Monday, June 25, 2012

Vicki- Google Earth Across the Curriculum

Handouts will be uploaded to ISTE website if you are interested.

Presenters: JoBea Holt & Kim Bernard
Time: Monday June 25

Food for Thought:

While waiting for the presenter to begin sat next to a fourth grade teacher from LA who's school has 1;1 laptop for 3-5 and 2:1 iPads for 1st & 2nd. The laptops are take home also. Picked her brain on the do's and don't. One piece of advice (which turned out to be more than one piece): there needs to be common language and procedures on usage, consequences, parent understanding of purpose and clear expectations for teachers "teachers should never use the laptop as a behavior tool!" Some good advice to discuss for plans in year 2 of low cost laptop implementation.

On to the workshop thoughts:

Two key things:
1: Know the tools
2: Know the Earth

There was a sales pitch for their books "Google Earth in the Classroom" there are three books for various levels.

Part 1 of book
- understanding Google earth
Part 2 of book
- how to use google earth in curriculum areas
Part 3 of book
- interdisciplinary areas of focus

Participated in a lesson:
Measuring America
- lesson is designed to integrate math some skills were
-identifying geometric shapes
- measurement using Google Earth Tools
- problem solving
-word problems

Very engaging, hands on but as a teacher you need to be well versed with all the various tools on Google Earth

The teacher resource book is $24.99 ; however there are free resources at the below website for teachers that include lesson plans created by other teachers

http://sitescontent.google.com/google-earth-for-educators/

Overall: Google Earth is a great, engaging tool for students that can be utilized as an individual tool, small group and whole classroom!






No comments:

Post a Comment