 of Mission Geography. The Mission Geography curriculum integrates data and images from NASA missions with the National Geography Standards. Each of the four investigations in Module 4, while related, can be done independently (View Less)

Thermal images of Earth allow for the visualization and analysis of temperature differences. With the aid of ATLAS thermal images of a shopping mall in Huntsville, Alabama, students examine the impact of the addition of buildings and the loss of... (View More) forest cover on surface heat patterns. After considering mall site usage and then comparing day and night thermal images of a tree in a parking lot, students will select and indicate tree sites on a mall map that could enhance the cooling of the parking area. The URL opens to the investigation directory, with links to teacher and student materials, lesson extensions, resources, teaching tips, and assessment strategies. Note that this is Investigation 2 of four found in the Grades 5-8 Module 3 of Mission Geography. The Mission Geography curriculum integrates data and images from NASA missions with the National Geography Standards. Each of the four investigations in Module 3, while related, can be done independently. (View Less)

The human activity featured in this investigation is the choice of settlement sites. Beginning with an analysis of the location of their own town, students consider the negative and positive aspects of both natural and human made features. Students... (View More) will then interpret maps as well as photographs and true-color/false-color radar images taken from the Space Shuttle to analyze the site location for the city of New Orleans. The URL opens to the investigation directory, with links to teacher and student materials, lesson extensions, resources, teaching tips, and assessment strategies. Note that this is investigation two of four found in the Grades 5-8 Module 2 of Mission Geography. The Mission Geography curriculum integrates data and images from NASA missions with the National Geography Standards. Each of the four investigations in Module 2, while related, can be done independently. (View Less)

Worldwide patterns and sources of aerosols are analyzed and evaluated for potential hazards to aircraft safety. Using aerosol index maps created from data gathered by the TOMS instrument, student groups will analyze and compare aerosol data from... (View More) either eight consecutive or eight random days. Each group will graph the data, rank the hazard level of their study area and analyze the patterns and probable causes of those aerosols. Directions and materials are included for classes with computer access and for those without computer access. The URL opens to the investigation directory, with links to teacher and student materials, lesson extensions, resources, teaching tips, and assessment strategies. Note that this is the last of three investigations found in the Grades 5-8 Module 1 of Mission Geography. The Mission Geography curriculum integrates data and images from NASA missions with the National Geography Standards. Each of the three investigations in Module 1, while related, can be done independently. (View Less)

Subsistence agriculture is introduced and described through text, satellite images, space shuttle photos, ground photos and maps. After reviewing all resources, student teams debate whether intensive subsistence agriculture (e.g., rice production)... (View More) will continue to play a significant role in feeding populations in developing countries. The URL opens to the investigation directory, with links to teacher and student materials, lesson extensions, resources, teaching tips, and assessment strategies. This is Investigation 1 of three found in the Grades 9-12 Module 2 of Mission Geography. The Mission Geography curriculum integrates data and images from NASA missions with the National Geography Standards. Each of the three investigations in Module 2, while related, can be done independently. (View Less)

Searching the six satellite images of Mars provided in this investigation, students identify and locate areas that possibly sustained life in the past, might now sustain life, or could in the future. The URL opens to the investigation directory,... (View More) with links to teacher and student materials, lesson extensions, resources, teaching tips, and assessment strategies. Note that this is the last of four investigations found in the Grades 5-8 Module 2 of Mission Geography. The Mission Geography curriculum integrates data and images from NASA missions with the National Geography Standards. Each of the four investigations in Module 2, while related, can be done independently. (View Less)