Category Archives: Earth Observation Day

Dear Teachers: Part 3 – A Lesson about Forestry

By Dear Teachers, Earth Observation Day, Education, Environmental Change, Landsat, Lesson Plan, Remote Sensing, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As we continue our series unpacking the lessons of the 2024 Earth Observation Day poster, “Earth Science Everywhere.” Today we are going to explore the forestry lesson, “Exploring Amazonian Deforestation,” which seeks to engage students in an examination of how human activities modify the natural environment. This lesson can be used to fulfill the National Council of Geographic Education (NCGE) Standards 1, 3, and 14 (see lesson plan for details).

Lesson Plan Background Information:

Scientists have been using satellite imagery to track the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest for several decades. The clearing of the rainforest has changed over time, both in its pace and its location. For two decades, beginning in the 1990s, agriculture, forestry, and mining development proceeded rapidly. Satellite-based forest monitoring has enabled successful enforcement of forestry management practices, where such practices are applied. The Landsat image pair on the front of the Earth Observation Day poster shows the change in land use that occurred between 2001 and 2019, when palm oil plantations replaced rainforest in Peru. Illegal forest clearing is constantly adapting to new monitoring practices, and is still occurring across the region. Satellite imagery helps scientists and governments to monitor shifts in deforestation and develop new deterrence strategies.

Image 1: What’s going on in these pictures?
Images from the lesson plan

This is a great lesson for teaching students how satellite images can show the impact deforestation can have on a community. The lesson is broken into two sessions. The first session is focused on engaging students with satellite imagery. The first exercise asks students to look at two images and explain what is going on (see Image 1). The images are showing the landscape change associated with rainforest deforestation. Next students get to use the Landsat App, an online browser based tool (seen in Image 2), to complete a lab exercise to notice change in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil in Ariquemas over a forty-year period. Finally, to end the first session, students will use their new knowledge about satellite imagery to put a series of images in order on a timeline.

Image 2: This is an image of the Landsat App: https://livingatlas2.arcgis.com/landsatviewer/

In the second session, students read an article about Amazon deforestation. Reading the article brings further meaning to the lab and image analysis that the students did in session one. Next, students have an opportunity to explore careers related to forestry and environmental planning. To wrap up the lesson, students take a quiz about Amazon deforestation related to the previous activities. This powerful lesson illustrates the importance of having access to the US Landsat satellite imagery program, a free, expansive (over 50 years), historical and ongoing record that helps scientists and government officials monitor deforestation and help guide policymaking to preserve natural resources.

To download the lesson: https://ckan.americaview.org/data/AmericaView/EOD/2024_eod_deforestation.pdf

To view the 2024 EOD poster and other lesson plans: https://ckan.americaview.org/dataset/2024-earth-observation-day-poster

View related posts:
Part 2: https://www.iowaview.org/dear-teachers-part-2-exploring-the-electromagnetic-spectrum/
Part 1: https://www.iowaview.org/dear-teachers-2025-a-review-of-av-teaching-resources/

Dear Teachers – Part 2: Exploring the Electromagnetic Spectrum

By Dear Teachers, Earth Observation Day, Education, Imagery, Lesson Plan, Observation, Remote Sensing, , , , , , , , , ,


Ready, set, go! As promised in our previous post we are going to do an overview of the recently published AmericaView lesson plans. The first lesson from the 2024 Earth Observation Day lesson series is, “Exploring the Electromagnetic Spectrum (EMS).”  This lesson is intended to be an introductory lesson to help give students a basic understanding of the electromagnetic spectrum, energy waves, and remote sensing. Students will gain background knowledge and learn vocabulary from this lesson to help them as they move through other lessons that are focused on specific disciplines. The lesson is broken into two sessions. 

