Getting Started on Google Earth

**This is a repost of something I wrote for a NING group that is no longer as easily accessible as it used to be.**

Google Earth is a program that has a plethora of uses in the classroom. As Google Earth has been around for over five years, many people, educators included, have written about the many applications Google Earth has. If you are curious about the different things you can see and do with Google Earth, you could easily spend the rest of your summer surfing the 'net discovering cool things. This post mentions just a few to get you started.

What are some reasons to use Google Earth in the classroom?

• To help students visualize information--both current and historical
  
• To engage and excite students
  
• To use up-to-date real-world data
• To provide cross-curricular learning opportunities
• To help connect students to global ideas and cultures
• To enable students communicate research, data, and stories in meaningful ways

Google Earth is a rich program that can be used where students each have their own computers as well as in one-computer classrooms. It can be used to stimulate ideas and conversation in teacher-led discussions, but it is also easy enough for students to use collaboratively or individually to explore or create their own projects.

Getting Started

It's FREE to download Google Earth, and it only takes a few minutes. Once you open the program, a window pops up to offer tips on how to use Google Earth. Those pop-up tips can be handy, and they can also be disabled if you find them irritating.

Don't forget to return to the main site from which you downloaded Google Earth. On the left bar are several links that can provide assistance for users of all experience levels. The Product Tour is actually a series of mini tours about different aspects of the program. These tours are short--no more than 2 minutes, but some as short as 30 seconds. If you need more help than that, the Community link takes you directly to a discussion forum that will likely have answers. If you don't have the patience for a forum, try the user's guide.

From the user's guide site, on the left side bar you can find a link to "Build Earth Skills." Although this sounds like a link specially designed for extraterrestrials, it's actually Google Earth: Learn, self-guided, in-depth tutorial on how to use the program's various tools. You can't just click around on the subjects: you have to start from the beginning. There are tasks to complete and quizzes to take before moving on to next levels. Too bad we can't earn some PD credits from it!

Google Earth in the Classroom

Once you dig around in Google Earth for a little while, you will probably start to think of ways you can you it in your classroom. How can it enhance an old tried-and-true unit? Does it build a bridge between your class and a colleagues for cross curricular lessons? Does it spark an idea for an inquiry-based project?

Here are a few websites that can help get your creative juices flowing with Google Earth. (Or you can just "borrow" ideas from others--that's why they post them!)

• Twenty-Five Interesting Ways to Use Google Earth in the Classroom is a slide show by Mark Warner that can get you started with some ideas. (Check out Warner's other "Interesting Ways" slide shows.)
• Google Earth Lessons is a great go-to guide for everything Google Earth for teachers, as it has links to current developments, lessons, and how-to guides. The lessons organized by type, such as teacher-ed and student-led rather than grade level.
• Google Earth Across the Curriculum does not have a wide array of lessons, but it is a good, basic starting point for teachers wanting to explore how Google Earth can be used outside social studies classrooms.
• Apple Learning Interchange's goals is to give students leverage with Google Earth in such a way they they call it "A Joystick to Learning." Navigate from the right menu to find enough ideas and links to keep you busy for a few days.
• Free Technology for Teachers is a resource blog on many uses of technology in the classroom, including Google Earth. This may not be as robust as some of the previous sources, but it is casual site to poke around in.
• Google Lit Trips is an especially interesting site for language arts teachers. How often do we try to bring a bit of a book's culture into the classroom so students can connect better? This site has some of those resources created already for books ranging from k-12+ levels. It also offers help on how to create some of those resources in your own classroom.
• And just for my SNWP friends, check out Tom Barrett's journey in using Google Earth as a storytelling tool in his classroom. Scroll to the bottom of the post to link to and read the other entries in the series.

Each of these links can certainly provide hours and hours of study on using Google Earth in your own classroom, but these few resources are just the tip of what's available. Once you start digging around, you'll find there's a lot to learn about our world through Google.

Now go take on the world!

(And when you're finished you can start on Mars, too!)

Summers are for Reading

I'm such a nerd. One of the things I am looking forward to this summer is having the time to read. It doesn't take much to bliss me out!

