Shorecrest School

Shorecrest Fifth Graders Learn Geospatial Sciences at GEOINT 2018

Middle School News


Shorecrest fifth graders were among a select group of K-12 students from the Tampa Bay area invited to attend the GEOINT 2018 Symposium on April 24, an annual conference sponsored by the United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF). GEOINT, a hot topic in STEM fields, is the profession of using satellites, drones, and sensors combined with other geographic information to gather, map, and visualize data to make informed decisions.

Shorecrest students enjoyed a full day of activities that featured a 10-foot inflatable globe, technology demonstrations, and a panel discussion with leaders from academia, government, and industry. Among the speakers were Col. Steven D. Fleming, Ph.D., U.S. Army (Ret.), Professor of Practice of Spatial Sciences, University of Southern California; Karyn Hayes-Ryan, CEO, KHR Impacts; and Elizabeth Lyon, Senior GEOINT Authority, Geography and Cartography, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.

Sandy Janack, fifth Grade Social Studies Teacher and Grade Level Dean said, "This experience exposed the fifth graders to cutting-edge technologies that most of them never knew existed. They talked with experts in the field who use geography every day and saw how these adults are applying all the skills we are learning in their jobs."

Students enjoyed seeing the technology that fuels the tools like Google Maps that they use daily. Fifth grader Ali T. said, "I was amazed at all the satellites that are working and even more amazed at all the satellites that are not working in orbit around Earth. Companies can track all of them to keep track of what they see. The company Maxar uses these pictures to provide photos and maps for apps we all use like Waze and Google Maps."

Lili S. continued, "It was incredible how advanced all the software is now and how far and fast satellites go."

The experience also inspired some budding career interests. Derek B. said, "The field trip made me think that when I grow up I want to try to see if I can use solar power to launch a plane into space and see if it can fly."

At the conference USGIF debuted its 35-by-26 foot interactive map of North America at the Symposium. Named USGIF Portable Planet, the map is used as an educational tool that not only teaches K-8 students about maps and geography, but also allows them to practice critical thinking, spatial analysis, and teamwork. Shorecrest fifth graders were some of the first students to see the Portable Planet.

Field experiences like the GEOINT Symposium are embedded across the PK-12 Shorecrest curriculum. They help to extend a topic of study outside the classroom, make real-world connections with what they're learning, and allow students to grow from novel experiences.

View more photos here:






You may also be interested in...