elcome to the world of SE MAPS, an interdisciplinary science curriculum project involving eight southeastern states and incorporating aerial photography, satellite imagery, topographic and special-purpose maps, and other remotely sensed data in a series of investigative hands-on activities designed for middle school students. Instructional materials currently under development include a classroom set of large laminated lithographs, two CD-ROMs, and a Teaching Manual. 

We are currently compiling the Fifth Draft of the Outline of Contents and hopefully will be able to mail this document in early April. As narrative text is written for each study area, we want to place it on the web so that others can download it and comment on it.

Some states are well along in writing background and activity questions, others are still waiting for images to arrive. Whatever you have currently written, please forward to your State Coordinator. We will be contacting each Coordinator to expedite electronic transfer of this material to the web page. Remember, you can reach all SE MAPS Development Team members by sending a message to the entire SE MAPS listserv (SEMAPS-L@clemson.edu).

• The SLAR regional map (#3-C) has been replaced by the AVHRR southeast regional image.
• The logo sketch suggested by Ed Lane will be used as our Cover Page with one change, both the S and the first E of SouthEastern will be capitalized.
• The digital elevation map (#3-D) will change contour interval at Fall Line as Burgess suggested.
• Nobody else has expressed an interest in anaglyph 3-D maps (except Tennessee). We urge Tennessee to select the option with contour lines visible on map.
• Our tentative decision on paper size is to plan for all products to be printed on 23" x 35" sheets of paper. The actual image size will be 21" x 33" which essentially leaves 2" margins on each side. Start making lists of the types of margin information you and/or your state team would like to see as common for all products. Well list in the March Newsletter the suggestions we receive. Specific products may of course have additional margin information specific to that image. In addition, each state team needs to provide me with a detailed sketch map showing the layout of each cartographic product with dimensions.

We don't yet have a clear vision of what will go on the Southeast Cultural Map. We did get one response, from Robin Denson of the Gulf Archaeology Research Institute in Florida, that makes some positive recommendations and also raises some questions. An abridged version of her comments is reproduced here. Please start thinking about this if you haven't already done so.

Picking (cultural) sites over such a large region requires us to select some filters for the process. Here are some options:

1. The most important deciding factors are the relevance of the site to the cultural topics covered in the text. We need to make a current list of each chapterís cultural focus and then look to link the focus to sites throughout the Southeast. For instance, in Chapter two, the Cumberland Gap section included a reference to Thomas Walker. Are there any sites directly related to his story? Do any of the state museums deal with his story or related industry?

2. After we make a final list, it can be circulated to cultural resource contacts in each state. Topics covered in one state might have cultural sites in another. For instance, in Chapter Three, the Lookout Mountain section referenced the 1920ís CCC activity in the canyon. There are many sites throughout the Southeast that should be included as CCC cultural historic sites.

3. Each state has an archaeological and historic structure site file office responsible for maintaining records on sites and structures for the entire state. Someone in the state offices should be able to assist us with this without much difficulty or time constraints. [Robin passed out a list of those office contact numbers for each state at last yearís summer meeting. Contact Robin or us for copy.]

4. Each state has an agency responsible for state parks. Within some state park systems there will be a cultural resource office or officer who could assist in selecting which state parks include historic sites of relevance to our foci.

5. Major state museums should be on the map and their offices could assist in selecting area sites appropriate for inclusion.

6. We should include all the SE sites where there is a National Park Service Teaching with Historic Places pack available.

SPRING, 1998

- State Coordinator selects pilot schools and schedules initial pilot testing of all state units for either Spring or Fall.

- state development team members continue writing activities according to state schedule and timetable of state coordinator.

- Burgess Howell gets draft versions of all cartographic products to state coordinators for distribution to team members.

- chapter background information and regional sections written at Clemson to correlate with regional cartographic products.

- State Coordinators select one person from each pilot school plus a few team members to attend July conference at Clemson.