1. “Reading” GIS Imagery Houston, Texas
Square, checkerboard or quilt pattern usually indicate agriculture (different greens equal different types of crops)
Rivers, streams, and bayous appear as wavy lines (irregular, wavy=nature). If image has color, water is usually, but not always, colored blue or dark grey.
Lighter shades typically indicate sparse vegetation or more shallow water (may also show soil erosion in water)
Darker shades typically indicate thicker vegetation or deeper water
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Brown, light tan is usually an indication of soil exposure (as in clearing for development, planting or natural settings such as deserts and beaches)
Light grey = populations, development, urbanization (straight lines = infrastructure, man made)

2. Drag labels to show the corresponding feature on the GIS image
Bush Intercontinental Airport
Galveston Bay
Sam Houston Toll way/Beltway
Bear Creek Park and Flood Plain

3. Drag labels to show the corresponding feature on the GIS image
Drag labels to show the corresponding feature on the GIS image
Mt. Kilimanjaro volcano
Lake Victoria
water
Great Rift Valley elevation change
Nile River
water
Sahara
desert
Strait of Hormuz
chokepoint
Congo Basin
vegetation

4. Warning: The colors used in GIS changes.
Shading (dark to light) is more consistent.
GIS images are often shaded to show details. In the image to the right, green vegetation is colored red. The Greater Houston Metropolitan area is seen, with urban areas blue- grey and suburban areas white-pink. Houston city is at center. Bush International airport is at top center visible with white runways. North Freeway is the white motorway running from the city north. At top right is Lake Houston with its dam wall; the navigable Buffalo Bayou runs from the city to the north tip of Galveston Bay (at right).
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Summer
Winter

5. Can you match the label to the correct image?
Hawaii
Nile River
California
Mediterranean Sea
Andes Mountains
Great Salt Lake
Rocky Mountains
Volcano
Sahara
Spain
Italy