BL11_2009112_Researching and Blogging about Web 2.0 tools

Google Earth     http://www.google.com/educators/index.html This is a great site to use in the classroom for teachers. I need to tell you that the Google Earth Pro site costs $400 but last year when I joined it was free for Educators.  I had to contact Google Earth and tell them I was an educator and would be using their product in the classroom.  I had to give specific examples of how I would use this in the class.  They also required a letter from my principal verifying my authenticity as an Educator.  I did not care because the product and the time was well worth it for the product.  Our district provided us with specific training on how to use the product in the classroom.  This year they now have Explore the Moon, Explore the Ocean, Mars 3D and historical imagery.  You can create a trip and save it.   By being able to save the trip you can adapt it from year to year, show it to your class each hour without recreating it each time.  I was teaching American History last year and created a Historical Battle Sites lesson that was great.  There are also lessons on Google created and shared by other teachers. You can use them or adapt them for your class.  Teaching sixth grade we study Africa and the Middle East so you can show the students the terrain, mountains, etc.  Have fun with it, the students love it.  It also has 3-dimensional available and you can add the state lines,  and roads.  Many of my students have never been outside the state of Florida so after the Presidential election teaching Government I was surprised at how many eighth grade students thought that the Vice President lived in the White House with the President of the United States!  I took them on a trip and showed them where the White House was and where the Vice Presidents lived.  I could even show the students the Masonic Star in Washington, D.C., zoom into Philadelphia and Interdependence Hall.  Too cool!