Throughout the house, I have quite a few book I have purchased over the years, but for one reason or another have not gotten around to reading them. Some of the books take a little more concentration than I can spare, so I often read quick, brain candy.

I don't have as much time as I did last summer, when I read 30 books, but I bet I can do half that!

Over at Shelfari, I have my to-read list. Chime in on any you think I should read right away. I might be adding to the list in the next few days because there's a donated box of reads kickin' around her somewhere, too.

I'm Sorry I Asked

The final question on the 8th grade final exam is actually an essay where students brainstorm the units or activities they liked and disliked. Afterward, they select one thing that should be changed or aborted next year. It is up to them to persuade me to change or modify the activity or unit. It can be so powerful to get feedback from students, but this is the second year in a row where I wish I hadn't even asked.

I'll think I'll post some of them here in a few days, but I'd say 85% of the reflections were simply whiny. It's too hard. It was boring. Everyone did a bad job on it. It was stupid. It's really too bad that some of my students couldn't be more articulate because my colleagues and I do take the feedback into consideration when we plan for next year. Instead, at this point, I have a poor opinion of my students' poor opinion of me and my class.

Next year, I definitely need to help my students develop their persuasive skills so they don't sound like lazy, bratty teenagers when somebody asked for their critical opinions.

The Final Act

Glancing up at the clock, I see that it is exactly 12 hours until my class starts in the morning. In the morning, it will be the last week of school. Finally. My mood is better just thinking about it.

At my school, the last week is rather anti-climatic. We have one full day of classes, and then the next three days are minimum days where students come in and take exams for two classes each day. I still have to show up the day after that to...do whatever until I can take my keys and check out papers to the office.

It is not a week full of field days and fun. Students may not bring backpacks to school, and they are searched at the gates each morning. No stink bombs, Sharpies, and shaving cream for the kiddos! They may bring pencil and paper. Please bring a pencil; you are taking a test today.

After the last class, we escort our students to the quad and herd them outside the gates. Yes the message is very much, "Get the hell outta here!" I mean, uhm, "Go home and enjoy your afternoon while your teachers spend the afternoon grading your exams."

It's always amused me because I hear of other schools who have a week of fun, and my school is all about academics. Plus, we take every measure to avoid shenanigans that will result in the school being trashed the last week of school.

I've often felt sad for my 8th graders. Although in the week prior, we do have an awards ceremony (not everyone is invited, though) and the fancy 8th grade dance, their final moments in middle school are almost hostile.

Last year, the administration decided to hold a short promotion exercise after school on the last day. I think such ceremonies have been frowned upon a bit because there are people who think that 8th grade is as much education as one needs; however, it's a pretty big deal to be leaving middle school and moving onto high school, so why not celebrate?

Representatives from all of our classes formed the promotion committee where students decided on songs, colors, and guest speakers from the student body and faculty. The students walk in front of the stage where their names are called along with their future high schools. I love that part. It's not the end for them; it's the beginning!

That's more like it! A celebration for the students, by the students. That leaves much more lasting memories.

Textbooks in? Check!

The deadline to collect textbook was today, and by some miracle, I collected every single one of my books without having to write a fine slip.

A few years back, in a fit of anger, I assigned homework to students who did not return their books on the day I collected them. In a lot of ways I don't even agree with my behavior. Punish students with homework? Eh, well. Sometimes we gotta do what we gotta do.

I told the students, "There are so many things we did not learn this year, and it is evident that you are still willing to learn because you are keeping your textbooks. Here are some exercises that will help you. This is not busy work. These are weaknesses from your writing that I've noticed could use some attention."

The truth is that few of the students did the homework, but they did bring their books in. That was the objective! I didn't grade or penalize the lack of homework. It wouldn't have affected their grades anyway. Shhh! Don't tell them that.

As I was leaving today, one of the near-retirees was in the office picking up fine slips to fill out. I proudly told him that I had collected all of my textbooks and how I used homework as leverage. It worked like a charm! He patted me on the back and said, "You keep telling yourself that."

Burst my bubble.

So Done

It's been a long year with my students since October. They came with a bad reputation, and except for a few weeks early in the year, they lived up to it.

