My Wonderful World Blog

NG Maps: Looking Back, Looking Forward

2012-01-19T20:19:40Z

Geography teachers love maps!

...and so do many other educators, environmentalists, historians, politicians, technologists, and curious citizens the world over. Representing an organization with a proud history of producing authoritative and appealing maps, we are constantly bombarded with requests from educators about these resources, and it's no surprise that the Mapping section of our new Education website is the most popular feature by far.

In an effort to better meet the needs of our map enthusiast friends, we will publish more blog posts about maps in 2012, including new releases from National Geographic's Map group, and a few from our own Education group.

In this week's Five For Friday, we take you into the trenches of the Maps division for 2011 cartographic updates and information about new maps coming to press in 2012.

2011 Updates
National Geographic's cartographers are constantly at work editing our iconic maps as a result of changes in political and physical geography. Below are some 2011 developments.

1. July--South Sudan: On July 9, South Sudan becomes the world's 195th independent nation.

2. August--Libya: The conventional long form name for Libya--Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya--no longer applies. Libya becomes the country's formal conventional name.

3. August--Challenger Deep: Sonar mapping of the Mariana Trench, conducted by the University of New Hampshire's Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, determines that the Challenger Deep--the deepest point on Earth--has a new maximum depth of -10,994 m (-36,070 ft).

Keep reading to find out what's on the horizon for 2012!

]]> New in 2012

4. National Geographic's wall maps will mark several key anniversaries in 2012, including the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.

5. The Destination Map series will expand with seven more titles this year (e.g. Sierra Nevada, Canadian Rockies). By the end of 2012, the line of AdventureMaps will exceed 70 titles (e.g. Cuba, France). National Geographic Maps will also launch a new line of State Recreation Atlases (e.g. Alabama, Michigan). And finally, National Geographic will release new Trails Illustrated topographic maps for popular outdoor recreation areas (e.g. Canada's Banff and Jasper National Parks).

These updates were taken almost verbatim from the National Geographic Maps January newsletter. View the complete January newsletter and subscribe to the newsletter to receive regular Maps news (you'll notice on the subscription page that you can also sign up for our Education newsletters, the Compass: Educator Edition and Compass: Family Edition--a must if you don't already get them!)

Kid-sourcing Teaches 21st Century Skills and Makes a Real Impact

2012-01-16T22:48:34Z

You've probably heard of "crowdsourcing," the very 21st-century term coined in 2006 in Wired magazine. This new word, a twist on the idea of outsourcing, describes the practice of posing a question or challenge to the public, and asking for individuals to contribute a small piece to the project goal. Successful examples of online crowdsourcing include Kickstarter, a fundraising website for individual projects; National Geographic's own search for the tomb of Genghis Khan; and the uber crowdsourcing phenomenon, Wikipedia.

All of which is to say, the concept and practice of crowdsourcing has found a place in 21st-century society. But recently, I've started noticing a crowdsourcing niche, one that has yet to be named but I believe deserves to be singled out as its own phenomenon. Let me give you some examples.

]]> The revolutionary documentary A Simple Question tells the story of a classroom turned community activist. It all started in Laurette Rogers' fourth grade classroom when, after watching a film on endangered species, a student asked what she could do to help. Seizing the opportunity, their teacher conceived a project that utilized her students' energy, intelligence, and time. Together, they identified a threatened species of shrimp native to the local streams of the area. This habitat was eroding due to agricultural development (probably livestock management). Students collaborated with scientists and ranchers to understand the problem and develop a solution: plant trees to stabilize the waterways and offer shade for cattle. They fulfilled the mission by raising funds to purchase trees, and then planting the trees with the help of friends, family, and community members.

Then there's Nat Geo's own BioBlitz, a ten-year collaboration with the National Park Service. A BioBlitz is a great adventure in which students and scientists join forces to identify species in our national parks. Together, they observe, identify, and record plants, animals, insects, and birds, generating valuable data for use by the Park Service. This year's BioBlitz in Saguaro National Park included the discovery of a microscopic creature called a tardigrade, or water bear, that was not previously known to exist in the park. This information fills gaps in the rangers' knowledge of the overall ecosystem of the region. The bioblitz concept can be applied on any scale--from a schoolyard to a backyard to a neighborhood park or even inside a classroom. In every case, the practice of observing closely and documenting what living creatures were found in a specific place at a specific time is a valuable experience for both the individual and for those who will access the data in the future.

