Examples

Google Earth and Google Maps - Learning Activity Examples

Color Coding for Teacher Comfort level with Google Earth:

Introductory Level

Intermediate Level

Advanced level

Examples	Featured Tool in this Example	Tips Learned	Guiding Questions/Concepts demonstrated
NEW Geographic Autobiography KMZ Google Earth file with narrated tour of important locations in my life Same autobiography with just the placemarks	Recorder and placemarks	Placemarks and recording must be part of the same KMZ file must	How can we use geography to reveal information about ourselves?
New The Westford Farms - sharing location specific videos KMZ file for Google Earth - Westford Farm Videos	Uploading videos to a host site, adding video embed code to a placemark	SchoolTube may be the best host for schools at this time	How can we share our work with the world? What is the best way to deliver different kinds of content?
1. Google Earth Challenge Google Earth Challenge Worksheet - PDF Version * Google Earth Challenge Worksheet - Word Version Some Possible Answers	Fly To... Copy Image	Kids need practice exploring - guided play time - have kids share search strategies - some will need more time practicing An extension of the most common initial Google Earth activity - to find your home. Can differentiate by having a wide variety of things to find from fairly simple to very complex. Can be used as formative assessment. (A new way to verify what you have accomplished - what you have found or learned)	Can you find a tall mountain ? Find an artifact (i.e.State of Liberty) What search strategy did you use? What other types of things can you find in Google Earth?
2. Virtual Community Walk *Google Maps Version of the Community Walk Example Photos Page Google Earth Version of the Community Walk Adding a Photograph to a Map in Google Earth Adding a Photograph to a Map in Google Maps	Google Maps Draw a line Add text and a photograph to a placemark Open Google Maps file in Google Earth Link the map to a Web site or make it, in some other way, accessible	It is easier to add content to a map in Google Maps than in Google Earth. Maps can be created in Google Maps and then saved as a KMZ file that can be opened in Google Earth. Some understanding of HTML needed to add content to placemarks in Google Earth but not in Google Maps. Before a photograph can be added to a placemark it must have a Web address. You may need to set up a "dummy" Web site to hold your photographs. This map was created to allow parents to have a window into this activity and for the students to have a follow-up resource that allows them to complete their notes, finish their building sketches, etc. with this virtual walk after the actual walk.	What historic buildings are in your community? In what way are these buildings the same or different from other buildings in your community? Can you see a connection between the design of a building and its purpose? Are the locations of these buildings important? Why were they built in those locations? How can we find out?
3. Physiographic Regions Physiographic Regions Worksheet *PDF version Word version Google Earth Physiographic Regions Map Overlay	Using latitude and longitude points to fly to a specific location Using navigational tools to "look around" and report what you see Creating placemarks and saving as KMZ files - linking the KMZ file to a Web page - We could have created placemarks for each location, saved this as a KMZ file and attached that file to the teacher's Web site for easy access. Our approach gave students additional experience working with with latitude and longitude coordinates.	It may be difficult to have students find a specific location and stay there long enough to make adequate observations. With a flick of their finger they can fly off to a different county, state or country. By using latitude and longitude coordinates and directing students to only use the rotation ring students can look around without leaving the specified location. The capability/temptation to fly around is one of the benefits/problems with Google Earth that Google Maps doesn't have.	What are the observable similarities and differences between the six different physiographic regions of Vermont - population density, tree cover, urban vs. rural, physical features, elevation, etc.?
4. Tectonic Plates * Plotting the Evidence - from AIMS USGS Web site with links to Tectonic Plate Boundaries and other KMZ files Web Site with links to Volcano Placemark Volcano KMZ Tectonic Plates KMZ World Population Density KMZ	Turning latitude and longitude lines on and off Creating placemarks and changing the placemark icon Adding text to a placemark Locating an appropriate KMZ file with Google	The "traditional" method for doing this activity would be to use overhead transparencies This is an approach that will enhance the "Aha Moment" when student can see the connection between these sets of data. Additional overlays, such as population centers, can be added to extend the lesson.	Plot the latitude and longitude coordinates of earthquakes and volcanoes Use evidence from the map you have created to infer the location of the Earth's tectonic plate boundaries
5. Create a Country Student Project Example.kmz	Organizing Placemarks in Folders Drawing Polygons Editing Placemarkers	Level 2-3 Working on shared computers requires understanding of saving and retrieving placemarkers for future editing. Tutorials Included	What laws of nature does your country follow? Longitude and Latitude Geography Climate
