Remote Sensing has a growing relevance in the modern information society. In the FIS-Project, we promote a more intensive use of Remote Sensing in school lessons in order to get pupils interested in natural sciences or engineering with fascinating satellite images and modern technology. The FIS-project is supported by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and is carried out by the Remote Sensing Research Group at the Department of Geography at the University of Bonn (Germany) together with partners from secondary schools. Further information are integrated in our "Info-Sheet" (Download PDF).

We are developing teaching materials covering a range of curriculum-specific topics in a problem-oriented and integrative manner:

Geography: Haiti [Age 9-14]; Traces of Fire [Age 16-18]; Tsunami [Age 12-14]; Oases [Age 12-16]; Floods [Age 12-14 & 14-16]; Brown Coal [Age 16-18]; Atmospheric Circulation [16-18]

Biology: Traces of Fire [Age 16-18]

Informatics: Contrast [Age 13-17]

Mathematics: Pixel off the right path [Age 12-14]

Physics: Tracing the invisible [Age 12-15]

We are looking forward to receive your feedback and answer your questions. This is essential for the project's progress:
Evaluation Forms for teachers and pupils

Haiti - Catastrophe Management from Space
Topics: Earthquakes, disaster management, mapping, change detection, satellite images, damage assessment
Age: 9-14 / Time required: 1-2 hours
Materials: Google Earth KMZ-file, didactic commentary, worksheet, Google Earth tutorial

Download (1 MB)

Traces of fire
Topics: Natural disasters, forest fires, stability and dynamics of ecosystems, photosynthesis, light, electromagnetic spectrum, satellite images, vegetation indices (focus on NDVI), time series analysis
Age: 16-18 / Time required: 3 hours
Materials: Learning module (computer based), didactic commentary

Download (17 MB)

Oases
Topics: Different oasis models, characteristics of satellite pictures and its diagnostic use, general
basics of remote sensing
Age: 12-16 / Time required: 1-2 hours
Materials: Learning module (computer based), worksheets, didactic commentary

Download (16 MB)

Tsunami
Topics: Natural hazards, tsunamis, catastrophe prevention and effects, visual comparison of satellite
images, classification, and change detection.
Age: 12-14 / Time required: 3-4 hours
Materials: Learning module (computer based), didactic commentary, background information, homework

Download (8 MB)

Brown Coal - Land Use Change through Surface Mining
Topics: Formation of brown coal and brown coal seams, economic relevance and social and ecological effects, surface mining, optical satellite imagery, digital elevation models, GIS
Age: 15-17 / Time required: 5 hours
Materials: Worksheets, didactic commentary, foils, photos

Download (26 MB)

Atmospheric Circulation
Topics: Atmospheric circulation and global wind systems, weather satellites, intertropical circulation, extratropical west wind circulation
Age: 16-18 / Time required: 3 hours
Materials: Video with loop of weather satellite data, didactic commentary, worksheets, sample solutions

Download (24 MB)

Floods
Topics: Flooding as the result of physiogeographisc situation and human actions, natural hazards and location choices, application of digital elevation models, fundamentals of geographic information systems (GIS)
Age: 12-14 & 14-16 / Time required: 2-3 hours
Materials: Maps, didactic commentary, worksheets, sample solutions, additional learning module

Download (6 MB)

Traces of fire in a satellite image
Topics: Forest fires, stability and dynamics of ecosystems, photosynthesis, light, electromagnetic spectrum, satellite images, vegetation indices (focus on NDVI), time series analysis
Age: 16-18 / Time required: 3 hours
Materials: Learning module (computer based), didactic commentary

Download (17 MB)

Contrast
Topics: Introduction to satellite images: set-up and structure, data depth, radiometric resolution,
data formats, image enhancement, histograms
Age: 13-17 / Time required: 2 hours
Materials: Learning module (computer based), didactic commentary

Download (6 MB)

Pixel off the right path
Topics: Linear functions, working with graphs in a coordinate plane, derivation of functional equations
from coordinate points, setting up functional equations
Age: 12-14 / Time required: 2 hours
Materials: Learning module (computer based), didactic commentary, worksheets

Download (11 MB)

Tracing the invisible
Topics: Introduction to the topics light, radiation, reflection, absorption, and the electromagnetic spectrum
Age: 12-15 / Time required: 3-4 hours
Materials: Learning module (computer based), didactic commentary

Download (5 MB)