Geography is part of our everyday lives. Geography Matters!

Geographical Information System (GIS) Geography is part of our everyday lives. It is an integral part of our neighborhood, our nation, our planet. We use it everyday--weather, traffic, the quality of our water and land, the economy. software can help learners of all ages grasp the ways in which geography matters. GIS helps students and teachers engage in studies that require and promote critical thinking, integrated learning, and multiple intelligences, at any grade level.

Geographical Information System (GIS) “A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer- based tool for mapping and analyzing things that exist and events that happen on Earth. GIS technology integrates common database operations such as query and statistical analysis with the unique visualization and geographic analysis benefits offered by maps. These abilities distinguish GIS from other information systems and make it valuable to a wide range of public and private enterprises for explaining events, predicting outcomes, and planning strategies." ESRI, 1997

GIS in K-12 Education Geography & Earth Sciences (where, what, why) Ecology (mapping biodiversity, habitat analysis, species density), History (Population settlement in the US, Voting patterns), Mathematics/statistics (Mapping distribution, Density, ratio, probability and inference, sampling, pattern analysis,) Biology & public health (cluster detection) Economics and Business (Locating a business, finding markets, network analysis), English and literature (understanding the context)

GIS can address … Does it make sense to put a megamall here? Should legislative district boundaries go here or there? Do we expand the existing airport here or build a new one there? Will there be enough schools for students here in 10 years? Which pockets of endangered environment should we protect?

GIS can address … What is the impact of waste facilities on local health patterns? Where might restocking of native species be environmentally wise? Are we adequately prepared to service the local and surrounding population in the event of various possible disasters?

Produce Travel Maps

Find the best facility locations

Analyze Sales by ZIP Code

Use Aerial and Satellite Images

Range: 12-75% 12% = Essex 75% = Marblehead

Perform Nationwide Demographic Analysis

Visualize Data Geographically

Urban Resources Management and Environmental Monitoring Via GIS Software Technologies

The Global Positioning System is an earth-orbiting- satellite based system that provides signals available anywhere on or above the earth, twenty-four hours a day, that can be used to determine precise time and the position of a GPS receiver in three dimensions. GPS is funded by and controlled by the U. S. Department of Defense (DOD) but can used by civilians for georeferencing, positioning, navigation, and for time and frequency control. GPS is increasingly used as an input for Geographic Information Systems particularly for precise positioning of geospatial data and the collection of data in the field. GPS

GPS/GIS mapping helps narrow search for shuttle debris

My research

Paletta & Gopal

War in Iraq?

Suspected Weapon Sites - Iraq

Iraqi Missile Range

Location of Oil Fields

Understand local geography

Elementary School Districts of Newton

Middle School Districts of Newton

High School Districts of Newton

Local Resources