EDU221selfGoogleEarth

toc This assignment has three parts: =Part 1= Pick which of the following categories you fall in (if you don't fall into one category, pick one that looks like it'd be the most interesting to do). Follow the directions in the column that matches your current comfort level with Google Earth
 * You've seen it, you've heard about it, but have you really explored its possibilities in your classroom? **
 * 1) Spend at least 20 minutes exploring something new about Google Earth or Geographic Information Systems (GIS) according to the directions below.
 * 2) Explore some lesson plan ideas.
 * 3) Create a blog entry.
 * //**New to Google Earth, feel fairly novice about using it or it's been a while since I've used it**// || //**Pretty comfortable with Google Earth, want to see what's new or more advanced that I haven't played with**// || //**Already pretty expert at Google Earth, ready to expand my horizons**// ||
 * # Download [|Google Earth] to your laptop (if you already have it, make sure you have the latest version).
 * 1) Open Google Earth and "mess around" with it. Type in your home address.
 * 2) Type in "Eiffel Tower." Figure out how to zoom in. Try double clicking on the Eiffel Tower.
 * 3) Drag the yellow person down to the street next to the Eiffel Tower. Read the directions. Play around.
 * 4) Zoom back out. What are those icons? What are they for? What do they do? Can you add your own icons?
 * 5) Type in the address for the Education Center: "186 High Street, Farmington, ME".
 * 6) Check out the Computing Center's parking lot across the street from the Ed Center.
 * 7) Click on the icon of the watch on the top. Slide the slider. As you scroll through time, check out:
 * 8) There's a very interesting photo where the parking lot looks mostly black...what's going on?
 * 9) What was at 186 High Street before the Education Center was built there?
 * 10) Check out [|the power of Google Earth's timeline feature]... a picture really is worth a thousand words.
 * 11) Pick one of the following 2 choices to do in order to learn even more about Google Earth (both are products by prior practicum student teams):

Choice A. Watch this video made by a team in Fall 2010 by Ben, Heath, and Kay Sue media type="youtube" key="j_34JIUrCv0" height="315" width="560"

Choice B. Check out this Comic Life creation by Lyzz, Ryan, Bri, and Olivia in Fall 2010. It comes in 5 parts--read all 5 parts. (Don't be fooled by the misleading file name.) If you can keep your composure while reading it, try to follow the directions on how to explore the Google Earth software.

|| Pick one or more of these to explore:


 * Click on the icon of Saturn on the top of the Google Earth screen. Pick another place to explore besides the earth of Earth.
 * [|Moon]
 * [|Ocean]
 * [|Mars]
 * [|Check out 3-D buildings]
 * [|Do you know how to make your own guided tour within Google Earth (with your own narration and all the zooming in/out/about)?]

If it turns out that you already know all of these, go play with items in the expert column. || [|First make sure you are familiar with, or at least aware of, these showcased features of Google Earth.]

If you didn't find anything new to play with on the site above (or you're just ready for more), pick one of these to explore:
 * [|Use Google Sketchup and Paintshop to create your own models; see how this user turned the Earth in Google Earth into Saturn]
 * [|Geographic Information Systems are a powerful type of information system used by city planners, corporations, developers, and more. ArcGIS is a web-based Geographic Information System that is available to all schools in Maine. Learn more about it.] ||

=Part 2= Spend some time exploring [|Richard Byrne's resources for using Google Earth] in the classroom OR do your own search for lesson plan ideas in your content area for using Google Earth in the classroom.

=Part 3= Create a blog entry about Google Earth (you can write, create an audio reflection, make a video, make a Google Earth tour,...). Describe Feel free to include additional thoughts. Title the blog entry "Google Earth" and label it "TI."
 * 1) your prior experience with Google Earth
 * 2) what you learned about Google Earth today and how you learned it
 * 3) how you might use Google Earth in your class based on your research of lesson plans

Thank you to James G, Block 2, spring 2015 for having the courage to invoke the "no busy work policy" and helping to inspire this new and improved version of this assignment with three levels of Google Earth experience.