We like the, "Try to break it." learning strategy... click and see what happens! The toolbar at the top of your Google Earth window (see below) has some great features to test out.
What can you find? It's fairly easy to use, and there are many ways to use it in your classroom. Seven year old students at play with Google Earth still amaze me. After one session with the software they're creating placemarks and tours, deep sea diving and Mars roving. What can you or your students create with it?
The collaborative slide show below offers some educational suggestions. Click on the arrows to play the slide show.
Get slide show updates here:
https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dhn2vcv5_175fp5qg9d3
Our class website has some info on today's explorations. Here you can find a scavenger hunt to try as an introduction to Google Earth:
https://sites.google.com/site/mapsinquiry/using-google-earth
While at play, we found that we can measure distances (in smoots!), create our own placemarks, and record tours of particular areas. The information we embed in Google Earth is not so different from what we've done in Google My Maps. And what you do in Google Earth can be shared on My Maps and vice versa. Just look to export or import ".kmz" files.
Some .kmz files we've enjoyed can be found here on Google Lit Trips. This site allows classes to upload their Google Earth tours of literature. Check 'em out! Play them for your students, or better yet, create your own!:
http://www.googlelittrips.com/GoogleLit/Home.html
Happy publishing.
