WETMAAP Overview
For
CORSE 2000
June 27, 2000
WETMAAP Development Team
Catherine M. Lockwood
Lawrence R. Handley
Jean May-Brett
Nathan Handley
Geographer
Chadron State College
Chadron, Nebraska
clockwood@csc.edu
Geographer
USGS National Wetlands
Research Center
Lafayette, Louisiana
larry_handley@usgs.gov
Project Coordinator
Louisiana Public Broadcast
jmay-brett@lpb.org
IT Manager
Network / Website Architect
handleyn@earthlink.com
WETMAAP
Wetland Education Through Maps And Aerial Photography
Abstract
WETMAAP (Wetland Education Through Maps and Aerial Photography) provides
a significant new means of disseminating environmental information about wetlands
and upland habitats from a geographic perspective through workshops and the
Internet. Because technology is evolving at an extremely rapid rate, WETMAAP
delivers state-of-the-art technology in a low-cost, low-tech fashion to meet the
needs of teachers and school districts with limited budgets. The Program offers a
series of wetland workshops that provide training in basic ecological concepts,
technological skills, and methods of interpretation necessary for assessing wetland
and upland habitat change. Workshops explore wetlands using aerial photography,
satellite imagery, and wetland maps, and introduce traditional mapping technology
into the classroom. Workshop participants or website users have the option to
reproduce workshop materials at a minor copy price or to print most of the materials
from the website. Through use of the WETMAAP website
(www.rac.louisiana.edu/wetmaap) website educators can increase their ability to
promote student awareness of and interest in wetland issues. The website is an
accessible source for satellite images, aerial photography, topographic maps,
workshop outlines, and other Internet sources.
WETMAAP Goals
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Introduce educators to wetland habitats’ functions and values
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Introduce educators and students to wetland mapping, digital
databases, and GIS technology
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Assist educators with the integration of wetland issues into
existing curricula
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Promote public awareness of wetland loss issues and provide
an understanding of the cause and effect of wetland change
WETMAAP Sites
Crescent Lake
Foster City
Mono Lake
Cape Hatteras
Tensas Basin
Mobile Bay
Texas City /
Virginia Point
Martello Castle
WETMAAP
Site
Mobile Bay
Workshop
Website
X
Avery Island
Martello Castle
X
Bayou Sauvage
Cape Hatteras
X
Primary Funding
Sponsors
X
EPA - Gulf of Mexico Program
USGS - National Wetlands Research Center
Chadron State College
X
USGS – National Wetlands Research Center
Chadron State College
NASA/UL Regional Application Center
X
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation
X
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation
X
NASA - Airborne Science Program
Ames Research Center
Dryden Flight Research Center
Crescent Lake
X
X
State of Nebraska-Eisenhower Grant
Galveston Bay
X
X
EPA - Region VI
EPA - Gulf of Mexico Program
Golden Meadow
X
X
Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program
Mono Lake
X
X
NASA - Airborne Science Program
Ames Research Center
Dryden Flight Research Center
Northshore
X
X
Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation
San Francisco Bay
X
X
USGS - National Wetlands Research Center
Chadron State College
Tensas Basin
X
X
U.S. Department of Energy
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Contributing
Sponsors
USGS –
National Wetland Research Center
Chadron State College
NASA/UL Regional Application Center
Wetland
Education
Through
Maps
And
Aerial
Photography
Materials Used
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USGS Topographic Maps
Aerial Photography
National Wetland Inventory (NWI) Maps
Land Cover Maps
Airborne Scanner Data
Satellite Imagery
Bathymetric Maps
Soils Maps
Special Use Maps
Habitat Maps
Cape Hatteras, North Carolina - 1983
Landcover Maps
Mobile Bay, Alabama - 1988
USGS Topographic
Maps
Virginia Point, Texas - 1994
Satellite Imagery
Landsat IV
Black Bay, Louisiana - 1993
Aerial Photography
CIR 1995 – Martello Castle, Louisiana
Airborne Scanner Imagery
TMS 1990 – Cape Hatteras, North Carolina
Hands-On
Teacher
Workshops
Photographic
Essay
Standards
Based
Exercises
New Orleans – Finders Keepers
OVERVIEW: This introductory activity is used to familiarize learners with the information found on Aerial Photographs and
Topographic Maps. A variety of objects and locations was selected to introduce the use of different styles and symbols.
