Just wanted to put out a reminder that the Iowa Map Contest is still going on. It’s a great opportunity for students in grades 4-12 to learn how to tell a story about Iowa’s special places using a story map. Also there are great prizes – $100 and a chance to go to the national map contest.
If you need help getting started, visit the official website and please read the earlier post for more details or send us an email.
As you look out your window you may be noticing that grass is beginning to green up, the lilac bushes are growing new leaves, and a robin is gathering material for a nest. These observations are scientifically termed phenology – the study of cyclic and seasonal natural phenomena relating to climate, plant, and animal life.
As spring begins with many of us social distancing it is a good time to turn our attention towards nature and consider joining the National Phenology Network USA’s Nature’s Notebook program. Nature’s Notebook is a group of volunteer observers (students and citizen scientists) from around the USA who pick an observation site and commit to regularly recording data about it throughout a season. This data can then be used by scientists around the world to better understand changes in climate and plant/animal life around the country.
The Nature’s Notebook website has many useful resources for establishing your observation site as well as ideas for which species to observe. The website also has activities and lesson planning ideas for children and young people. Participating in Nature’s Notebook might be a good adventure during the weeks that school is closed and the days are getting nicer.
Resources:
Phenology Activity Book for Children
Nature’s Notebook – Join a Regional Campaign
Getting Started – Nature’s Notebook in the classroom
Search Plants and Animals to Observe
Learn How to Observe
Here are several more maps that are helpful for understanding the COVID-19 spread in Iowa.
The State of Iowa has a COVID-19 page: https://coronavirus.iowa.gov/. There is a map of the the confirmed cases statewide. This page has demographic breakdown of the cases by male/female, age cohorts, as well as hospitalization and recovery information.
The Iowa Department of Public Health has a similar page: https://idph.iowa.gov/Emerging-Health-Issues/Novel-Coronavirus. One thing I like about the IDPH page is that they have the number of negative COVID-19 tests as well as the positive cases.
An interesting infographic site that is put out by ESRI called Impact Planning for COVID-19: https://business.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/dc74772707d94db9a7d24d30ffdcf36c. This site pulls together demographic data, hospital data, insurance data to give a snap shot of each county around the country.
AmericaView College-Level Remote Sensing Resources
GeorgeView – AmericaView University
Website: http://gaview.org/moodle30f/
IowaView – GIS and Mapping Task Sheets
Website: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/communities/gis/quicktasksheets
MinnesotaView – Remote Sensing 101
Website: https://minnesotaview.rs.umn.edu/education
MontanaView – Python and R
Website: http://www.montana.edu/montanaview/
NewHampshireView – Remote Sensing Webinars
Website: http://www.nhview.unh.edu/educations_webinars.html
VirginiaView – Remote Sensing Tutorials
Website: https://www.virginiaview.cnre.vt.edu/education.html
WestVirginiaView – Intro to GIS and R Courses
Website: http://www.wvview.org/course_directory.html
VermontView – Youtube Videos – Intro to GIS and Remote Sensing
Website: https://www.youtube.com/user/joneildunne/videos
AmericaView – Google Earth Engine Tutorials
Website: https://americaview.org/program-areas/education/google-earth-engine-tutorials/
AmericaView – Educational Resource Portal
Website: https://americaview.org/program-areas/education/resources/
The geospatial community has been doing a good job of mapping known COVID-19 cases. Having data in a map can often help us with decision making and help keep things in perspective.
ESRI has a COVID-19 GIS Hub which has a lot of great maps, data and applications.