To map and archive the data collected by the students and other participants, BioBlitz uses FieldScope, an online interactive GIS mapping tool. (FieldScope is also used by students who take field trips to the Chesapeake Bay watershed to gather data including oxygen levels, pH balance, temperature and biotic communities.)

So what is the common thread through these crowdsourced undertakings? Exactly: kids.

What is the wave of the future? Kid-sourcing.

Think about it: On one hand, we have 55 million kids going to school every day, trying to acquire 21st-century skills like self-management, problem-solving, decision-making, and communication, that will prepare them for a rapidly changing future. On the other hand, we have profound challenges facing our communities, from water shortages to aging infrastructure to erratic weather to shifting population dynamics. These problems are hugely daunting when considered on a global level, but taken down to the local level, there is a chance that some progress can be made to prepare for or recover from these challenges.

At the National Council for Geographic Education conference earlier this year, I noticed that the walls were covered with fascinating posters illustrating research on geographic topics like energy, population, recycling, and natural disasters. Upon closer inspection, I discovered that these professional-looking posters had been produced by high school students as entries into the NCGE Map Gallery contest (coordinated by Anita Palmer). To create each poster, students used geographic inquiry--a step-by-step process to identify, research, and analyze information, with the goal of making wise decisions and taking healthy actions. One of the posters used geographic inquiry to identify the best locations for solar farms in the northeastern U.S. By calculating GIS data sets such as land costs, distance to population, and photovoltaic intensity, the student produced a short list of suitable options. The student also noted that, while these locations were the best available, solar power is not yet cost-effective as a large-scale replacement for fossil fuels, but may be useful on a smaller scale. This realization is a valuable lesson as well, like those learned in research and development, and through the scientific method: not all theories pan out like you think they will. But in a classroom, the primary goal is educating the individual, not testing a theory or developing a product. In this case, the student gained valuable math, science, geography, and economic information skills, as well as 21st-century skills and strategies. (NCGE is accepting entries for 2012 here.)

Clearly, students are uniquely positioned to offer incredible contributions to their communities: they have the potential for focused passion, boundless energy, and perhaps most importantly, lots and lots of time. Whereas many would-be activists are unable to make time away from the pull of family and work, students have at least seven hours every day, nine months out of the year, to dedicate to learning. Students can fully explore a problem, research it from all angles, and develop and test innovative and unusual potential solutions, with the guidance of a teacher or informal educator. (The student engagement that results from such project-based learning has been proven to improve classroom management, by the way.) A fully realized community project not only can, but must incorporate elements of all subjects, from writing letters and proposals and calculating data to illustrating project plans and mapping activity locations. Of course, this is not to say that kid-sourced projects should replace an entire curriculum, but rather to recognize the incredible opportunity offered by actively engaging students, classrooms, teachers, and schools in community planning.

A search for the phrase "kid-sourced" and "kid-sourcing" on the Internet yielded results oriented toward the business community: various opportunities to integrate children into a family business, efforts to use kids and youths as test-groups for marketing agencies, and even a fictitious parental outsourcing company. This last example is the opposite of education, where information is extracted from kids in order to create products that are more desirable and profitable. Let's reclaim kid-sourcing as a force for good that empowers students, encourages communities, and enriches lives.

The bottom line: Incorporating community-oriented projects into classroom instruction is a win-win for students and citizens. But you don't have to take my word for it.

What examples of kid-sourcing have you seen? Have you ever been part of a kid-sourced project? Are you a community organizer who has an idea for a project that could be kid-sourced? Please comment!

