Quinton+Harthoorn+Remote+Sensing


 * Primary Editor: Lindsey Held**

In this project, students will investigate and research different uses of satellite images. Each student will choose to take on the role of one of four different types of researchers and apply what they have learned about percents and trigonometry as well as internet research to gather information about their particular job.


 * Subject & Grade: Applied Math 10**

General Outcomes:** Examine the nature of relations with an emphasis on functions Solve problems involving triangles, including those found in 3-D and 2-D applications
 * __Lesson Objectives:__** Students will use knowledge of right triangles, sine law, and cosine law to make calculations related to satelite images that they have found via internet searching.
 * __Lesson Outcomes:__

3.1 - Plot linear and nonlinear data, using appropriate scales. 6.1 - Solve problems involving two right triangles. 6.2 - Extend the concepts of sine and cosine for angles from 0 degrees to 180 degrees. 6.3 - Apply the sine and cosine laws, excluding the ambiguous case, to solve problems.
 * Specific Outcomes:**

C.1 -** Students will access, use and communicate information from a variety of technologies.
 * ICT Outcomes:
 * SLO -** 1.1, 1.2
 * C.3 -** Students will critically assess information accessed through the use of a variety of technologies.
 * SLO -** 4.1, 4.2
 * C.7 -** Students will use electronic research techniques to construct personal knowledge and meaning.
 * SLO** - 4.1

-** Grid paper - atlas - computer with internet access.
 * Materials:


 * Lesson Procedure: 2 - 65 min classes.**

__Introduction: (15 minutes)__ - Take students to computer lab. - Explain to the students that they will be doing a project regarding remote sensing. Remote sensing involves collecting data about Earth from afar. Sometimes the data are in the form of images from satellites. - Show the students the following clip: [] This gives a description of what remote sensing is about.

__Body: (110 minutes)__ - Discuss with the students that satellite images are used to plot lightning strikes. Ask them how forestry officials use the location of lightning stikes to prevent the spread of forest fires? Have them search for satellite images of lightning strikes on google. (10 minutes) - Discuss with the students that satellites can provide maps to show concentrations of phytoplankton in oceans. Phytoplankton are a source of food for many species of fish. Have students search satellite images of phytoplanton in oceans. Ask students how the fishing industry might use these maps. (10 minutes) - Ask students how the mining industry might use satellite images. (5 minutes) - Inform the students that Global Positioning System uses satellite signals to give precise locations anywhere on Earth. Have the students research GPS. (10 minutes)

- Hand out and discuss project presentation rubrics. (5 minutes): - Inform students that they can choose to take on the role of one of four different types of researchers. Hand out and discuss sheet describing each of the different choices. (5 minutes) - Give the students about 30-40 minutes to research for their projects. - Have students return to their desks, and analyse their satellite images. Each student will describe his or her method, apply it to one image, and write a report on the research. (25-40 minutes)

__Conclusion: (5 minutes)__ - With a few minutes left in class, have the students pack up their things. - Remind them that at the beginning of next class they will present their reports.

Researcher #1: The sampling method chosen to estimate the percent of the image that has cloud cover is clearly explained and correctly applied to one of the images. A description of how the travel company could use satellite images in the future is included, along with the information that might be of interest to the company. Researcher #2: The method developed to calculate the area of tropical storms is clearly explained and correctly applied to find the average size of the three most recent hurricanes. A description of how the weather office could use satellite images in the future is included, along with other information of interest to the weather office. Researcher #3: Three images are chosen; an explanation is given of the information supplied and how this information can be used by the engineering company. Descriptions of how to estimate temperature from the images and how to graph temperature changes over time are complete and correct. Researcher #4: The downtown core of three cities is outlined and labelled. An explanation of how to estimate a scale is provided. A description of how the real estate developer could use satellite images in the future is included in the report, along with other information of interest to the developer.
 * Assessment:**
 * 3 marks**: The report includes at least two different Internet addresses showing satellite images of the research.
 * 2 marks:** There are some minor flaws in the work but overall it is satisfactory.
 * 1 mark:** There is a start but the explanations are incomplete or weak. There are major computational errors.

The following is a copy of the assignment page that gets handed out to the students:

Your project should be a report containing the following information: - Internet addresses of the best sites for your clients needs - Answers to your clients' specific questions - A description of future uses of satellite images that might interest your client - A description of other information that might interest your client.

As an internet researcher, your job will be to find satellite images that can be downloaded, printed and analyzed. Choose one of the following four researchers to be, and complete the required task:


 * Researcher #1:** The owners of a travel company want to see the most recent satellite images of Hawaii. They want to use the images to answer a question they are frequently asked: "What are the chances of a cloudy day when I am in Hawaii this week?" Develop a sampling method to estimate the percent of the image that has cloud cover.


 * Researcher #2:** A weather office wants to know the average size of the 3 most recent hurricanes. Develop a method to find the area of a tropical storm using an atlas and satellite images.


 * Researcher #3:** An engineering company is interested in the uses of infrared satellite images. Find three such images. Explain what each image shows, and how it can be used. Possible areas to research include volcanic activity and nuclear power plant leaks. Your client also wants to know if temperatures can be estimated from infrared satellite images and how temperature changes can be graphed over time.

**__Editing Suggestions__** I think that this is a very interesting research assignment that has practical applications for students in a 'real world' context.
 * Researcher #4:** A real estate developer wants to examine the current layout of cities. Find satellite images of several cities. Sketch and label the downtown core. If the images do not include a scale, explain how to estimate a scale.

My major editorial suggestion would be to add an additional class period for this assignment (so that it would require 3-65 min periods rather than 2). I would use this additional period to discuss appropriate internet research techniques, as well as to complete the first portion of your initial lesson (images of lightening strikes, phytoplankton, mining, GPS). I think that this would be beneficial to your assignment for a couple of reasons; you could ensure that students were apprised of/using appropriate research methods, it would provide you with additional time to explore the interesting example problems you pose to students at the begining of your lesson, this would allow you to go into more depth on the uses of trigonometry with these images, and finally it would provide students with more time to complete their research and write their reports. With more time to explore the different uses of these images and the trigonometry that accompanies them, I think you would find students to be more focused during their research time, and you could provide more specific guidance while they were working (they would have a better grasp on their assignment expectations, how to answer the assignment questions).

I really like the 4 different research options you have provided to students, I think that they would easily catch students' interest, and again provide that 'real world' application of abstract mathematical concepts that students often fail to see. Since students are going to be presenting their reports to the class and there are 4 research options available to them, I think it would be a good idea to have students work in small groups so that you have less repetition during the presentations. If you decided to allow students to work in groups, you may want to add an additional small requirement to your assignment along the lines of 'outline how each of your group members contributed to the completion of this report', just so that you could in some way monitor student cooperation and individual contributions.

Finally, I am a little confused about your assignment assessment, is the whole assignment only out of three marks? I might flush out the assessment rubric a little, perhaps making the research/information portion alone out of 3 marks (have they answered all the questions, etc.), include a mark for quality of the report (i.e. writing, neatness, bibliography/resources), and finally add another mark for the presentation portion (i.e. is the presentation of the information clear and easily understandable, etc.). I think that this would again just reinforce your expectations for the report/presentation portion of the assignment and help you get better quality work out of your students.