You know, let me just insert here that sad truth about this rough class we've had. Not all of them are awful. In fact, there are so many who are darling and wonderful, but they are overshadowed. A class is determined by its worst students, no? You know it's so true.

Apathy has been a major battle all year. Although I do not have too many students who are failing, I have far too many who have Cs and Ds--and not because it is beyond their ability levels. For most of the year, the apathy has resulted in missing assignments, and worse yet, missing final writing assessments and major projects. Those students made the ones who turned in poor quality work look like geniuses. Such frustrating performance for an accelerated class.

Two of my classes are difficult to manage. Of course, one of them is my largest, and there are no more seats available for segregation. Not that it would matter. In that particular class, there are so many chatty Charlies and Cathies that I've given up on any useful seating configuration, except for five, whom you might think I pick on if you walked into my class, but they absolutely have to stay away from each other. That particular class has produced a record number of parent conferences, and for the most part, it has made no difference in anything. Despite all of our efforts, those students are just difficult...immature...distracted--super exasperating!

No joke, I am just plain mean to some of the students. I don't know what else you would expect of me after all we've been through. It would be nice if I could rise above to that teacher quality that makes me a super-being, but I'm just done with it all. My restraint in not screaming, "STFU!" and throwing actual daggers--not just the ones with my eyes--should be good enough. And what does mean look like? From the time they walk in my classroom, my foot is on their backs. Not literally of course. At this point in the year, they do not even have a chance to do the right thing before I assume they will do wrong. Don't shake your head and think, "She is creating the behavior. She should encourage them to do the opposite, and they will." Yeah, well, the psychological ship sank a while ago, and I'm in dying a slow death on a half-inflated life boat.

Oh, but wait! I see land in the horizon! Get me off this boat! HELP ME! Bring margaritas!

Yesterday, the students were working in groups to revise their last writing project and a few students asked me to sign their yearbooks, and so I passed mine around, too. It was a low-key day. I was cringing, hoping that nobody wrote something mean that would ruin the rest of my year, but nobody did. Some of my biggest irritants wrote long, sentimental notes about how they my class was really one of their favorites--even if they didn't do everything they should have... even if I did constantly yell at them...even if I did make them stand because they liked to sleep in class..even though they didn't get good grades, they learned new things. They thanked me for being a good teacher. They told me they would miss me.

Man, do I feel terrible for my animosity toward them at this time of the year.

Wait? Is this a manipulative trick orchestrated by students who use their intellect for evil? Let's get even for her being mean to us. Let's make her think everything was okay! Ten years from now she'll remember me for being one of her best!

I'm just paranoid. They're kids. They'll mature someday.

So, I guess I'll try to be more patient in the next 8 days.

Try.

Celebrating People Like Me

It's finally here! National Teacher Day, the day where the students celebrate their teachers by lavishing them with gifts that cannot be construed as bribes.

Oddly enough, it is one of the few holidays in our country that doesn't encourage people to purchase massive amounts of junk food or expensive greeting cards.

The only best gift I received from a student was a jar of homemade plum syrup. From a student--not a student organization or administrator. Homemade. Witty. Sweet. It's the simple things in life...

(Okay, I'll be honest. The student who brought the jam has been bringing sweet little teacher gifts all week. She's not a brown-noser or anything. She--along with her mother who is an elementary teacher--is just very thoughtful.)

Too bad that the everyone does not get behind lavishing teachers with gifts. Bring on those apples, but please keep in mind that teachers are truly powered by chocolate. I don't care that over the 15 years I've taught I've accumulated 2 teacher coffee mugs, I could always use more; there are seven days in a week, you know! And it is here that I have to admit my personal shame in my lack of teacher-related pencil and ruler-shaped jewelry. By the way, I like rubies are my birthstone, but anything shiny enchants me.

Oh, but in all honesty, I really do appreciate the simple things in life. My students could get a little creative in their gift-giving. Perhaps they could follow all of the rules without acting like they hadn't learned about classroom procedures 9 months ago. Maybe they could turn in all of their homework assignments done to perfection. How thrilled I would be if they listen to me with rapt attention as if they truly believed I am the smartest person they know. Now, that would be a great gift to the average secondary teacher!