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Teachers' Guide to
the Digital Classroom for New York State Geographical Literacy
Navigation:
The front page of each section contains a rainbow colored menu bar with links to each of the other sections.
As you enter a new section, the red district wrap (to the left) will show a list of the pages in that section.
Once you have navigated a few pages deep into a section, you will see a list of section headings with arrows just below the yellow top menu. You can click on these section headings to go back up a level. You can also use your browser back button to navigate back to a page.
To see a page without the red "wrap" (the district heading and menus), click on the "print" icon at the top right corner of each page. The links and interactive features will still function in this mode.
The website is divided into six main sections:
- Maps
- Glossaries
- Geography Resources
- Geography Links
- Teachers' Guide
- Games & Activities
Glossaries -
The Photo glossary of landform terms links to many information pages with photographs and large-text definitions. The information pages in turn link to maps showing the location of the photographed landform.
The Geography glossary also contains photos and other images illustrating the definition.
Geography Resources
What is Geography?
The first page in this section is a short slide show explaining the study of geography. Each slide shows for 5 seconds before switching to the next. If your students need more time to read each frame, scroll down the page to read the slides one-by-one.
Where are we?
A series of slides begin with the photo of a spiral galaxy and the words, "We are in the Universe." Each slide progresses to a slightly smaller scale down to a map of Tompkins County and then pages for each of the Ithaca City Schools, with maps showing the school's location. There are two versions of the "Where are we?" slideshow. The first is advanced by clicking in the middle of the picture. The Tompkins County map is an image map. Clicking on an area links to pages showing the schools in that area. The second version, accessed by clicking on the "Slideshow Version" link, shows each slide for 5 seconds before advancing to the next slide.
While you are watching this slideshow or on these pages you will see a list of links on the left for each of the individual pages. Individual pages: Milky Way, Solar System, Earth, North America, United States, New York, Finger Lakes, Tompkins County, Communities, City of Ithaca. If you click on the Communities link, you'll see a list of pages for each of the Ithaca City Schools as well as other school districts in Tompkins County.
What is a map?
This page shows several different maps which exemplify key features of maps. Clicking on a map links to a page showing a larger version of the map and explaining the key features used on the map. Below the What's a Map? link is a list of links to each of these individual pages.
The Precipitation Map is an image map. Clicking on each of the cities opens up a page telling the annual precipitation for that place.
Maps in the "What is a Map?" section: Agriculture, Bedroom Map, Elevation Maps, Ithaca City Schools (image map), Ithaca Streets, Ithaca Topography, North America, Neighborhood Map, Precipitation, USA.
Parts of a Map
Each of the maps in this section highlight features often used in maps and discuss how these features give us information about a place. |
State Maps
The first page in this section is a table of twelve labeled maps. Each of these maps links to one of the themed map sections.
What states border New York State?
A Voicethread* video locating New York state in the Northeast region.
This video covers the concept of border and names states and bodies of water in the region. Sometimes this can be slow to load.
New York state landform maps:
Each of the maps in this section is an image map. Mouse over a city, body of water, or mountain range and the name of the place will appear. When you see a hand, click and a new page will open with photos and information about the place.
Themed maps marked by symbols
In each section an unlabeled map uses symbols to depict landmarks and other information about a location.
These maps can be used in several different ways:
- project the map to talk about map symbols;
- print the maps for students to label;
- students work with a partner to identify marked locations;
- download the map for use with Kidpix or Voicethread.
Informational pages
Once you click on the link for each of the labeled maps you will see a list of links to individual pages. Each page shows a picture or map of the location, provides a few basic facts, and lists links for further research.
*Voicethread is a great, free intereactive resource for making your own videos and allowing students to share their knowledge in a variety of ways. Ask your tech mentor for help to get started in Voicethread.
New York border
This gif shows a border being drawn around New York state.
Regions
Each of these image maps show the name of the region when moused-over, and link to information pages about each region.
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Games & Activities -
- Test your knowledge of New York State Geography quiz - questions about landmarks in New York state with an emphasis on places in Tompkins County. When students click on the word "Answer" they will link to an informational page or a map containing the answer.
- Find the County Game - A game on the official New York State website. A county name appears at the top of the window. Students click on a county and receive a message telling them whether they guessed correctly or not.
- Geography Games - A link to other geography games
- Latitude and Longitude game - A game teaching understanding of geographic coordinates
I have either created, or where noted, received permission for images used within these pages. Fee free to copy and print any of the images and information from the Digital Classroom for New York State Geographical Literacy for non-profit educational purposes. |
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Geography Resources 