Poster by Eric Cawa, Loudin Academy of Science, Courtesy NCGE Map Gallery Contest
Photo by Audrey Kanekoa-Madrid

Post by Alison Michel, Producer for National Geographic Education

Five for Friday: BioBlitz in 5 Minutes

2012-01-13T15:21:54Z

Yesterday we announced the exciting launch of the 2012 Google Science Fair, a creative learning experience for young adults supported in part by National Geographic. Speaking of National Geographic-sponsored hands-on science programs...how about the annual BioBlitz, a mad dash to combine the power of scientists and citizens in identifying as many species as possible in a National Park?!

Watch this video highlighting the 24-hr 2011 BioBlitz in Saguaro National Park, AZ--in 5 minutes.

Sarah Jane for My Wonderful World

Google Science Fair 2012 launches today!

2012-01-12T16:05:21Z

We're thrilled to announce that the new website for the 2012 Google Science Fair launched this morning (at 12:01 GMT, to be precise)! National Geographic is very proud to be partnering with Google and our friends Lego, Scientific American, and the European Center for Nuclear Research (CERN) on this groundbreaking program, following an extremely successful inaugural year in 2011. We're especially honored to be offering one of the banner prizes, a scientific voyage to the Galapagos Islands!

So, what it's all about!

The Google Science Fair is an online science competition seeking curious minds from the four corners of the globe. Anybody and everybody between 13 and 18 can enter. All you need is an idea!

Like, what kind of idea?

...It could be a new take on particle physics, or game theory. It could be a cost-effective way to provide clean water to a remote community, or maybe a project like reducing the carcinogenic properties of grilled chicken (that was one of last year's winning entries). It should definitely be inspired! Everyone has a question. What's yours?

Ok, now I'm interested. How do I participate?

It's a simple 4-step process:
1. Register
2. Get parental consent
3. Build your project site
4. Submit your project

Learn more about National Geographic's participation in this post on the Nat Geo News Watch blog, and visit the Google Science Fair website to get all the additional details you need to enter!

Wednesday Word of the Week: Village

2012-01-11T19:37:28Z

Village [Human Geography]
Noun. A village is a small settlement usually found in a rural setting. It is generally larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town. Some geographers specifically define a village as having between 500 and 2,500 inhabitants.

In most parts of the world, villages are settlements of people clustered around a central point, such as a church or a marketplace. This is called a nucleated settlement. Village inhabitants usually engage in primary activities such as farming, fishing and mining, which provide basic goods and services for inhabitants and for people in surrounding areas. Villages function as trading centers and, often, as units of local government. With their homes built close together, villages also increase residents' ability to defend themselves against threats.

]]> National Geographic Education). Check out an archival National Geographic Xpeditions lesson plan, Country or City Life?, exploring the advantages and challenges of life in urban areas versus rural areas. (We don't currently have full lesson plans on the new Nat Geo Education site, but we will soon!)

Photo Credits: Johannes Christo (Your Shot), Joey Yu (Your Shot), Laura Rietveld (Your Shot), Razaq Vance (Your Shot)

--Julia for My Wonderful World

Sustainable Energy Award

2012-01-10T19:15:27Z

A special opportunity for high schools from our friends at NEEF. We encourage you to enter the contest to showcase how your school is using technology and addressing energy issues--two of our favorite topics. Visit neefusa.org/energyaward for more information and to enter by February 10. Good luck!

Monday Funday Photos: Pups in Snow

2012-01-09T22:06:08Z

Today we had our first snowfall in several weeks here in Washington, D.C.--which is strange, as we've usually had at least a few serious flurries by this point in the season.

I thought I'd share some cute National Geographic My Shot photos of dogs enjoying the snow to mark the occasion. I always think it's intriguing to see how pets react to new environments and weather conditions. My cat will have nothing to do with snow--my neighbor's dog can't get enough of the cold, wet stuff. A couple I know took their D.C.-based dog to Manhattan Beach in L.A. over the holidays; they strapped bicycle flashers on her and let her run rampant in the evening darkness. What do you think affects how pets react to new geographies? Individual personality? Life experience? Breed?

A golden retriever shows off her frisbee-hula hoop skills in Urbana, Illinois.

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Top: Pretzel, a long-haired dachschund, looks positively regal in her Rochelle Park, NJ backyard.

