The Landsat Program - Informal Education
Informal Education
If you are an interpreter, exhibit designer, docent, museum explainer, youth group leader or other informal educator, these pages are meant for you! Here you can find Landsat images and resources to help you convey your messages about global climate change, comparative planetology, human settlement patterns, urban growth, forest fires, tsunami, deforestation, precision agriculture, invasive species, the colors of light, the science and technology behind satellite data, and much more.
+ Using Remote Sensing Images
in Interpretation (PDF, 3.9 Mb)
+ Resources
Current Projects
Earth to Sky (external link)
- On the Earth to Sky website (external link) you can explore how National Park Service (NPS) interpreters are using NASA content to help visitors connect with the natural and cultural heritage of our Nation. You can also learn more about the collaboration itself, and peruse the site for valuable resources to help you create your own interpretive product.
- Earth to Sky is a partnership between NASA's Space and Earth Science disciplines and the National Park Service (NPS), co-lead by Landsat’s Education and Outreach team, NASA’s Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum and leaders in NPS Interpretation, with the ultimate goal of enriching the experiences of millions of Park visitors.
- The effort is funded through NASA’s Explorer Institute grant program. The grant supported three professional development workshops in 2004, (two at Goddard Space Flight Center, and one at Ames Research Center). In 2005, a second grant provided for development of exemplary interpretive products to be used in future professional development efforts with interpreters.
Earth from Space (external link)
- Earth from Space (external link) is a nationally traveling exhibition, developed in collaboration with the Center for Earth and Planetary Studies at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum (NASM). The exhibition explains how satellite imagery is gathered and used to expand our understanding of life on Earth. The website features an online version of the exhibition, additional imagery, lesson plans, and additional resources. Don’t miss the Geography from Space quiz! (external link)
Earth as Art
- This effort began as a collection of unusual and compelling Landsat images of locations around the world, chosen for their stunning visual qualities. The collection has since expanded to include images from other NASA satellites, including a wide variety of land forms and features, from the Yukon Delta to the Everglades, to the Syrian Desert, to the Lambert Glacier in Antarctica. Each image includes explanatory text and information on down loading high-resolution versions. All images are free and clear of copyright.
Under Development
Earth as Parks
- Earth as Parks is an on-line interpretive exhibit being developed by the Landsat EPO team together with Acadia and Shenandoah National Park staff. The goal is to produce interactive, web-based exhibits that use meaningful cultural and historical themes and a variety of technologies (historical and topographic maps, aerial photographs, and satellite imagery) to improve public appreciation and understanding of the parks. Visitors to the website will be engaged in an examination of land cover/land use change in each park over time, coincidentally learning about the value of remote sensing and modern mapping techniques for understanding and managing park lands and our world.
