Geospace in cooperation with the European Space Agency ESA produced a school atlas based on satellite maps, using data from a great number of earth observation satellites. In agreement with goals set by the European Union and ESA, it aims at propagating a more intensive use of satellite data in European schools in order to enhance the pupils' awareness of the existence and of the usefulness of earth observation data. Thus, a contribution is made to enhancing interest in environmental issues and global problems as a basis of responsible and sustainable thinking and acting. From large overviews to details of landscapes, the atlas shows both the natural and the cultural sphere in comprehensive examples, demonstrating consequences and interactions of natural processes and anthropogenic influence. The comparison of satellite image maps, land cover maps and topographical maps facilitates reading satellite image maps. The integration of thematic layers further illustrates interrelations. A detailed handbook provides suggestions for teachers of how to use of the atlas during lessons, explaining the motivation and contents of the maps and providing numerous ideas for exercises with this new teaching material. The maps and - in most case - the original earth observation data used in the creation of the maps are comprised in digital form on two DVDs accompanying the atlas. This allows students to actively modify the representation of maps and to apply simple data evaluation procedures. Work with the digital data is supported by the integration of the atlas into Eduspace, the e-learning platform of ESA. This paper provides an overview of the aims, the philosophy and the structure of the ESA School Atlas and gives some examples of maps it contains.