Above: A yellow lab named "CeeJay" models festive winter wear in Little Ferry, NJ.

Have you ever had a memorable experience taking your pet to a new place? Tell us about it!

Photo Credits:
Donna Hoeflinger, My Shot
William Graziano, My Shot
Bruce Hildebrandt, My Shot

Sarah Jane for My Wonderful World

Five Reasons to Pariticipate in the SustainUS Essay Contest

2012-01-06T16:34:09Z

SustainUS, United States Youth for Sustainable Development, is calling for submissions to its annual CitizenScience essay contest. This year, the competition theme will focus on the empowerment of rural women and their role in poverty and hunger eradication, sustainable development, and current challenges in line with the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW).

Here are five reasons why you should enter:

Share your passion for addressing the world's toughest challenges through sound science.
Join the SustainUS delegation to the 56th Session of the UN Commission on Status of Women in New York.
Present your work and communicate the importance of youth involvement to international leaders.

]]> 4. Get published in Citizen Science.

5. Start a relationship with the premier youth-run network for sustainable development, SustainUS!

Winners will have their essays published and a chance to present their work at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women at the UN headquarters in NYC, February 27 - March 9, 2012.

You can find the application and more information at the CitizenScience website at http://sustainus.org/citizen-science. The competition is open to all students ages 13-26. The deadline is on January 17, 2012.

Good luck!

Geoman's Journal: A Tale of One Geography Teacher's Trip to the Amazon

2012-01-04T21:48:23Z

What do you get when you take a seasoned geography educator, send him on a multi-week adventure to the Amazon, and equip him with a blog to tell his story? Twenty-one days of inspired teaching moments and fascinating photographs!

We invite teachers and their students to follow along as Herb Thompson, better known to his colleagues and former students as "Geoman," travels from Nassau, Bahamas, to the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil, to it's terminus in Iquitos, Peru. Herb is a retired world geography teacher who has been a teaching consultant and co-coordinator for the National Geographic-supported Nevada Geographic Alliance for several decades.

Twenty-five years ago Herb embarked on a Semester at Sea adventure that changed his life and those of the many students who would benefit from his enlightened teachings about the world. Prior to his Semester at Sea experience Herb had traveled to one foreign country--Mexico--he has since visited 65.

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Manaus, Brazil

National Geographic, along with partners Semester at Sea and others, is thrilled to support Herb on this anniversary journey. We certainly hope you'll follow along and learn from his experiences and rich discussions on geographic topics. Please feel free to comment on this blog or on our Facebook page.

Are you a creative teacher who would love to travel and turn your explorations into exciting learning opportunities for your students? National Geographic Education, in partnership with Lindblad Expeditions, sponsors amazing trips for educators. Learn more and apply for summer 2012 expeditions by January 31.

Meet Maia--her family owns the Pensao (hotel) Sulita in Manaus, Brazil. Maia is six years old and loves the beach ball globe Herb gave her from National Geographic Kids!

Wednesday Word of the Week: Boundaries

2012-01-04T19:19:27Z

Boundless Boundaries [All Geography]
Noun. A boundary is a real or imaginary line that separates two things. In geography, boundaries separate different regions of the Earth. There are many different types of boundaries...

Physical Boundary: A physical boundary is a naturally occurring barrier between two areas. Rivers, mountain ranges, oceans, and deserts can all serve as physical boundaries.

Political Boundary: Political boundaries are the dividing lines between countries, states, provinces, counties, and cities. These lines, more often called borders, are created by people to separate areas governed by different groups.
]]> Linguistic Boundary: Linguistic boundaries form between areas where people speak different languages. Major themes surrounding linguistic boundaries can also be explored in the classroom; check out Crossing Boundaries Through Bi-Iingual, Spoken-word Poetry, an awesome activity from our partners at Thinkfinity and the International Reading Association.

Economic Boundary: Economic boundaries divide people with different incomes or levels of wealth.

Social Boundary: Social boundaries occur where social differences lead to unequal access to resources and opportunities. Some of these boundary issues include race, gender, religion, and physical abilities.

