Students will look at maps and satellite images to see how various settled parts of the Earth have changed over the past few decades. They will then draw maps of their hometown, showing how it might have looked in satellite images in the 1970s and today. This will probably require some research into their town's recent history.

Geography, economics, current events

Standard 3: "How to analyze the spatial organization of people, places, and environments on Earth's surface"

Three to four hours

• Computer with Internet access
• Map of students' hometown

Students will

• explore the Riddle of the Russian Lights activity;
• look at satellite images taken in different years, and summarize the patterns of change they notice;
• discuss what their hometown might look like from space today and what it might have looked like in 1975;
• research their town's history since the 1970s, and draw maps of their town as it may have looked from space in the 1970s and as it would look from space today; and
• write captions describing the changes depicted in their maps.

Have students do the Riddle of the Russian Lights activity. Then ask them to think about other examples in the world or the United States in which maps might reveal interesting patterns.

Have students go to the USGS's Earthshots site and look at the following maps:

• Imperial Valley, California
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• Rondonia, Brazil

For each location, have students look at the maps for each of the years. Ask them to summarize the patterns and changes that the maps reveal.

Ask students what they think their hometown would look like from space, if satellite images had been taken in 1975 and today. Discuss their ideas as a class.

Have students write paragraphs explaining how satellite images can be used for practical purposes, such as to plan new development or to create a conservation program. They should use specific examples from the satellite images they have seen or other ones at Earthshots.

Have students research the history of their town's recent development since around 1975, using any local information and maps they can find in the library, city hall, or elsewhere. Have them draw two maps of their town—one in 1975 (or another year they can find information on) and one for the present day—emphasizing the changes as they might be seen in satellite images.

Students should include captions that describe the things shown on the maps and the changes that can be noticed between the two maps.

National Geographic: Xpeditions Activity—Riddle of the Russian Lights
USGS: Earthshots