Times Are A Changing: Managing a Successful Geography Awareness Week

1. Times Are A Changing: Managing a Successful Geography Awareness Week Cheryl and Don Everhart John Harrington Lisa Tabor - Kansas Geographic Alliance -

2. Overview • Geography Awareness Week 2013 in Kansas • The response in Kansas to these changes • Planning for GAW 2014: Food

3. Who’s Ready for GAW 2014? • What new ideas and activities do you have in the works? • What trusted and reliable plans are you preparing for?

4. GAW 2013: The New Age of Exploration • KGA website • Public radio show + underwriting • Library and state education outreach • University involvement • Teacher and K-12 classroom

5. Planning for GAW 2013 • This took a lot of time, energy, and effort • Created a KGA Sub-Committee to: • Think outside of the box. • Determine and plan possible activities • Make contacts • Compile and disseminate resources

6. Silver Rails • Geography Awareness on High Plains Public Radio • Geography is “where it’s at” • Debra and Lynn spotlight geography through song and a trivia contest

7. Silver Rails • Join Debra and Lynn for a celebration of geography, in conjunction with Geography Awareness Week. • It's songs about places, a trivia contest and prizes during Silver Rails, today at 1pm CST. • Grab your thinking cap, telephone and a computer, so you can call 1-800-678-7444 to answer questions. • During this 2-hour special you'll hear a ton of great folk music from around the world, and get quizzed on your geography knowledge! • Prizes awarded for geography quiz masters!

8. 78 counties across 5 states

9. Library and State Education Involvement

10. Libraries • Made flyers and resources available for local informal educational programming

11. State Education • Presentation and exhibit at the Joint Meeting of the Kansas Council for the Social Studies and Kansas Council for History Education • Made GAW resources available to: • State social studies coordinator • Major districts with social studies coordinators

12. University Outreach

13. International GIS Day at Fort Hays State • Who Uses GIS ? “GIS: What is it & who uses it?” by Dr. T. Schafer & Dr. R. Lisichenko, FHSU Geosciences “The Use of GIS in Urban Planning” by Dr. Keith Bremer, FHSU Geosciences “GIS for 911” by Mr. Jason Conn, Allied Technical Consultants, Hays • Kansas Emergency Response GIS Vehicle Presentations and Tours • Why GIS is Important? “GIS in the Petroleum Industry” by Ms. MindiParsell – Tug Hill Operating, Texas • Unmanned Aerial System Demo

14. GAW Activities at Kansas State • Strong partnership with local GTU Chapter (Beta Psi) • Chalking of sidewalks • A GAW information table in the library • A GAW for an information table in the Student Union • GTU designed and purchased GAW buttons for distribution • Legal size, color posters were distributed across campus with pictures and questions about geography • Pre-service teacher programs • Social studies methods • Agricultural science methods

15. More GAW at Kansas State • Community Geography presentation • GTU & AAG visiting scholar, Dr. Jonnell Robinson • Discussed her work in Syracuse related to participatory GIS and underserved areas in the city

16. Globe-o-Mania at KU • The Geography Graduate Student Organization promotes service and community among all members of the Geography Department • Each year, the organization is a sponsor of the Globe-O-Mania competition held during Geography Awareness Week • Globe-O-Mania is an annual trivia competition in which teams and individuals can sign up to compete for prizes • It is one of the largest events of the University’s National Geography Awareness Week and typically attracts as many as 300 participants

17. GAW Activities at Pittsburg State Univ • In honor of and to celebrate GAW, Debbie Restivo (a KGA TC) presented to 3 social studies methods classes at PSU • 2 for Dr. Sells = total of 32 students • 1 for Mr. Dwayne Taylor = 8 students • She shared the NGS GAW and KGA websites • They sang the "7 Continents" song • She taught the "Tear the Continents" lesson • She also shared some info on the history of the State Alliances and the plethora of resources available to teachers from NGS.“It was a jam packed 45 minutes and I hopefully geo-evangelized each and every one!”

18. Spreading the Word

19. K-12 Activities • Classroom lessons • World on a String • Lunch Box from Home • Online resources • KGA website • Paper copies on request • Share your GAW story teacher contest • Online survey • Win an NGS Atlas

20. Time are a changing! • Change over time from a K-12 classroom dominantly event to a greater community event • More than just about Geography Awareness now, it’s an event for making regional connections • Change in resources available

21. Planning for the New GAW • Kansas Geographic Alliance Sub-Committee • 4-5 people • Plus assistance of many more • Start planning early! • We started planning in February this year • Attend NCGE • Work with existing resources • Review and modify • Brainstorm state contacts

22. Planning the New GAW • These things did not just happen • Allocation of funding • Worked with out partner universities • Connected with geography advocates in our state • University departments • Teachers • Got the word out via email listservs, newsletters, flyers, phone calls…… • Lots of time and effort spent on the ground

23. How are you adapting? • Please share new ideas that your group and/or alliance is using by filling out the following statement on the provided index card • “A GAW solution is…. • Be prepared to share with the group!

24. GAW 2014: Food • Broad and wide-ranging topic • Multi-disciplinary • Relevant • Fun

25. Plans for GAW 2014 • Similar to last year • KGA website, public radio, library outreach, university involvement, and teacher and K-12 classroom • Joint Meeting of the Kansas and Missouri Geographic Alliances • But with more resources!!! • Handouts and lessons • Digital • Traditional paper

26. Plans for GAW 2014 • And more local connections!!! • Land-grant institutions • Farm Bureau • Wheat Commission • Agricultural Education Programs • Have our new governor sign the Geography Awareness Week Proclamation once more • Last time in 1995

27. Public Radio Show • Songs to highlight the relationship between food and geography: • Jambalaya (on the Bayou) – Hank Williams • Peach Picking Time in Georgia – Doc Watson • Banana Boat Song – Harry Belafonte • Saturday Night Fish Fry – Louis Jordan • Good Fish Chowder – Debra Cowan Can you think of any songs about food? Email us! ksgeog@ksu.edu

28. Classroom Activities on Food • Cheeseburger in Paradise • Lunchbox from Home • More to come…. • Visit our website after September 1, 2014

29. Digital Resources and Activities on Food • Story Maps • http://story.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/?appid=c3b8d991a0f24769a0f899d71201823b • http://mdfoodsystemmap.org/story_map/ • http://storymaps.esri.com/stories/feedingtheworld/ • http://storymaps.esri.com/stories/2012/thanksgiving/ • Other • http://www.nationalgeographic.com/foodfeatures/feeding-9-billion/ • http://www.vox.com/a/explain-food-america

30. Digital Resources and Activities on Food • TED Talks on Food (http://foodtank.com/news/2013/05/twenty-four-ted-talks-that-will-help-save-the-food-system)

31. Questions? Comments? Thoughts? Kansas Geographic Alliance ksgeog@ksu.edu Thank you!