Personal Boundary: Personal boundaries are the physical and emotional boundaries a person establishes around himself or herself. You can also bring the lesson of personal boundaries to your geography classroom with our lesson plan entitled Define Your Personal Territory. (National Geographic Education)

Photo Credits: Tamas Szinyei (Your Shot), Lester Garcia (Your Shot), Jasper David (Your Shot)
--Julia for My Wonderful World

Monday Funday Photo of the Week: Unique New Year's Traditions

2012-01-02T17:42:09Z

This collection of Monday Funday Photos of the week puts a geographic spin on New Year's celebrations as we track down some of the most interesting traditions across the globe. For Americans, New Year's is the first day of the year in the Gregorian calendar: January 1. There are often fireworks at midnight to celebrate the new year. In the southern part of the United States, black-eyed peas are thought to bring luck and prosperity for the new year, greens (usually collards) bring wealth, and pork is served because pigs root forward, the same direction as time moves (National Geographic Kids).

Everywhere around the country, champagne toasts mark the occasion with a clinking of glasses. Throughout the rest of the world, however, New Year's is celebrated very differently. Join me for a photo journey to lands far and wide as people all over the world countdown to a fresh start!

Salvador: "Torito Pinto": a New Year's event where people get an adrenaline rush from dressing in wet clothes and chasing people with fireworks on their heads.

The people of Bhaktapur celebrate New Year's Eve by drawing a carriage manually through the main Durbar (a historical court in India). The event includes a massive amount of team work, lots of laughter, and delighted spectators.

]]> Romania: In accordance with an ancient custom, men dress in real bear skin and dance in the hopes of improving the year to come on New Year's Eve.

Bangladesh: During the Bangla New Year celebration, a massive horse race draws thousands of people.

Photo Credits: Socrates Munoz (Your Shot), Nafis Dayala (Your Shot), Adi Popa (Your Shot) & Shudipto Das (Your Shot)
--Julia from My Wonderful World

Monday Funday Photo of the Week: Merry Christmas!

2011-12-26T17:37:04Z

Around the world, Christian followers decorate Christmas trees and homes with bright lights, wreaths, candles, holly, mistletoe, and ornaments. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, many people go to church. Christmas in the United States brings together customs from many other countries and cultures. Scandinavian descendants in states such as Minnesota celebrate the Feast of St. Lucia by eating saffron buns, while Cajuns in Louisiana eat Kings Cake from the Festival of the Epiphany in early January through Mardi Gras in February.

]]> National Geographic Kids) See you all next Monday for a special treat as the My Wonderful World blog takes you to unique New Year's celebrations all over the world!

Photo Credits: Denise Thomason (Your Shot), Yannik Hay (Your Shot) & Veronika Kolev (Your Shot)
--Julia from My Wonderful World

A Usable Feast

2011-12-22T16:10:06Z

For the annual National Geographic Education holiday party, event specialist Jamie Bosley led a team in creating festive decor from recycled materials. Windows and wreaths on the walls were constructed out of old carboard, newspaper, and paper towels; candle holders on tables came courtesy of used wine bottles, and table clothes were fashioned from flannel shirts.

For a number of people around the world, winter is a time of gift-giving. In the U.S., the holiday shopping season is often a madhouse of sales, checklists and wrapping paper. After a few decades of presents--every birthday, anniversary, Valentine's Day, Father's Day, Mother's Day--you end up with a whole lot of STUFF. That's why, this year, whatever the occasion, consider giving presents with a short-term presence, and take part in 'a usable feast.'

That means choosing items that are intended to be used up before next year's gift-giving season. This year I'm giving candles to my grandmother, fruit-infused oil and vinegar to my mom, concert tickets to my brother, a set of soaps to my dad, and hearty bean soup mix to my boyfriend (hopefully I'll get to help use up that one). Other gifts include notecards, jams and jellies, birdseed, hand lotion, and of course--a calendar!

What are some other use-uppable gifts?