SUBJECT AREA: Geography
GRADE LEVEL: Middle School
OBJECTIVES:
To introduce topographic maps and the representative colors and symbols used.
To provide exposure to the skills of aerial photographic interpretation
STANDARDS:
National Geography Standards
Essential Element 1. The World in Spatial Terms
Standard 1: How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools and technologies to acquire, process and report
information from a spatial perspective.
Standard 3: How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on Earth’s surface.
Essential Element 3. Physical Systems
Standard 1: The physical processes that shape the pattern of Earth’s surface.
Louisiana Social Science Content Standards
G-1A-M1 identifying and describing the characteristics, functions, and applications of various types of maps and other
geographic representations, tools and technologies
G-2A-M2 interpreting and developing maps, globes, graphs, charts, models, and databases to analyze spatial
distributions and patterns
G-1B-M2 identifying and describing significant physical features that have influenced historical events
New Orleans – Finders Keepers – Cont.
CROSS CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS:
Mathematics: comparing scale
Language Arts: Communication
Art: development of pattern recognition
Earth Science: Identification of surface features and processes
TIME: Teacher: 30 minutes for preparation of material packets
Class time: one 50 minute class
MATERIALS:
1995 Aerial Photograph, New Orleans, Louisiana
1982 1:24,000 Topographic Map, New Orleans East
Magnifying glass
Topographic symbols chart
SUGGESTED PROCEDURE:
As the students receive the materials packet, encourage group exploration and quick comparisons. Simple discussion questions
should be used to have the students notice the use of colors, symbols, and labeling techniques. Use sections 1,2, and 3 for this.
Introduction to color, symbols, and scale.: Ask the following discussion questions and have the students identify and locate
topographic symbols.
Using the topographic symbols chart and the topographic map:
Blue colored features represent?
Green colored features represent?
Black colored features represent?
Purple colored features represent?
New Orleans – Finders Keepers – Cont.
Using the topographic symbols chart:
Identify the symbol for marsh.
Identify symbol for a power line.
Identify symbol for a school.
Identify symbol for a dual highway with median.
On the New Orleans East 1:24,000 topographic map:
Locate a school
Locate a railroad
Locate a cemetery
Using the 1:24,000 New Orleans East topographic map:
Find the scale in feet
Find "0" on the scale. Why is there 1000 feet to the left and 1000 feet to the right of "0"?
Using the edge of a piece of paper, determine the distance in feet from the Loyola. University to Lee Circle in downtown
New Orleans.
What is the straight line distance?
What is the distance following St. Charles Avenue?
Section 1: Given the table below, first find the object listed on the topographic map and then locate the identified site on the
aerial photograph.
Object Location
Superdome Near center of map
Oil Storage tanks Southeast quadrant of map on the West Bank
French Quarter Center, East edge of map
(Vieux Carre)
Section 2: On the 1995 Aerial Photograph
1. Locate the Huey R Long Bridge
2. Locate Audubon Park
3. Locate some marsh
New Orleans – Finders Keepers – Cont.
Section 3: On the 1995 Aerial Photograph
1. Note the ferry crossing the river at the foot of Canal Street.
2. How many barges are in the "tow" going under the Greater New Orleans Bridge?
3. How many large ships can you count in the river?
ASSESSMENT:
1. The instructor will circulate throughout the room questioning each group to establish student mastery of the materials and to
troubleshoot and direct student attention to features an objects.
2. If the materials have been laminated, students may label the objects or places in Sections 1- 2 using a washable marker.
3. Student journal entries on the objectives of the activity.
4. After completing the search and locate tasks provided in Sections 1- 3, the student or cooperative group may select other
objects or sites to develop peer quizzes.
EXPLORATIONS MAY INCLUDE:
Packets of local topographic maps and aerial photographs for the students to identify known and unknown sites.
Student construction of a school topographic map completed to scale and properly oriented.
INTERNET SITES:
http:// evlweb.eecs.uic.edu/pape/vrml/etopo
http:// www_nmd.usgs.gov
Resource Materials
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Wetlands Functions and Values Blackline Masters
Geographic Summary and Background Information
NASA Airborne Science Program Slides
Habitat Slides
Background Slides
National Wetland Inventory Classification
Habitat Categories
USGS Topographic Symbols Chart
How to Determine Scale
Glossary
HTTP://WWW.RAC.LOUISIANA.EDU/WETMAAP