Author Archives: iowaview

Happy Thanksgiving! Two maps showing the hubs of dinner staples

By Article, Story Map, , , , , , , , ,

This week as you gather with family and friends for a nice holiday meal take a minute to think the people who grew or produced your food and about all the places different staples come from. Below are two maps, “Where does Thanksgiving Dinner Grow?” created by Linda Zellmer and “Mapping the Thanksgiving Harvest” by David Asbury. Click on the map images below to explore the maps.

Linda Zellmer, a Government Information & Data Services Librarian at Western Illinois University has a series of maps showing the states with the high production of Thanksgiving staples using 2017 data. Linda created maps for the staples data over the course of a 20 year period (1997-2017). For her GIS data, maps, and a Thanksgiving meal poster visit: http://faculty.wiu.edu/LR-Zellmer/thanksgiving.html

David Asbury, a member of the Esri StoryMaps Team, created this map series which shows production of staples at the county level using 2012 USDA Census of Agriculture data.

Day 5 GAW: Have you discovered the Iowa Geographic Map Server?

By Education, Geography Awareness Week, Imagery, Iowa Geographic Map Server, Observation, Remote Sensing, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Iowa Geographic Map Server is a gem of historical and contemporary statewide aerial imagery for Iowa from the 1930s to 2021. It also has many other statewide layers including:

  • elevation maps (LiDAR and USGS topographic maps),
  • historical maps (General Land Office survey maps from 1800s, Andreas Atlas, historic topography),
  • land cover maps (historical and contemporary)
  • geology (landforms and bedrock)

Here’s your challenge: Zoom into your city or a place of significance to you and discover how it has changed over the years, look at how the land cover changed, challenge yourself to find as many changes as you can.

Interested in learning more about the Iowa Geographic Map Server? Watch Gregg Hadish’s recent presentation, “Accessing Iowa Map Services in GIS and Web Applications,” for the Iowa Geographic Information Council September 2023 Lunch and Learn professional development series.

Day 2 – GAW 2023: Contribute to OPENSTREETMAP and MapRoulette

By Activity, Education, Geography Awareness Week, OpenStreetMap, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a publicly created and maintained map of the world – the Wikipedia for maps. Anyone with access to an internet browser can view the map and can sign up for a free OpenStreetMap account to edit and update the map. Edits to the map are reviewed and validated by other members of the community. If you are new to OpenStreetMap, visit their welcome page to a short introduction: https://osmgeoweek.org/guides/intro.

Here are several ways to get engaged with OpenStreetMap:

~ Review your local OSM basemap for accuracy and consider adding community features that are missing or need updating.

~ Spend time working on a Humanitarian OpenStreetMap project. For a current list of priority project visit: https://tasks.hotosm.org/explore

~ Only have a little bit of time? Consider MapRoulette, the game of mini mapping challenges, it breaks OSM work into snack-sized “challenges.” Earn points by fixing validation issues, turning nodes into areas, adding missing tags, and through countless other little tasks that contribute to a healthier map.

Happy Geography Awareness Week 2023 – The Power of Place

By Activity, Education, Event, Geography Awareness Week, Observation, , , , , ,

It’s that time of year again! We are celebrating Geography Awareness Week! November 13-17, 2023

The History of Geography Awareness Week:

Thirty-six years ago, the National Geographic Society advocated to create Geography Awareness Week. Geography Awareness Week is a way to celebrate and raise awareness of geography, both as a discipline and as a part of daily life. The National Geographic Society felt the limited exposure to geography in American education was a dangerous deficiency. Without proper exposure to geography, students are unable to make effective decisions, understand geo-spatial and geo-political issues, or even recognize their impacts as global citizens.
— see more at the National Geographic Website

To learn more about exciting careers in geography and the National Geographic MapMaker tool by visiting the National Geographic webpage: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/education-resources/programs/geography-awareness-week/

Mapping Masterminds Challenge as part of GIS Day 2023

By Activity, Announcement, Event, Geography Awareness Week, , , , , , , , , , ,

GIS Day is around the corner…please join us for festivities in the Parks Library in Ames, Iowa on Wednesday, November 15, 2023. For GIS Day details: https://www.gis.iastate.edu/gis-day-2023. Also if you have a StoryMap or GIS app or GIS poster or regular paper map – please enter the mapping competition. The competition is open to all, i.e. anyone else reading this, we want to see your mapping skills. 🙂 There will be prizes! https://tinyurl.com/mappingmasterminds

Join us for Geospatial Career Day – 10/10/2023

By Announcement, Earth Observation Day, Education, Event, Outreach, , , , , , , ,

In celebration of Earth Science Week (Oct. 8–14), IowaView and the ISU GIS Support and Research Facility will host an Earth Observation Geospatial Career Day from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10, in 206 Durham Center at Iowa State University. GIS professionals will share short presentations discussing their jobs and career paths. Students can learn more about the geographic information science (GISC) minor and GIS graduate certificate program. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. Please join us!

Iowa Map Contest – Tell Your Stories, Spread the Word

By Activity, Education, Event, Iowa Map Contest, Iowa Student Map Contest, Story Map, , , , ,

Here’s a great opportunity for Iowa students in grades 4-12. The Iowa Map Contest is an ArcGIS Online Story Map competition for students to tell Iowa stories. Each school can submit up to five entries. Entries are due Monday, May 8, 2023. For more information about the Iowa Map Contest, visit the contest website: https://sites.google.com/site/iowamapcontest/.

World Water Day 2023 – How are you using your resource?

By Announcement, Event, Lesson Plan, Story Map, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Water: A Global Resource is an ArcGIS StoryMap, developed by Mary Schorse and Tracy DeLiberty (DelawareView), designed to give you background on what we mean by 'water resources.'
A StoryMap developed by Mary Schorse and Tracy DeLiberty (DelawareView)

Have you ever thought about how much water it takes to make a pair of jeans? To produce a pound of corn? Or to make a car? What if you had a limited amount of water and had to decide how to “spend” your precious resource? Water: A Global Resource is an ArcGIS StoryMap, developed by Mary Schorse and Tracy DeLiberty (DelawareView), is designed to give you background on what we mean by ‘water resources.’ The lessons are also designed to stimulate your thinking about how we use, protect and monitor this precious, limited natural resource.

Water: A Global Resource is an ArcGIS StoryMap, developed by Mary Schorse and Tracy DeLiberty (DelawareView), designed to give you background on what we mean by 'water resources.'
Screen shot from the Water: A Global Resource StoryMap

Resource Links:

Schorse, M. and T. DeLiberty. 2022. Water: A Global Resource StoryMap (Middle School Lessons) – https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/af7e043b7a104858a300c08ed2ead7c7

Schorse, M. and T. DeLiberty. 2022. Water: Today and for the Future StoryMap (Elementary Lessons) – https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/5940fb947ae54b06ac7a184ab42b7dbd