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MindScapes Satellite Imagery Activity A Chinese tale tells of some men sent to harm a young girl who, upon seeing her beauty, become her protectors rather than her violators. That's how I felt seeing the Earth for the first time. "I could not help but love and cherish her. Satellite images are similar to maps in that they depict some portion of the Earth’s surface. However, they are distinctly different in that 1) they are actual pictures, 2) they can be digitally manipulated to emphasize certain information, 3) they are potentially near real-time, since many satellites are constantly imaging the Earth’s surface. This exercise is designed to introduce you to satellite imagery and to have you use imagery to analyze some area. As you complete this activity, consider 1) the usefulness and power of using imagery, and 2) how imagery analysis is different from map analysis. 1. Choose any two satellite images from pp. 40-48 in your atlas. 2. For each image, identify 5 natural features / characteristics and 5 human-made features / objects. List them. 3. For each image, what evidence is there of human impact on the environment? 4. Compare and contrast the two images. Explain in detail at least three things that are similar in both images. Explain in detail at least three things that are different. 5. For each image, explain how you may infer the climates of each area. 6. For each image, explain how physical features have affected the way humans have arranged themselves. 7. Reflect. In a paragraph, detail what this close examination has taught you about a) each location and b) the value of satellite imagery. |