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Added by Andrew smyk, last edited by Vanessa Peters on Jun 19, 2006  (view change)

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Summary of Google Earh

Originally called 'Earth Viewer', the software was acquired by Google in 2004 and merged it with the features of Google Maps and renamed Google Earth.

Google Earth Plus offers additional tools such as the importing of GPS data, adding and sketching tools for richer annotations, and the ability to import Excel spreadsheets.

The technology offers teachers and learners a way to build mulit-layered information and provide an interactive context for lessons. This extends the lesson beyond the classroom and learners can "visit" the pyramids of Egypt, see the scale of the pyramids and their relationship to other historical monuments. Move from Egypt to South America to view the pyramids of the Inca Empire. Google Earth provides fluidity of information from one area to the next.

Google Earth provides a context, scale and textural information beyond the textbook. Learners can interact with subject, zoom in to view details, zoom out to see the scale and traverse the landscape. The main feature of Google Earth is its interactive nature and that for the learner, the events are happening in real time. Easy to layer multiple searches, save results to folders, and share.

Google Earth is technology that will enhance educational creativity, when it comes to lesson planning and the classroom experience. Google Earth Education Initiative hopes to distribute (on request by faculty or administrator) a free license of Google Earth PRO to schools and educators.

Spread the word. If you're a teacher, professor, or school administrator, send me an e-mail, requesting Google Earth PRO and I will send you a 1 page authorization document, followed by a free license for one year.

PBS has incorporated Google Earth into their interactive storytelling of Shackleton's Voyage to the Antarctic. Along with a website for the documentary, visitors to the site can download a Google Earth file (provided below) to follow Shackleton's voyage from Europe to the waters of the Antarctic.

In addition, National Geographic has leveraged web content on the Great Pyramids. Viewing the Egyptian pyramids provides links to various interactive material on the National Geographic site. Or using data from a GIS (geographic information system), you can learn about Greenland's ice sheets.

Greenland Ice Sheets 01 Greenland Ice Sheets 02
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Google Earth has spawned several websites including Google Earth Lessons and Google Earth Hacks. Each of these sites provide lesson plans or tools to augment the capabilities of Google Earth into a fully interactive visualization technology for the classroom.

The [San Francisco Project|^sanfrancisco_project.zip] is a highly detailed multilayered project utilizing Google Earth, offering 3D models of buildings, access to traffic webcams scatter about the city and Quicktime VR. Additional information on the San Francisco Project can be found here.

Google Earth will be of great benefit to those teaching geography, routes of historical explorers, migratory habits of animals and a many, many more instructional applications. Google Earth can provide learners an unparalleled view of the world, not imagined five years ago. The technology can contextualize geographical information beyond any textbook or static presentation.

Supporting Content

  • [Skackleton's Voyage on Google Earth|^Shackleton's Voyage.kmz] - KMZ file
  • [San Francisco Project|^sanfrancisco_project.zip] - Multilayered project with interactive sites, links to web cams and 3D models - zip file
  • [Egyptian Pyramids with National Geographic Tie-in|^pyramids.kmz] - KMZ file
  • [Greenland Ice Sheet Thickness|^Greenland Ice Sheet Thickness.kmz] - KMZ file
  • [Visual Guide|^GEsimplehelp.doc] - Simple
  • [Visual Guide|^GEadvancedhelp.doc] - Advanced

Note: The KMZ file will open automatically in Google Earth.

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