The first session has 4 activities. First, an introductory video explaining electromagnetic radiation, electromagnetic waves, and visible light. Second, a reading activity called “Anatomy of an Electromagnetic Wave” to reinforce concepts from the video.  Third student examine two diagrams, one displaying energy waves across the EMS and a second diagram showing a timeline and introduction to the US Landsat Mission which has been tasked with collecting earth data across the EMS since 1972. The final activity is a physical activity using a jump rope to further demonstrate concepts of energy waves (frequency, wavelength, energy).  

The second session’s activities include a warm-up that is examining a satellite image to identify various features. Next there are two readings, “Wave behaviors,” which explores different vocabulary related to EMS waves, and “Visualization: from Energy to Image,” which explains how invisible EMS waves are converted into different forms of imagery. Next, students get to apply knowledge in “Exploring Remote Sensing Activity.” They will get to explore how different surfaces emit different light energy. Students will also get a chance to explore remote sensing using Google Earth. Finally, to wrap up this lesson, students will wrap up this session with a quiz style game or a printable quiz.

Here is the link to view the full lesson plan as a pdf: https://ckan.americaview.org/data/AmericaView/EOD/2024_eod_ems.pdf

Dear Teachers 2025 – A Review of AV Teaching Resources

By Announcement, Dear Teachers, Earth Observation Day, Education, Imagery, Landsat, Lesson Plan, Observation, Outreach, Remote Sensing, Resource, , , , , , , , ,
The backside of the 2024 Earth Observation Day Poster. It has 6 areas, Agriculture, Disaster, Forestry, Urban Use, Water, and Wildlife, explaining how remote sensing and Earth observation technologies are integral to these sectors within society.

Dear Teachers and Readers,

Did you know that in 2024 members the AmericaView Education and Outreach Team put together a series of lessons explaining how remote sensing and Earth observation technologies are integral to various sectors within society? These lessons are great! They are geared for middle and high school but can be adapted for your classroom. All six lessons follow a similar pattern: introduction, standards, warm-up (What’s going on in this picture?), a reading exercise, an online map exploration, a career exploration related to the topic, a quiz/assessment, and an online/printable game.

Over the next few months, we will be taking time on the blog to dig into these lessons. We hope you enjoy unpacking these lessons and learn more about earth observation and remote sensing. If you have any questions or suggestions for new lessons, feel free to email IowaView Coordinator, Amy Logan or leave a comment.

Happy 2025!
The IowaView Team

Happy Earth Observation Day 2024!

By Activity, AmericaView, Announcement, Earth Observation Day, Education, Lesson Plan, Observation, Outreach, Remote Sensing, , , ,

Earth Observation Day 2024 is finally here as it the release of the AmericaView 2024 Earth Observation Day Poster! The poster is following the theme of this year’s Earth Science Week theme, “Earth Science Everywhere”. The front of the AmericaView 2024 Earth Observation Day poster features 6 image themes: agriculture, disaster, forestry, urban land use, water, and wildlife. The back of the poster explains the significance of the images and provides links to 6 themed lesson plans. IowaView was responsible for the disaster management lesson plan. 🙂

https://ckan.americaview.org/dataset/2024-earth-observation-day-poster

Come Celebrate ISU Earth Observation Day 2024 with us!

By Announcement, Earth Observation Day, Event, Remote Sensing, Seminar, , , , , , , ,

Next week, IowaView and the ISU GIS Facility will be hosting an Earth Observation Day celebration, on Tuesday, October 15, from 10:00 to 11:30 in Durham 206 as part of Earth Science Week 2024.    

Here’s the schedule:

10:00 – 10:30 Dr. Antonio Arenas, Civil Construction & Environmental Engineering 
Topic: Google Earth Engine and Open ET (Evapotranspiration)

10:30 – 11:00 Dr. Brian Gelder, Agricultural And Biosystems Engineering, ISU GIS Facility Research Lead
Topic: LiDAR Processing via ArcGIS and PDAL (a Python extension for translating point cloud data)

11:00 – 11:30 Bryce Pape – Graduate Student, Community and Regional Planning
Topic: Google Earth Engine and Agriculture Residue Cover

We will also provide snacks (a cupcake cake) and Earth Observation Day swag including booklets, posters, and trading cards.  Please come and go as you need to. We look forward to seeing you there. 

https://www.design.iastate.edu/events/earth-observation-day

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!

