Teacher

World Geography: Patterns

Geographic Tools: GIS and GPS

Enduring Understandings Learning Targets
Human and physical patterns influence societies Students will identify the different types of geospatial technology
and describe their impact
Concepts Important to Know and Understand Broad Brush Knowledge
Understand the use of geographic tools in the analysis of space. GIS, GPS
TEKS
20A Describe the impact of new information technologies such as the Internet Global Positioning system GPS or Geographic Information Systems GIS
21A Analyze and evaluate the validity and utility of multiple sources of geographic information such as primary and secondary sources aerial
photographs and maps

Teacher Management
This lesson is adapted from Talk Read Talk Write by Nancy Motley; for copyright compliance, please be sure
that you are in possession of a copy of this text before using these strategies. If you need a copy, contact your
department chair or curriculum coordinator.

Estimated Time
1 class period

Instructional Mode
Talk Read Talk Write in small groups of 2 to 4 students.

Materials
- World Geography textbook. McGraw Hill Education 2016 Edition
- GPS_GIS_Student Sheet one per student
- Envelope Please questions
- Real world examples to show at some point in the discussions.
o https://www.arcgis.com/features/index.html
o https://www.usgs.gov/
o Google Earth

Engaging Focus (Talk #1)

In learning groups, teachers will begin the lesson with the first talk exercise by having students consider how
they use technology to locate things.

Experience
 Read: Have students read textbook pages 21-25 and complete the student notes sheet. The student
worksheet is designed to scaffold and support student reading.
 For Talk #2, students will start by sharing what they wrote in their notes sheet in their original groups.
Students should be prompted to add to their notes as they discuss. Next, the teacher will distribute the
envelope please questions (below) to the groups. Students will discuss their assigned questions in their
group. After a few minutes, students are brought back for a whole class discussion.

Envelope Please Questions

1. How do people outside the field of geography use GIS?
2. How do people outside the field of geography use GPS?
3. Identify some common apps that use geospatial technology?
4. How could GIS and GPS help you understand the world?
5. What are the pros and cons of geospatial technology?

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Synthesis (Write)
 Students can select one of the four questions to write a paragraph individually using three pieces of
textual evidence to support their conclusions.
o What impact does GIS have on how people interact with each other?
o What impact does GPS have on how people interact with each other?
o What impact does GIS have on how people interact with the environment?
o What impact does GPS have on how people interact with the environment?

 Alternatively, the questions above can be added to the envelope please questions. Students will then
have the option to select any of the envelope please discussion questions to complete the final writing
exercise. Each student should individually write a paragraph using three pieces of textual evidence to
support their conclusions.

Differentiation
 To increase the rigor of the exercise, remove the advantages and disadvantages question from the
envelope please questions to answer as the synthesis/write #2 question.
 To increase the rigor of the exercise, instruct students to use outside sources to research the pros and
cons of geospatial technology.
 Consider the ability levels of the student groups to adjust the level of rigor.
 Give students a pay attention to list as they read. This list will include key vocabulary terms and ask
students to use the reading context to develop their own definitions.

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