Where to Start?
For those unfamiliar with the technical aspects of ETE, we have designed two special modules that focus only on technical skills. "Mars Landing" and "Strangers in Paradise" provide fascinating training contexts for learning NIH Image Processing software and remote-sensing imagery. These modules are not problem-based. However, "Weather or Not" and "Severe Weather Events--Hurricanes," which are also good for building technical skills, are problem-based and include use of the Internet. We suggest that you start out new ETE students on one or more of these four modules.

In "Mars Landing" Students imagine they are astronauts aboard a spaceship that has been orbiting Mars. They are now preparing to land safely by studying Viking Images of the Mars landscape. Students use tools in the application NIH Image to locate an appropriate landing site.

In "Strangers in Paradise" Students imagine they are tourists finding their way around the island of Hawaii. They use measuring tools in the application NIH Image to calculate distances between sightseeing stops and to make inferences about a volcanic crater.

"Weather or Not," which is about predicting the weather, may have importance to students involved in scheduled outdoor activities such as soccer games, football games, or parades. Students down load weather images taken by satellites just hours before, interpret the images, and make local forecasts.

"Severe Weather Events--Hurricanes" may be interesting to students whose schools are situated along coastlines where hurricanes often hit. Students learn to interpret a series of remote-sensing images from NOAA weather satellite so they can track and predict landfall of the next hurricane.

These four modules have gold and blue puzzle piece colors on the main puzzle page in Modules and Activities.