Alison Michel
Associate Producer for National Geographic Education

Wednesday Word of the Week: Sinkhole

2011-12-21T19:11:52Z

Sinkhole [Physical Geography]
Noun. A sinkhole is a hole in the ground that forms when water dissolves surface rock. Often, this surface rock is limestone, which is easily eroded, or worn away, by the movement of water.

The image below was taken near the Dead Sea.

In a landscape where limestone sits underneath the soil, water from rainfall collects in cracks in the stone. These cracks are called joints. Slowly, as the limestone dissolves and is carried away, the joints widen until the ground above them becomes unstable and collapses. The collapse often happens very suddenly without warning. Water collects in these collapsed sections, forming sinkholes.

The image above is taken from the bottom of Neversink, a 160ft sinkhole in Alabama.

Sinkholes also form when the roofs of caves collapse. Sinkholes are often funnel-shaped, with the wide end open at the surface and the narrow end at the bottom of the pool. Sinkholes vary from shallow holes about 1 meter (3 feet) deep, to pits more than 50 meters (165 feet) deep. Water can drain through a sinkhole into an underground channel or a cave. When mud or debris plugs one of these underground caves, it fills with water to become a lake or a pond. (National Geographic Education)
]]> Daisetta, Texas for example. Do you think the residents of Daisetta could have been better prepared for this natural disaster? What would you do if a natural disaster like this one occurred in your town?

When it comes to unusual geography, we at National Geographic Education believe that is it always better to be safe than sorry. To learn more on the subject and to prepare yourself and your students for unexpected geography in action, check out our extreme natural disaster classroom activity, where you will find resources and tips to help you ward off any stormy surprise!

Photo Credits: Harry Berking (Your Shot), Ilan Shacham (Your Shot)
--Julia from My Wonderful World

2012 Hands-On Explorer Challenge!

2011-12-20T21:17:24Z

Are you a student age 9-14 who likes to travel and go on adventures? How does a National Geographic trip to the wilds of Montana sound? If your ears are perking up at the thought, then you should enter the 2012 Hands-On Explorer Challenge! The contest began on September 20, 2011 and applications are being accepted until January 7, 2012. Read more about the competition below to find out how to enter!

Application: Talk about yourself and take a photo!

1. In an essay of 300 words or fewer, tell us how you explore your world, and what it is about exploration that inspires and excites you.

2. Take a photograph of what, where, or how you explore the subject of your essay. You must be the photographer. The essay and the photograph must each be a single work of original material created by the contest entrant (no asking Mom or Dad to do it!)

Expedition:
Fifteen Grand Prize Winners will be selected. The Grand Prize consists of a 7-10-day Expedition to Montana, provided by Montana Office of Tourism, Department of Commerce, for each Winner and his/her guest, and one digital camera. The Expedition is currently scheduled for July 2012, but is subject to change at the discretion of Sponsor. Each Winner's guest on the Expedition must be his/her parent or legal guardian. The Expedition includes meals, local transportation, and double occupancy accommodations for the Expedition nights. Expedition also includes round trip air transportation for each Winner and his/her guest between the major airport closest to that Winner's home and the Expedition departure point (air transport provided by NGS).

Details:
To enter, visit kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/contests/explorer-trip-2012, download, print, and complete an entry form; and be sure to include your parent's or legal guardian's signature. Mail your completed entry form along with your essay and photograph to: NG Kids Hands-On Explorer Challenge, National Geographic Kids magazine/CDH, 1145 17th St., NW, Washington, D.C. 20036. Entry form must be complete for entry to be valid.

Good luck explorers!
]]> Rules:
Contest is open only to legal residents of the United States and Canada (excluding residents of Quebec) who are ages nine to fourteen (9-14) as of July 1, 2012. Entrants must have a parent's or legal guardian's permission to enter. Read complete contest qualifications here.

Looking for Hands-on Explorer inspiration? Check out the National Geographic Education explorer-themed recommended reading list! Here you will find an awesome selection of adventures written by famous explorers of the earth, a perfect resource to get you started thinking about your own explorer essay!

Photo Credits: National Geographic Kids, Erich Barth (Your Shot)
--Julia from My Wonderful World