Maps and Models of the known world are as old as civilization and as young as a child building roads and houses in the sand.  Maps and models are also important tools of understanding and imagination in our schools and colleges.  The Committee on Geographic Information of the National Council for Geographic Education and the Association of American Geographers have developed five themes through which maps and models are used to address fundamental geographic questions about the world:

• Where are things located?
• What characteristics make a place special?
• What are relationships among people and places?
• What are the patterns of movement of people, products, and information?
• How can the Earth be divided into regions for study?

The Maps, Models, and Remote Sensing: From Montana to Moscow materials use geographic and remote sensing data in the context of a cross-cultural dialogue between American and Russian students about their schools, cities, countries, and cultures.  Our goal is to enhance participating students' understanding and appreciation of maps, models, and remote sensing data in geography and science education.  Topics covered include