Google+Earth

=[|Google Earth]= > "Google Earth lets you fly anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, and even explore galaxies in the Sky. You can explore rich geographical content, save your toured places and share with others."
 * **Here is Google's description of Google Earth:**

> "The latest version of Google Earth continues to set the mapping paradigm. Accessible enough for casual users, Google has added features that make it a necessity for those whose topographic desires are more serious. Although Google Ocean is the big newsmaker in version 5, you can also check out the surface of our nearest neighbor, Mars, as well as incorporating historical Earth maps. > > > > > > > > > If you'll forgive the pun, the oceanic maps are pretty cool. They provide the capability to plunge to the floor of the sea, view exclusive content from the BBC and National Geographic, and explore shipwrecks like the Titanic in 3D. Exploring the Martian surface is limited to data provided from NASA, but that's not much of a limitation considering that it's unlikely that most of us will ever get to visit the Red Planet. Switching between Google Earth, Sky, and Mars can be done from the menubar or from the planet icon on the toolbar. > > > > > > > > > Most of the interface's real estate displays a rendering of the globe, which can zoom in on a satellite image of your destination once you've keyed it in. Controls live on a top toolbar and a left-side navigation window that lets you quickly jump between different views and locations. Google's Street View, real-time illumination of the Earth, roads, restaurants, and even crime statistics can be displayed. Smooth integration with Google's 3D rendering program SketchUp means that you can design buildings and see how they'd interact with their surroundings on the fly."
 * **Here is CNET's Review of Google Earth 5.0 (Released in beta on February 2, 2009)**

__**media type="youtube" key="GSuJq4UzkIA" height="295" width="480"

Two**__ **__Levels of Google Earth:__**
 * Google Earth - FREE
 * Google Earth Pro - $400, [|Here is a comparison of features between the basic and pro versions].
 * Educators can get the pro version for free; visit this link to learn more: [|Free Pro]
 * Google Earth Plus was discontinued.

Resources/References

 * [|Google Earth Tutorials]
 * [|Google Earth Video Help on YouTube]
 * [|Google Earth System Requirements]
 * [|User Guide - Listed by Topics]
 * [|Google Earth Lessons Blog]
 * [|Critical Thinking with Google Earth]
 * [|Article - Using Google Earth as a Political Education Tool]
 * [|Google Earth for Educators - ideas by subject]
 * Google Earth classroom wiki - links and ideas
 * [|Google Outreach]
 * media type="youtube" key="gqbD7Dze6c4" width="425" height="350"

Using Google Earth with Overlays
media type="custom" key="3081640"

Tool Classroom Examples
> KMZ = refers to file format used in Google Earth enabling a user to store a range of data including text, coordinates, photos, and placemarks within a self-contained electronic file.
 * [|Google Earth's KMZ Gallery]
 * [|Trip Around Asia]
 * [|Literary Tours]
 * [|Sites of Ancient Rome]
 * [|Activities in 4th/5th Grade - American Embassy School - New Dehli>]
 * [|Indian Ocean - Tsunami Activity]
 * [|Real World Math with Google Earth]
 * An [|elementary school in Virginia] creates an entire virtual tour of the world. Student record the results of their travels in a passport.

=__SWOT ANALYSIS__=

Strengths:

 * instant global view
 * different layers that allow you to see latitude and longitude, terrain view, additional info and pictures
 * tour our solar system, the Milky Way, and much of the visible universe in Google Sky
 * tour the sea floor in Ocean
 * flight simulator
 * easy enough for young children to get started, yet powerful and detailed enough for professionals
 * Create and save virtual tours
 * View pictures from history in various locations.
 * Compare and contrast the topography of different locations.
 * Analyze the importance of using exact latitude and longitude references (especially for oceanic travel).
 * Other Google programs such as Google Mars and Google Sky are integrated into Earth 5.0.
 * Users can track migratory animals movements
 * Free, easy to use, innovative alternative to maps and globes \
 * 2D and 3D images available
 * Google Earth 5.0 is available in 38 languages
 * iPhone OS Version available
 * Students can study the growth of communities by using the time feature (allows the students to go back ten or twenty years)
 * The street view feature offers a connection to location (neighborhoods, entire towns, etc.) that pictures are incapable of achieving.

