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Post Summer Slump & the Promise of Google Earth
Since its inception in 1998, Google Earth has always been a spectacle of curiosity. With a new teaching year quickly coming up on teachers, maybe its time to revisit Google Earth to see what the most updated version can do for the secondary classroom.
Adventure Awaits: Subject-Specific Explorations with Google Earth
With the advent of the 1 to 1 classroom and in some classrooms the introduction of VR to the classroom tool belt its time to check out Google earth and its Virtual Adventures or Digital Field Trips.
- Geography/Social Studies:
Virtual Expeditions: How to use Google Earth for virtual field trips to ancient civilizations (e.g., Rome, Machu Picchu), historical battlefields, or current event hot zones.
"Time Travel" with Timelapse: Showcase the Timelapse feature to observe environmental changes (e.g., urban growth, glacier melt) or historical shifts over decades.
- Science:
Ecosystem Exploration: Dive into diverse biomes and geological formations.
Environmental Impact: Visualize human impact on the environment from a global perspective.
- English/Literature:
Literary Journeys: Tracking character journeys in novels (e.g., Around the World in 80 Days, The Odyssey) or visualizing the settings of famous stories.
Setting the Scene: How Street View can immerse students in the atmosphere of a story's location.
- Mathematics:
Real-World Measurements: Using the ruler tool to calculate distances and areas, connecting geometry to real places.
Coordinate Games: Fun ways to practice latitude and longitude.
- Arts/Architecture:
Global Galleries: Touring famous architectural wonders or exploring art installations around the world.
Your Tool Kit for Success: Getting Started This Fall
Student-Led Projects:
Encourage students to build their own "stories" or "tours" using placemarks, custom paths, and embedded media (photos, videos, text).
Examples: "My Family's Heritage Journey," "A Tour of World Landmarks," "Mapping Our Local Ecosystem."
Collaborative Learning: Discuss how students can work together on shared Google Earth projects.
- Start Small: Don't feel overwhelmed; begin with one virtual field trip or a simple coordinate activity.
- Utilize Voyager: Point out Google Earth's Voyager feature for pre-made lessons and inspiration.
- Explore Google Earth Education Resources: Mention the availability of lesson plans and tutorials.
Share Your Success: Take the challenge! Try one out in the beginning of school!
Hi! Thanks for listing out these resources! I tried out the Google Map tool today and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think its a great learning tool that promotes learning in a fun way. What did you think about it?
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