Tag archives for geography
Posted by On National Geographic’s radar today: Scientists create world’s first glow-in-the-dark sheep, a newly developed skin may allow robots to feel, and…
GIS – Storytelling with Data?
Posted by American Prairie Reserve on November 14, 2012 You could say that we were so excited about GIS Day that we celebrated a week early. In truth, because the entire American Prairie Reserve staff (normally spread over 3 locations) was together last week for a meeting, we took the opportunity to get everyone involved in some GIS fun. As an organization, American Prairie…
GEOGRAPHY AWARENESS WEEK – NOVEMBER 11-17, 2012: Being a National Geographic Cartographer
Posted by Juan Valdes on November 9, 2012 Geography Awareness Week is celebrated in the United States every third week of November. This year’s theme—Declare Your Interdependence—is intended to explore the idea that we are all connected through the decisions we make on a daily basis, including what foods we eat and which products we buy. As part of this year’s celebration,…
The Other Powell: An Advocate for Geography Education
Posted by Alyson Foster on October 19, 2012 
National Geographic founder William B. Powell may not have had the colorful exuberance of his famous brother, John Wesley, but he was not by any means a timid man. On the contrary, he was a passionate and fierce critic of public and secondary school education. His reformist zeal prompted him to make sweeping changes in outmoded teaching methods and curricula garnered him both acclaim and disapproval. But his legacy to the Society was an early and insistent emphasis on the importance of education, including geography education, in America’s classrooms
National Geographic Founder Helped Settle Disputes Over States’ Boundaries
Posted by Cathy Hunter on July 5, 2012 
Geographer Samuel Gannett helped found the National Geographic Society, but he may be better remembered for his work settling boundary disputes. One of his surveys led to a 1930 Supreme Court decision that allowed Texas to take back over 85,000 acres from Oklahoma.
2012 National Geographic Geo Bee: How do you pronounce that?
Posted by Juan Valdes on May 24, 2012 Since 1989, the National Geographic has encouraged teachers to spark student interest in geography through the National Geographic Bee. As outlined on the Study Corner page of the Geo Bee site, there are many things that students should do to prepare for this contest. But little is known as to what it takes for the…
2011—A CARTOGRAPHIC RECAP
Posted by Juan Valdes on December 29, 2011 Although nothing compared to what we mapmakers experienced during the heady days following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the early 1990′s, National Geographic maps have kept pace with–and portrayed–all of the major and minor geopolitical events of 2011. Notably among these: January CUBA: Cuba officially creates two new provinces on New Year’s Day–Artemisa…
A map, as some ten-year-olds see it, ……
Posted by Juan Valdes on December 7, 2011 Mrs. Blythe’s fifth-grade social studies class, St. Martin’s Catholic School in Gaithersburg, Maryland Some of the thank-you cards made by the students—note their use and levels of map comprehension Unlike other core subjects such as history, foreign language, or the arts, there is no federal funding dedicated to advancing geography little less cartography education.…
Russia Takes Gold at National Geographic World Championship
Posted by Andrew Howley of NG Staff on July 27, 2011 
In a showdown during what host Alex Trebek called the toughest final in the competition’s history, the team from Russia defeated Canada and Chinese Taipei in the 2011 National Geographic World Championship.
History’s Unheralded Geographers
Posted by Michael Fry on March 15, 2011 
A look at the artist James Whistler’s brief mapmaking career.
Gil Grosvenor: Why We Need Geography
Posted by Ford Cochran on November 18, 2010 During Geography Awareness Week 2010, National Geographic Society Chairman of the Board Gil Grosvenor discusses why effective democracy requires geographic literacy, and other benefits of a thorough geographic education. By Ford Cochran Gilbert M. Grosvenor, past editor of National Geographic magazine and president and chief executive of National Geographic, now chairs the Society’s Board of…
Blogging for Geography
Posted by Ford Cochran on November 16, 2009 Friends and colleagues Sarah Caban (editor of the My Wonderful World blog) and Maggie Strassman (intern and recently-graduated University of Wisconsin Madison geography department superstar) have lined up a bevy of fired-up contributors for the first annual Geography Awareness Week Blog-a-Thon. The week, which runs through Saturday, coincides with the National Geographic Channel’s Expedition Week,…