Weaknesses:

 * large learning curve, really need to spend a substantial amount of time getting to know all of the features
 * bandwidth: minimum = 128Kbps (per computer), recommended = 768Kbps (per computer)
 * client-based, requires loading in on your computer
 * need for constant internet connection
 * Coordinates and addresses not always accurate
 * Advanced functions can be difficult and time consuming to master
 * Time needed to download on multiple classroom computers and guide students when first using the program
 * Pictures are not always up to date and some functions, such as street view, are not always available
 * The push pin feature can be annoying to set in place; not user friendly

Opportunities:

 * great for planning a trip
 * virtual field trips and prep for real field trips
 * retrace historical explorations and voyages
 * To build background knowledge
 * Students can learn about world's demographics and economy
 * Students can learn about tectonics by studying whole continents and mountains
 * Students can learn about how earth was back in time
 * Students can recreate past earth episodes such as natural disasters and its consequences
 * Students can learn about global warming
 * Students can learn about marine protected areas
 * Tour important historical sites and government buildings
 * Students can learn about the different geographical terms such as basin, gulf, ocean, river etc.

Threats:

 * possibility of Panaromio pictures being inappropriate (but you can send notification if you find one)
 * some privacy issues with the new Street View
 * Make sure students do not tag their addresses
 * detailed views of properties and locations can be used for violent means (The only survivor of the 2008 attack on Mumbai reported that Google Earth was used to plan the attacks)

=IDEAS FOR THE CLAsSROOM=
 * [|Voice Thread on Classroom Ideas]
 * [|Eighteen Interesting Ways to Use Google Earth in Your Classroom]
 * Map places where meteors have hit the Earth.
 * Have students locate the 19 places visited in Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days. Then have student create their own tour of 19 different places they would like to visit.
 * Virtual field trips
 * Google Earth Lessons for Teachers: http://gelessons.com/. This wonderful website allows teachers to view lessons created by teachers using Google Earth, and allows teachers to submit lessons. I love that the "Flat Stanley Project" appears on the list.
 * Students can recreate and "follow" the Oregon Trail, Lewis & Clark Expedition, and the Santa Fe Trail and analyze the topography of each.
 * Students can read the information in "[|Florida's Fabulous Treasures]" and then use the map and ocean features to analyze Florida's pirates and famous shipwrecks.
 * Google Earth could be used to trace the routes of the famous Spanish Conquistadors and students could create a "journal" of the terrain and obstacles that the Conquistadors faced.
 * Have students learn about the crusades and map their distances and locations they traveled during that particular time period
 * Students can study the biology of a migratory animal such as the whale shark or any other migratory animal and fallow their migration paths. Then they can search for marine protected areas within those routes. Finally they can answer this question: Is this species actually protected? They can learn about biology, ecology and conservation
 * Students can explore the maps of ocean's temperature*, see how it has change in the last 10 years. Then they can explore the sea level map* and see how it has change in the last 10 years. Then ask: How planet has change since you were born? what are the consequences? how CAN YOU HELP?
 * Measure distances between selected points and estimate travel times at different speeds
 * Discuss how the angles at which the sun's rays hit various places on earth impact climate and temperature at a given point in time during the day or yea r
 * Explore major landmarks and geographical features around the globe
 * Use Google Earth to facilitate discussions on strategic points during WWI and WWII as well as troop advancement and the location of major battles.
 * Set up a pen pal arrangement with another school (national or international). Have the students write each other about their interests, places they like to visit, etc. The students could then look up these points of interest on Google Earth using the street view feature.
 * ======Students could be tasked with finding points of interest in their town (or a big city like New York) and then plotting the best route from one attraction to the next.======
 * Google Earth lesson plans through Discovery
 * This would be a great tool in the music classroom. When you talk about how composers used to travel from town to town or country to country trying to make it as a composer or performer. Just think you could track Beethovens journeys to Vienna, Prague, Dresden or Budapest. (R. Ellinger)

* see google outreach to access to these maps _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Google Earth is a great way for teachers to expose their students to a variety of places they may never have a chance to explore, otherwise. For example, teachers that may be in low SES areas can use Google Earth to show children locations that they may be studying in school (i.e. countries, oceans, specific states, etc.). Also, Google Earth can be used to show students where they may be visiting on a future field trip, and the students can use their mathematical skills to determine how far away the location is from their school. Overall, Google Earth is a great application for the classroom that is free and very educational!