Using maps, Introduction to GIS, Google Earth

Using maps

It is assumed you can read maps.  In your own time please make sure you are familiar with the content in the following Map Reading Tutorials

Overview of map reading:
http://www.nwcg.gov/pms/pubs/475/PMS475_chap1.pdf

Reading Topographic Maps and Making Calculations: http://www.nwcg.gov/pms/pubs/475/PMS475_chap2a.pdf

Estimating Slope
http://www.nwcg.gov/pms/pubs/475/PMS475_chap2b.pdf

Geographic Location Systems
http://www.nwcg.gov/pms/pubs/475/PMS475_chap3.pdf

North Magnetic Pole http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Magnetic_Pole

Did Top Gear go to the North Pole? http://liberalburblings.co.uk/2007/07/did-top-gear-actually-go-to-the-north-pole/

Converter for Decimal Degrees to Degrees Minutes and Seconds and reverse
http://planet.uwc.ac.za/nisl/GIS/degrees_conv/Converter.htm

Introduction to GIS

During the course we will be introducing GIS  here are some resources to help clarify your understanding of GIS.

The GIS Primer can be downloaded from here:
http://bgis.sanbi.org/Introduction_to_GIS.pdf

Biodiversity GIS (BGIS) Internet Mapping User Guide
http://bgis.sanbi.org/BGISmanualSLviewer.pdf

Review the Power Point on Introduction to GIS (Chapter 2)  here:
http://planet.uwc.ac.za/nisl/GIS/Power_Point/

Google Earth

Resources: 

A Quick Start to using Google Earth

http://support.google.com/earth/bin/answer.py?hl=en&topic=2376018&answer=148176&parent=2376017&rd=1
Navigating on the Earth

http://support.google.com/earth/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=176674
Finding addresses and locations

http://support.google.com/earth/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=148081&from=176682&rd=1
Marking Locations

http://support.google.com/earth/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=176683

Download the latest version of Google Earth

http://www.google.com/earth/download-earth.html