Blog - EdWare Learning

The findings of a new report from the National Assessment of Education Progress for Geography in the United States has just been published. They evaluated students in fourth, eighth, and twelfth grade based on their knowledge of geographic concepts and their ability to analyze geographic problems.

Nationally representative samples of about 7,000 fourth-graders, 9,500 eighth-graders, and 10,000 twelfth-graders participated in the 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in geography. At each grade, students responded to questions designed to measure their knowledge of geography in the context of space and place, environment and society, and spatial dynamics and connections. Comparing the results from the 2010 assessment to the results from previous assessments in 1994 and 2001 shows how students’ knowledge and skills in geography have changed over time.

The results are interesting, the scores of 4th graders improved, 8th graders remained the same, and 12th graders declined. Overall male students scored higher than female students at all three grades.

Click here to learn more and download the report.

We have also prepared a quick sample question for 4th graders on map skills of the United States. Download now, 94k file.

Labels: Know Your USA, News, School Resource

EdWare will be exhibiting at the NCGE Conference 2011 on August 4th to 7th. The conference will be held in Portland, Oregon at the Marriott Hotel.

Visit our booth in the exhibit hall, it's downstairs on Lower Level 1 of the Portland Marriott Downtown Waterfront. EdWare Learning is booth #106, do drop by and say hello, and try our software for teaching European and United States geography yourself, demo CDs also available.

We look forward to meeting the delegates, and do drop by our stand to learn about Know Your USA and Know Your Europe, great for learning all about the United States and Europe.

Learn more about the NCGE and the 2011 Conference.

UPDATE August 6th, 2011
Many thanks to all the delegates who visited our booth and took the time to try our software. It was great to meet you all, and if you have any questions, please do let me know. Luke

Labels: Conference, News

The European Parliament building in Strasbourg.

May 9th celebrates Europe Day, this is an annual celebration of peace and unity across Europe. Europe Day marks the call on May 9th, 1950, by the then French foreign minister Robert Schuman, for a new beginning in Europe.

This is a great opportunity to learn all about the countries of Europe and the European Union with Know Your Europe.

There is some great information available at the following websites:
Europa.eu Website
Europe History Chart PDF
Wikipedia Europe Day
Wikipedia European Union


Know Your Europe, great for learning all about the European Union and the countries of Europe, learn more.

Labels: Know Your Europe, School Resource

UPDATE - May 16, 2011
The Space Shuttle Endeavour is due for lift off today at around 13:56, watch in the classroom. A great way to spark the imagination of kids and get them interested in science, engineering and space.

Watch the launch at any time at NASA Video Gallery:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=88591351

Watch live at NASA TV:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

Track the Shuttle on Google Earth

Previous Post
The launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour has been delayed until May 16 at the earliest. We have sourced an excellent glider kit that you can print and assemble in class, so you can have your own space shuttle launch.

Download the printable PDF Glider

More interesting links about NASA and the Space Shuttle:
Space Shuttle STS-134 Information
Space Shuttle Endeavour Wikipedia
NASA Kids Club
NASA Classroom Activity
Touch down, June 01 2011

Labels: School Resource

Map of Japan

Japan suffered a major earthquake today at 2:46 pm local time, it occurred about 230 miles northeast of Tokyo. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake had a magnitude of 8.9 on the Richter Scale.

We have put together a 7 page printable map of Japan as a PDF download great for classroom use or for displaying the maps on your interactive whiteboard.

• Map of Japan
• Tectonic Plates Under Japan
• Blank Map of Japan
• Outline Map of Japan
• Tectonic Plates Outline
• Tectonic Plates Blank Map
• Blank Flag of Japan

Download the PDF Factfile on Japan


Classwork Ideas
Learn about Japan both its culture and geography. Discuss earthquakes and why they happen, why do they occur often in Japan, see tectonic plates. Research how the Richter Scale was invented and how it measures seismic activity. Study the maps, notice the location of the volcano Mount Fuji in Japan, compare its location with the tectonic plates, is there a reason a volcano might develop here? Colour the blank map and flag of Japan.

Resources:
Wikipedia article on the Earthquake
USGS Tsunami Forecast
USGS Tsunami Travel Times
NYT - Animation of Tectonic Plates
New York Times News
Irish Times News
NASA Map
NASA Photos

More Wikipedia Articles:
Japan
Pacific Ring of Fire
Tectonic Plates
Richter Scale
Mount Fuji
Tsunami

Labels: School Resource