Students understand what the Global Positioning System (GPS) is and how it works. They discover the history of the development of GPS and how the military uses GPS. They realize why GPS was essential to the success of Operation Desert...

Students explore the use of satellite surveillance systems to track criminals. They consider how the use of this technology in law enforcement might affect them and write opinions on whether or not such a system should be adopted by...

Students locate and access data to help them with their science inquiry.  In this geographical positioning instructional activity students evaluate and compare data sets. 

In this Van Allen Belts activity, students read about the deadly affects of the high energy particle clouds located around the Earth. Students answer 4 questions about the dosages of radiation astronauts receive in the zones of the Van...

For this lesson students learn how to identify modes of transportation and communication for moving people, products, and ideas from place to place. Students also study the advantages and disadvantages of different modes of...

Eighth graders explore the ocean floor. In this topography instructional activity, 8th graders compare topographical maps to bathymetric charts. They will create a topographic map and note landmarks and other land features.

Both GPS and GIS are now used regularly in agricultural careers. Explore the new technologies that require higher education for those interested in agri-science careers. Upper graders examine how agriculturalists use new technologies by...

Bathymetry is not a measure of the depths of bathtubs! Through the three lessons, scholars explore two different types of maps and how they are made. The resource focuses on topographic and bathymetric maps and teaching the techniques...

What's it like to climb Mount Everest? An educational resource encourages an in-depth knowledge of Mount Everest's scientific missions through a variety of activities, including an analysis of maps, a KWL chart, videos, a simulation, and...

Young scholars study GPS and see how it is used to determine points on the Earths surface.  In this expedition instructional activity students use GPS to find given coordinates. 

In this space flight worksheet, students will review physics terms relating to space which includes measuring the distance of space objects, how rockets work, and electromagnetic waves. This worksheet has 10 terms in a crossword puzzle,...

In this Earth's magnetic poles worksheet, students read about the changes observed in Earth's magnetic field and the possible geomagnetic reversal of the north and south magnetic poles. Students answer 5 questions about the reading and...

Students are shown the very basics of navigation. The concepts of relative and absolute location, latitude, longitude and cardinal directions are discussed, as well as the use and principles of a map and compass.

Students locate different places on globes and maps by learning about latitude and longitude lines. In this latitude and longitude lesson plan, students identify specific locations based on the degrees of latitude and longitude.

Learners examine how the world around them is constantly changing. In groups, they travel between centers in their classroom to role play the role of explorers in Washington D.C. They share their experiences with their classmates and...

Young scholars explore an Internet website, locating and matching the shape of an elephant's head to a state in the U.S. They complete an Alaska worksheet, identifying other geographical locations surrounding Alaska.

In this El Nino activity, students review this specific change in the climate cycle by completing 20 short answer questions.

The physics associated with global positioning satellites is discussed. The mechanism by which they triangulate the location of an object is described.

Developed by the U.S. military, The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based satellite navigation system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth.

Detailed glossary of terms related to satellites.

Satellites communicate with a GPS device and establish the distance between them and their locations. The set of points at a fixed distance from a satellite form a sphere so when the GPS receives its distance from a given satellite, this...

For thousands of years, navigators have looked to the sky for direction. Today, celestial navigation has simply switched from using natural objects to human-created satellites. A constellation of satellites, called the Global Positioning...

How do we know where we are? In this lesson, students explore the concept of triangulation that is used in navigation satellites and global positioning systems designed by engineers. Also, students learn how these technologies can help...

Describes nine types of satellites and how they are used.