Seeing is Believing: Using Google Earth to Improve Learning

Google Earth is free software that lets us see the world in brand new ways. The beauty is that it works at every grade level and in all content areas. Travel to the Great Pyramids, analyze live earthquake data, compare before and after images of deforestation or integrate literature and social studies. It’s the Swiss army knife of instructional tools!

But how best to use it to improve learning? During this presentation, Glenn will demo the Google Earth interface, provide opportunities to explore the many capabilities of Google Earth, look at existing Google Earth tours and illustrate how to easily create your own. You’ll walk away with practical ideas, lesson plans and resources!

Presentation Handouts

Google Earth Handout
Activity answers
 

Google Earth / Google Maps Resources

Google Earth
Google Earth Gallery
Google Earth User Guide
Google’s Lat Long Blog
Google Earth Lesson Plans
Google Earth Blog
Google Earth Hacks
Google Lit Trips
Google Historical Voyages
Google Earth Education Community
Google Earth lessons & resources
Google Earth in the Classroom
Using GPS with Google Earth
Glenn’s Google Earth delicious links

Feeling really ambitious?
Try using the Google Outreach spreadsheet template to create very professional looking tours! (Check out an example and view this how-to video)
Google Earth Outreach Tutorial - Creating Better Ballons
Google Earth Outreach Tutorial - Creating an Immersive User Experience

Google Maps
Google Maps User Guide
Google Maps Mania
Glenn’s Google Maps Delicious links

Teaching Resources & Samples

Goggle Earth Education page
Google Earth / Maps Lesson Plans
Crack the Code student activity
Where Are You From student activity
Editing placemark description boxes
Paul Revere elementary lesson (United Streaming)
All Quiet on the Western Front secondary lesson (United Streaming)
GeoGreeting
How to Use Google Earth More Effectively
Teaching with Google Earth

8 Wonders of Kansas (Google Earth file)