Measure the World! Google Earth II

Thoughts after reading Richardson & Berger

http://www.google.com/earth/index.html

After reading Richardson & Berger books, I quickly realized that Google Earth can be used for so much more than I had been using it for. Google Earth was no longer a tool for simply looking at pictures or seeing your house from a satellite or street view; it was a tool that my students could use for actual curricular topics.

I quickly learned that Google Earth has a measurement tool that can be used to measure the length of an object or building. This measurement tool can also be used to measure the area of any building anywhere on Earth. This gave me a great idea for a small, 1 week project were my students learned a great deal about measurement, units of measurement, conversion and perimeter.

Implementing My New Idea in the Classroom

We started by looking at the Royal Alberta Museum and had a lengthy conversation about which unit of measurement we should be using to measure the perimeter of the actual building. Using the SMART Board students took turns going up and clicking on the different points of the building in order to create its outline. We then discussed how to convert units from centimeters (cm) to meters (m) to kilometers (km) and which unit is best to use for this particular shape.

Once this activity was done students began their own journeys all over the world. They chose a specific building or wonder of the world that they wanted to learn more about. They took measurement readings of their building and then converted the measurement into cm, m and km. Students compared the perimeter and area of different structures all over the world with structures that they were more familiar with, such as their homes or school.

Great Wall of China

The final step in this mini project was for students to present their structure to the class and then state why the unit of measurement they used was the best. It was a great learning opportunity as many of them realized that sometimes meters was a good unit to use and at other times using kilometres was better – like when measuring the Great Wall of China. I think Google Earth is a great tool to use with students and I can’t wait to learn more about how it can be used in the classroom.

Thoughts after the Project was Completed

I really liked the outcomes of this project but I was also curious to see how student learning and understanding of the subject matter may have been influenced by this project and tool. I gave my students the same exam that I used in previous years. When assessing the test I realized that while students’ scores were consistent with previous classes in the knowledge portion of the test, their scores in the comprehension section were on average higher than the previous year.

I also started thinking about others ways that I can use Google Earth in my classroom and school site.  One great idea came to me after reading some research conducted by Virginia Woolf Miscellany. In this study students used Google Earth to follow the travel paths of historical explorers.  I find it so funny that I didn't get this idea for myself a long time ago (Sells, 2008).  Maybe the reason I haven't thought of this idea is because I don't teach Social Studies (even though I have a History degree).  Either way I feel guilty for not sharing this idea with other teachers.  In the future I will make sure to think of all the subject students learn at schools especially those that I do not teach as they are often that ones that are overlooked.

I am really happy with this new way of using Google Earth and I can’t wait to learn more about how else to utilize this great program.

Personal Growth

Great Pyramids of Giza

After listening to all my students’ presentations of how the large and magnificent wonders of the world, I was able to personally reflect on how much time it would take to build these structures. I can tell you that I am in awe about the time, effort and man power that was needed to build the wonders of the world. I am now more humbled by these structures and can honestly say that I would love to visit many of them. Perhaps in June when I am done my Master’s degree my wife and I can take a trip to Egypt and see the Great Pyramids, maybe we will even track the journeys of historical explorers.

References 

Sells, E. D. (2008). Classroom Strategies for Teaching Woolf: Mapping "Mrs. Dalloway": Teaching Woolf with Google Earth. Virginia Woolf Miscellany, (73), 28-30.

Richardson, W. (2010). Blogs, wikis, podcasts, and other powerful Web tools for classrooms / Will Richardson. Thousand Oaks, Calif. : Corwin Press, c2010.