Google+Earth+basics


 * Google Earth**

Google Earth is an online application that allows the viewer to explore the earth, the heavens and the seas, and at times, in three dimensions. We could also add time as a fourth dimension in that some of the imagery is available for different decades of the 20th Century. GE is up to version 5 and includes hundreds of "layers" that allow the user to home in on subjects and geographic areas of interest.
 * //Description://**

Students can develop their own maps and projects with GE. Ready-made .kmz files are also possible to give quizzes assignments as well as show expertise in certain areas. For example, a kmz file of all World Heritage Sites describes each of the 800 famous sites. For the more advanced users, GE Pro (free for educators) allows the website to interface with GPS units (Garmin and Magellan only)

//**Pros and Cons of using Google Earth**// __Pros__ -easy installation, free -impressive satellite imagery, often less than 1 metre resolution -highly engaging and motivational for all students -can be linked to different courses across the grades and curriculum __Cons__ -many layers, can become confusing -perhaps need to reset defaults to metric -can be slow to view zoomed-in imagery -students may try to use the flight simulator and not be on topic

//**Pedagogy**// __Using in Elementary School__: -linked to Grade 7 geography, studying place and location as well as latitude and longitude -can be used for quizzes in lower grades, learning provinces, water bodies, continents, planets, constellations -can be used for reading about environmental issues

__Using in Secondary School__: -can be used in Business, Geography (volcanoes, erathquakes, plate boundaries, World Issues, Travel and Tourism), History (ie. Ancient Rome in 3D), Science (astronomy and weather), Mathematics, Language Arts (Lit trips)

-see the attached documents, [|Google Earth Exercise.doc] (thanks to Fred Caap at Earl of March, OCDSB), [|GEGPSuses.ppt]

-Google Earth and GE Pro can also put GPS technology to good use. The attached document lists some exercises with a GPS and also stand-alone. [|Google Earth across the curriculum.doc], [|GPSGEActivities.xls]

Richard Grignon prepared an extensive field trip to the Gatineau Park that started in the lab with a .kmz file iand Google Earth. If the image files are in the same folder, they will also show the pictures and details of the places. [|Gatineau_Park_Waypoints.kmz]
 * //Other Resources for teachers wanting to integrate the use of Google Earth in their classroom//:**

Google Earth has an [|active educational community] [|Featured kmz files] from Google Earth World Heritage Sites in Google Earth (GE must be pre-installed)- [|worldheritagesites.kml]

**Our workshop for Google Earth**: led by Bruce and Richard Objectives: -learn that GE can be used across the curriculum and at several levels -understand how the themes/layers are grouped -understand the basic functionality of Google Earth -use Google Earth with the goal in mind of how to use in the classroom Steps: 1. Show examples of GE used across the curriculum 2. Demonstrate some of the uses of GE 3. Give specific tasks as per teacher level/specialization 4. Brainstorm how to use GE in different divisions Resources: [|GEGPSuses.ppt] [|Using Google Earth.doc]