There are some amazing things you can do with your students using Google Earth. From simply "flying" to their homes all over East Ramapo, to showing them their school, this Google feature amazes children.
Just think about what you can do with your students.
How about flying to the moon?
Or finish up your thematic unit on Egypt by flying to the pyramids?
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Or see the earthquakes that occurred recently in Alaska?
The possibilities are endless. In looking at Google Earth this morning, I learned you can create tours, go to Mars, use a ruler to find distances and I am sure a million other things. I know I have just cracked the surface here.
Now I got to thinking about what Erin and Daphne said yesterday regarding big brother. How would you feel if someone was taking satellite pictures inside of your home? Probably not so great. So is it really that different outside of your home?
Here is my lovely condo complex in Montvale, New Jersey. We weren't home because our parking spots were empty, but I know which neighbors were home!! Creeepy...
I then got to thinking, "What craziness could have been caught with these Google satellite cameras???" One Google search and I was bombarded with images.
How about some sneaky kids creating a trip wire?
Or a fight between two vikings?
Or a giant dragon in Canada?
Or even some pranksters caught red-handed?
Now these pictures were just the tip of the iceberg and there is some extremely inappropriate content out there. Just as you aren't going to show your students a YouTube clip without previewing it, make sure you preview your Earth image or street view. Also try and make sure it is realistic, as even the almighty Google has some hiccups. Check out these directions:
I am curious to know if anyone has other ideas of how to use Google Earth in the classroom? What are your thoughts on these satellites taking pictures? Have you found any hilarious images?
I use it to teach longitude and latitude. What you have found is so much more interesting. I need to spend more time playing with google Earth.
ReplyDeleteThose ideas look really cool. Just wondering- were you using the walking option on google maps? Were there any other choices to get over the Atlantic? How else were you planning on getting to Sweden?
ReplyDeleteComing from the perspective of someone who is also married to a paranoid non-facebook-using person, now that this blog is published and open to the public, think any of your students found this page? How do you feel about THEM knowing where you live ;)? While the majority of parents and students I have worked with have been lovely, cooperative, and generally not creepy, every now and then I come across a student and/or parent who I would not like to "meet on the outside."
You did a great job posting the information you found. I too looked at Google earth but don't remember how to do these cool screen shots. How did you do them?
ReplyDeleteAs for privacy, I agree that it is creepy that you find pictures of your own house and know just how old or new the picture is based on what is going on outside. They had a picture from when we had a flood and all of our carpeting was outside by the curb. Great memory, thanks google!
Wow! Thanks for all the info, now I don't have to research...just kidding. I have looked into google earth and agree with you there is so much you can do. I think I have said before that I use it to look at my house back in Europe. I do agree with you that it is creepy about finding your personal information out there. I agree with Miriam also about not wanting my students or family members to know where I live, at least some of them. I am going to go back into Google earth though and see if it can give me the directions in Spanish, maybe I would be able to use it when teaching about the neighborhood. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAmazing stuff. You've got a whole lesson in itself, there. I had no idea about the moon being available! I don't think I've ever used Google Earth in class. It's often times difficult to incorporate in high school math...
ReplyDeleteI am a bit creeped out be the possibility of being caught in the street view. What if a teacher is playing beer pong in their back yard? (not that I would...) There are possible implications, like employers checking your Facebook accounts!
Using google+ on my phone right now, which would also be an option for Earth in the classroom!
Thanks for showing us all around! Nice post!
Thanks everyone! Miriam- ahh! I didn't even think about my students finding my address! How do I hide this post??
ReplyDeleteSteven- hilarious about the beer pong!
Great blog Christina! Love Google Earth and have used it many times in the classroom. In teaching communities were able to locate different places to correlate with our unit of study. As for big brother, be careful personnel might use it to see if you are really home sick!!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! Google Earth has such great possibilities in the classroom. Our students need the visual representation of the Earth. If Google Earth was available when I was in school, I think I would have had a better understanding of geography. Our students don't need to look up a definition in a textbook and look at a textbook photo of geography terms. They can see it in real time.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the idea of Big Brother watching can be creepy sometimes, but this is the age we are living in. We have to learn how to protect ourselves and teach our students to use technology for good.