Fall Equinox in Northeast Iowa – #Landsat50

By Earth Observation Day, Imagery, Landsat, Landsat Golden Jubilee, Phenology, Remote Sensing, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Happy Fall! Observe the changes across the landscape in seasonal images in Northeast Iowa. Snow, forest, farmland. Can you notice the areas of coniferous trees versus deciduous trees and where there is seasonal farmland compared to pasture areas? Also notice the changes along the Mississippi and Upper Iowa Rivers. Enjoy the changing seasons!

Winter Equinox – 12/13/2021 – Landsat 8 – Bands 5,4,3
Spring Equinox – 03/27/2022- Landsat 9 – Bands 5,4,3
Summer Solstice – 06/23/2022 – Landsat 8 – Band 5,4,3
Fall Equinox – 09/19/2022 – Landsat 9 – Bands 5,4,3

This year we are celebrating 50 years of the Landsat earth observing satellite mission. Landsat data helps us observe changes in our communities and environment over time.

IowaView Staff Make STEAM at Art Educators Fall Conference

By Article, Conference, Earth Observation Day, Education, Landsat, Landsat Golden Jubilee, Lesson Plan, Outreach, , , , , , ,
Teacher making a Landsat Collage
Teachers making Landsat Collages
A finished Landsat Collage
Teacher with finished Landsat Collage
Choosing Materials
Participants with Landsat Collages
IowaView Staff Presentation

Art Educators of Iowa website: http://www.artedia.org/

Archive of 2022 AEI Conference: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O5poy2HMwH1LoF0XTq_mX1E4SKHxuMVDep5ffEG1vZU/edit?tab=t.0

Earth Science Week – Day 3: Earth Observation Day

By AmericaView, Earth Observation Day, Earth Science Week 2020, Education, Environmental Change, Game, Landsat, Resource, , , , , ,

Happy Earth Observation Day!

Today we are celebrating remote sensing, the study of the earth using secondary observations from instruments such as planes, kites, drones, satellites as an exciting and powerful educational tool to help us show changes over time.

This year the AmericaView/NASA team has put together a fun and beautiful educational poster!

Read More

A Great Day For Earth Observation – Part II

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

The second part of Earth Observation Day was dedicated to using OpenStreetMap to remotely map Wayland, Iowa and Mindanao region of the Philippines.

Amy Logan, an IowaView staff member, gave a brief introduction to remote sensing and OpenStreetMap. Then mappers began working on a TeachOSM task – Improving the Iowa OSM Basemap: Wayland, Iowa (https://tasks.teachosm.org/project/981). Beverly Conrad, the city clerk of Wayland came for the mapathon and was able to provide local knowledge about the areas participants were mapping. New mappers were encouraged to do the OSM iD Editor Walk-through before they began mapping. It provides users with a nice hands-on introduction of the OpenStreetMap interface and how to create data.

Beverly Conrad discussing a feature with mapathon participants.

Wayland is a small town (population: 966) in southeast Iowa that has wanted to move towards a GIS asset management system, yet much of their city needed to be mapped. As a result of the volunteer efforts of our 22 mappers during the Earth Observation Day mapathon event, partcipants mapped over 70% of the city, including over 470 buildings as well as sidewalks, alleys, parks, and other points of interest. Below is a before and after screenshot of the OpenStreetMap basemap for the City of Wayland, Iowa.

Thank you, Mappers!

The second project was a Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Task improving the basemap in the Philippines to promote food security. This project added details to the basemap such as minor roads and path, buildings, and farmland.