As you work through this group of lessons be aware that there will be several DataSlate datasets to which you will need access. These datasets are zipped files that are located on the course CD in the folder called week6. You will need to copy the zip files MSH.zip, SVI DataSlate data set.zip, Garden County Nebraska.zip, and seed cost spreadsheet template.zip to your hard drive and unzip them by double clicking on the icon. This process will create a new folder with a name the same as the zip file.

MSH, SVI DataSlate data set, Garden County Nebraska, and seed cost spreadsheet template may downloaded from here. The seed cost template is small- the others vary in size from one MB to just over 2 MB. You may also 'ftp' the files from the 'CD images' folder at the 'amfarm'site.

When you go to view the dataset appropriate to the lesson in DataSlate follow these steps: (or choose the tutorial for Opening a DataSet)

1. Start the DataSlate program you installed in Week 5.
2. Press the load button on DataSlate.
3. Locate the folder with the unzipped dataset. In that folder you need to choose the 'lbl' file. (The .lbl file is a DataSlate label file. It is the file that DataSlate uses to run the dataset.)
4. After selecting the appropriate .lbl file, click 'open' and DataSlate will open your dataset.

Your task in DataSlate II is to work through these three lessons and see some of the different capabilities of DataSlate. Blanket of Ash This is a lesson about Mount St. Helens using satellite images. El Nino This is a lesson about El Nino and how it can affect agriculture. Great American Desert This lesson is about climate change in Nebraska and how it may affect ranches in the future.

All of these lessons use a different type of digital imaging. The remote sensing is in how the images are used to find information needed. When you work through these lessons note the problem-based learning that is present in each lesson.

If you choose to do a digital imaging project one of the limitations you may face will be using only datasets that currently exist. In the next several weeks we will address this issue by showing you how to develop your own datasets. During weeks 7 - 10 in the digital imaging strand, you will be guided in this process. There are tutorials developed to help you with this task.

If you choose to do a WebQuest, this look at other projects is a valuable experience to see how the problem-based learning is employed in the lessons and what types of things you must put into your project.

This week should be utilized in deciding what strand you want to work on. Be aware that you can use elements of both strands in your project. The more ideas that you utilize in you project the better experience your students can have using your ideas. Have fun with this and learn as much as you can. Remember you only get out of something what you put into it. Your students will appreciate the extra effort!!!

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