Does using GIS promote children’s understanding of environmental issues?

The schools participating in the project used InfoMapper's mapping tools to support a wide range of learning activities.

These included:

Using Ordnance Survey (OS) and aerial photographs to:

• analyse land-use
• calculate the distance between places
• locate the source and tributaries of local rivers (The Little Stour and Darent)
• examine road and transport links

Comparing OS maps of an area to "past maps" downloaded from the Here's History Kent website to:

• Investigate the destruction of wildlife habitats
• Investigate changes to the Kent Coastline
• Examine changes to road and transport links in an area
• Assess changes in village life

Using the InfoMapper database to research and view information published by other schools on:

• Rural life in Kent
• Safe journeys to school
• Farming in Kent
• Victorian Homes
• Habitats around our schools

Using links to other web-sites:

• BBC Weather Centre www. bbc .co.uk/ weather to find out information about temperature and rainfall
• Up My Street www. upmystreet .com to find the names of roads and streets around the school
• UK Villages www. ukvillages .com to find information about rural and coastal settlements in Kent (including Woodchurch and Bodsham)
• Geograph British Isles www. geograph .org.uk for photographs of buildings and places in Kent