6. Creating a Trail Map with Google Earth and a GPS Unit * Creating a Trail Map with Google Earth and GPS Handout Westford Trails.kmz Google Earth KMZ of trail map with Multimedia Added to the Waypoints	Using a hand held GPS to record waypoints and trackpoints Importing those GPS waypoint and trackpoints into Google Earth as a trail Adding text and photographs to the specific waypoints	Images(or videos) that will be included in placemarks must be online somewhere -may need to upload them to a "dummy" Web page so they will have a URL Matching trackpoints to photographs can be done by matching their time stamps IF both are set to the correct time. You no longer need Google Earth Plus to upload data from a GPS device the free version of Google Earth (version 5) has the capability.	What does GPS mean? How does it work? How can we use latitude and longitude to find exact locations? In what ways are maps helpful tools for understanding our world?
7. The Global Grocery List Project CCSU Global Grocery List Project Global Grocery List KMZ Files The Global Grocery List Home Page Global Grocery List Spreadsheet Saving KMZ files in Google Earth - Lucie's PowerPoint	Finding Locations Adding information to placemarks Changing placemark icons Using "Copy Image" to create a presentation	The Global Grocery List Online Database data will need to be cleaned up for your students to use - it is not being monitored and there are a number of incorrect entries The most difficult part of the process was getting students to save their work correctly. Have them create a folder with an appropriate name, drag each new placemark into that folder after it has been created and right click on the folder at the end of each work session, choose "Save Places as..." and save the folder to the student's network folder or a flash drive.	What impact does geographic location have on the price of consumer goods? What predictions can you make about the price of consumer goods where you live based on the cost of goods in other parts of the world?
8. Google Lit Trips	Download KMZ file Navigate preconstucted tours related to literature. Create your Own	Using Pre-made Trips is VERY VERY easy. Level 1. You can create your own as a teacher. See tutorials on this site. Level 2. Or have class geographer add placmarks as you read new literature.	Integrate geography into literature. Where have we traveled to this year using literature. Imagine creating one that had a placemark for everyplace you visited using literature this semester. (No need to get really detailed)
9. Google Gallery	Constantly Changing Each KMZ file comes with a brief explanation of the content	Items could be chosen for demonstration purposes or as the sources of information for a problem solving activity	It will depend on the item chosen
10. Tour de France Examples: Student Project 1.kmz Student Project 2.kmz	Creating Placemarks Adding picture and links to Placemarks Tour Feature in Google Earth 5	Level 3 Saving placemarks in a folder on a shared computers and working on it over time can be challenging. Empty placemark folder before you load your file every day. Understand the different places to "save places to". Create a Tutorial	What parts of French culture are associated with the province you're touring?
11. San Francisco Project San Francisco - Visualizing a Safer City Web Site Project KMZ File	Using Overlays -turning them on and off and changing their level of transparency	Using overlay maps as a tool for problem solving is a real world focus for Google Earth. Overlays and layers built into Google Earth (roads, etc.) can be used in combinations and various levels of transparency to reach a solution. Placemarks might be assigned for each layer in a different color and the location with the most placemarks would be a logical chouce.	Use the information in overlay maps(fault lines, population distribution, seismic hazard areas, etc.) to determine the most suitable location for a new hospital in San Francisco
12. New Features in Google Earth 5 Time Slider - Change over Time Video - Where is This? Record a tour -Flight 1549.kmz Underwater view - Jimmy Buffett Hawaii Tour.kmz - (the future of advertising?)	There is something new popping up in Gogle Earth all the time. New layers and being added continually and with new versions come new features. The Sightseer is a Google Earth Monthly Newsletter that will halp you stay current with the latest Google Earth features.	The Record Tour feature can become a great presentation tool for teachers and students	Timeline view Recorder Underwater view
13. Measuring Tour Student Worksheet Word Version Student Worksheet - PDF Version Measuring Tour KMZ	Navigation Tools Google Earth Ruler	Students could "Copy Image" and paste into their answer sheets to verify their solutions	Problem solving and measurement in a real world application.
14. Mapping Tour Student Worksheet - Word version Student Worksheet - PDF Version Mapping Tour KMZ	Navigation Tools Google Earth Ruler	Students could "Copy Image" and paste into their answer sheets to verify their solutions	Problem solving and measurement in a real world application.
15. Nation Sate Community Student PowerPoint Worksheet Student Worksheet - PDF version Nation State Community KMZ	Copy Image and paste into PowerPoint Create placemark and add text and a link to a Web site with the correct answer	Power Point used as a young child friendly method for assessment	What is the difference between a nation, state and a community?
16.	Place-Based Digital Storytelling Modules