Learner Outcomes

• Students will learn about specific events in the history of California that can be related to locations on images.
• Students will use prior knowledge of their area and apply algebra, geometry, and trigonometry concepts to space-based images of California.
• Students will develop an understanding of line segments, angles, coordinates, scale, distance, directed segments and bearing or compass heading.

Concept Introduction
Students will use space-based images of the Santa Barbara area of Southern California to apply coordinates to the measurement of distance and the determination of bearing. The DataSlate tool will be used to view the images and determine the coordinates of specific locations. Using known distances, students will scale the coordinates and then apply the scale to other image measurements. A distance across the image is found using DataSlate and leads to the use of the Pythagorean Theorem, trig functions, Law of Sines and Cosines. 

Teacher Preparation/Background

The teacher should have completed the DataSlate tutorials and be familiar with fundamental algebraic and geometric concepts and principles. Of special note are the different direction angles. The teacher should review mathematical angles, as in trigonometry, and navigational angles, as used in bearing.

Try to order the poster and have it in hand before beginning the lesson. The posters are very effective and well worth the time and money invested in them. The posters have a dramatic impact on the viewer, no matter what the grade level.

The teacher should determine the layout of the computers available and determine the amount of time necessary for completing this lesson. The computers used should be at least a Pentium 90 (166 is better) with 16 MB of RAM or a Power Macintosh with 32 MB of RAM. Suggested time to complete this lesson is two-three 50-minute periods. We would encourage teachers to explore the interdisciplinary nature of this lesson, but all lessons can be used in a core curricular area.

Student Pages

Assessment - List of Possible Questions

Data Sets

• The data sets for this lesson are available in the original DataSlate Library.
• Poster (if possible)
• Road Map 

Concept Extensions

This lesson provides an introduction to directed line segments and vectors based on right triangles and non right triangles. Image locations are used that create non-right triangles. Local history and geography may be referenced as well. Examples are shown on the "Story Page".

Suggested Grade Level: 9-12 (Lower Grades possible)

Tools:

• Ruler (Grade 4 and up)
• Protractor (Grade 6 and up)
• Poster (CA soon) (All grades)
• Road Map (4 and up)
• VistaPro
• DataSlate

Tutorials:

• Intro to DataSlate
• VistaPro Tutorial (Mac)
• VistaPro (PC)
• DataSlate, The Pizza Story

Curriculum Standards:

California K-12 Standards

Note: Available from the History page. Scroll down below the State Department address to the California State Department Link.

National Mathematics Academic Standards

National History and Social Studies Content Standards

National Science Standards, National Research Council, 1996