Below are links to three maps that I have found useful:
– John Hopkins University has a map of global cases of the Coronavirus COVID-19 including data about confirmed cases, deaths, recovered, and active cases: https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6
– University of Washington has a more detailed map showing the “infection cases” in the United States. This map has descriptive information about the cases which I have found helpful in understanding more about how the virus and transmission. https://hgis.uw.edu/virus/
– Another map that I have found helpful was produced by 1point3acres, it provides details about each individual case and includes case number, date confirmed, county, and other case notes. https://coronavirus.1point3acres.com/en
The Iowa Department of Public Health also produces a weekly Flu report (Iowa Influenza Surveillance Network) which gives very detailed information about the state of influenza-like illnesses across the state throughout the flu season. https://idph.iowa.gov/influenza/reports
Interested in presenting?
The ITAG planning committee invites the submission of abstracts from professionals, educators, students and others participating in the latest developments in information technology and GIS.
Example topics might include:
• ArcGIS Pro
• GIS Web Applications
• Drones
• Next Gen 911
• Python
• SQL Server
• VMware
• Windows Server 2019
• Project Management
Presentation types:
• General Session – (Select 60, 45, 30, or 15 minute time-slots)
• Lightning Round – (15 minutes)
• Round-Table or Collaborative Session
Abstract Guidelines:
• Abstracts cannot exceed 1,500 characters
• Abstract submission is online only
• Please fill out separate forms for each presentation submittal
• Presentations should be informative and educational and not sales oriented
Gift Cards for Presenters:
• Will receive $50 gift card for 60 minute talk, $25 for 30 minute talk
• If a presentation has multiple presenters, they will only receive one gift card for the group
• If presenter is presenting two or more times, they will only receive one card
• Not valid for exhibitor or student presentations
• Must submit presentation by April 15 and must register for conference before May 8
• Only applied if presentation is accepted for the conference
• Card will be given at the conference
The 2020 Map Competition for Iowa middle and high school students is open.
Students in grades 4-12 are invited, with their teachers, to participate in this year’s mapping contest sponsored by Esri, the Iowa Geographic Information Council (IGIC), and William Penn University. This year’s theme is Mapping Iowa’s Tourist Attractions.
Contest Website: https://sites.google.com/site/iowamapcontest/home
Story Maps Website: https://www.esri.com/en-us/arcgis/products/arcgis-storymaps/overview
How to participate: Use the Story Map application to tell a story about an Iowa tourism site using a map and pictures.
Students submitting the five top middle school map entries (grades 4-8) and the five top high school map entries (grades 9-12) will receive a $100 cash prize and certificate. The top entry from each state will be submitted to the national competition hosted by Esri.
Schools must submit their winners to the state for judging by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 13, 2020. Iowa GIS professionals will judge the entries so Iowa awards may be announced, and send winning entries on to Esri for the national competition. Esri will announce the national winners on June 1, 2020. National winners will receive a travel grant to the Esri Education GIS Conference held in San Diego in July.
A few years ago the Iowa Geographic Information Council (IGIC) asked members to share stories of how members became interested in geospatial technology. Click here to read those stories. It is interesting to read all the different ways people get involved – often through school, other times through a work project, even through life events (hurricanes, Disney World, 4-H, etc.) No matter what path brought you to GIS; we’re glad you are here. Please consider sharing your story on the IGIC website as well.
Geography Awareness Week continues with the celebration of GIS Day.
Participate in the international celebration of geographic information systems (GIS) technology. GIS is a scientific framework for gathering, analyzing, and visualizing geographic data to help us make better decisions. On GIS Day, help others learn about geography and the real-world applications of GIS that are making a difference in our society. It’s a chance for you to share your accomplishments and inspire others to discover and use GIS. – From the ESRI GIS Day website
Check out ESRI’s list of 101 ways to participate in GIS Day. Here are a couple ideas that stuck out:
27. Submit a story map to the 2019 StoryMapper of the Year Contest. I have heard of storymapping student contests but apparently ESRI also has a contest open to anyone with a $5,000 prize.
61. Wear your favorite GIS shirt.
My favorite map shirt features the Upper Pennisula of Michigan. What about you?
92. Complete a Learn ArcGIS lesson.
This is a cool site with real world guided GIS lessons.
