Dedicated to the Teaching of Geography in the State of Illinois

Our purpose is the promotion and enhancement of geographic knowledge in the schools and among the general populace of Illinois. To achieve this purpose, the Alliance maintains a strong grassroots organization of geographic educators from schools and universities, participates in educational reform at the district, state, and national levels. We engage in an active program of preservice and in-service teacher education, develop curriculum materials based on the National Geography Standards, and foster public awareness of the importance of geography in our society.

News

Explore GeoCivics

Electoral redistricting is a nonpartisan topic that keeps communication lively and cuts across geographic areas and political perspectives. Explore resources from GeoCivics https://geocivics.uccs.edu/ including online redistricting puzzles, tools for mapping your community, and explanations of redistricting criteria. For an overview, check out this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4k3fjW2dxg.

Resources for Illinois: https://geocivics.uccs.edu/stateresources/illinois

Questions?  Don’t hesitate to contact Rebecca Theobald at geocivics50@gmail.com.  Please share, as the more you and your communities engage with redistricting, the more voices will be represented.

 

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Events

Free, Virtual IGA Summer Workshop - Storytelling with Maps: A Virtual Workshop for Educators, June 27-29, 2022

The Illinois Geographic Alliance, LLC (IGA) at Illinois State University is pleased to offer a three-day (9 AM – 3 PM), hands-on workshop that will immerse participants in the art and science of storytelling with maps using ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS StoryMaps. Participants will learn strategies for teaching students how to gather and symbolize data, as well as integrating with text, imagery, and multimedia into effective StoryMaps. (Refer to Farming for the Future for an example of a StoryMap that incorporates tools that will be discussed in the workshop.)

The workshop is aimed at in-service and pre-service high school educators, from any discipline; however, educators at all levels (K-16) are welcome. No prior experience with GIS is needed. The workshop will expand on topics covered in previous GIS workshops offered by IGA.

Join us to learn how to integrate interactive mapping and geographic storytelling into your existing curriculum!

The goal of the workshop is to provide participants with concepts for integrating storytelling with maps into their existing curriculum. Attendees will learn key principles using ArcGIS StoryMaps.

The workshop will also cover steps for acquiring free ESRI GIS software for use in the classroom.

The workshop is free and will be conducted virtually over Zoom.

Participants only need access to a desktop or laptop computer (PC or Mac). Instructions will be provided for accessing GIS software.

Participants will receive a $300 stipend, a certificate of completion, PD hours (CPDUs), and a book for successful completion of the workshop.

Please register online by June 15, 2022. Space is limited.

Questions about the workshop can be emailed to Dr. John Kostelnick at jkostelnick@ilstu.edu.

 

2022 Geography Education in the 21st Century Virtual Conference on November 5

The Illinois Geographic Alliance, LLC and the Department of Geography, Geology, and the Environment at Illinois State University are excited to announce the 2022 Geography Education in the 21^st Century Virtual Conference, a conference for geography educators that includes a keynote and breakout sessions via Zoom. The conference theme and session information will be available late summer 2022.

What: a virtual conference for geography educators that includes a keynote and breakout sessions

When: Saturday, November 5, 2022 (8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.)

Where: Zoom (Link will be emailed to you a day or two prior to the conference.)

Who: This virtual conference is applicable for a wide range of geography educators including pre-service and in-service elementary school teachers, middle school/junior high teachers, high school teachers, and community college/university instructors and professors.

Why: This conference is a fantastic opportunity for you to connect with geography educators from around the state. The conference includes a keynote and a variety of breakout sessions presented by experienced educators.

Cost: Registration is free! PD hours (CPDUs) are provided to in-service preK-12 educators at no charge.

Registration: The online registration form will be available late summer 2022.

Questions or Interested in Presenting: Please contact the Illinois Geographic Alliance, LLC at IGA@IllinoisState.edu.