Purpose:
    Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are powerful tools for addressing geographic issues.    GIS are currently employed by a variety of organizations to make important decisions, including: land use planning, natural resource management, travel and communication, retail marketing, and many more.  Colorado State University and the Poudre School District in Fort Collins, CO , have initiated a cooperative program aimed at introducing K-12 level students to this expanding geographic technology.  The following project is a culmination of the efforts of faculty, graduate students, and technical staff from CSU, and the teachers, technical support staff, and administrators at Poudre High School.
    The objectives of this project are to introduce students to ArcView, a GIS program developed by Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI 1997).  The students will use ArcView to address a series of questions relating to the the geography of Japan.  Special emphasis will be placed on understanding how the economic, social, and political systems of Japan are influenced by its physical environment.  This one-day lesson is intended to complement the section taught on Japan.
 
 
 

 
Created by:  Mark Kozak
                        Jason Woodard

Site  last updated on: December 7, 1999