Google Earth Writing

Fourth Grade

Materials/Preparations: At least two computer stations (preferably more) with access to Google Earth.

Paper/pencils.  

Suggestion list:

Archipelago (a group of islands),

Badlands,

Bay,

Beach,

Bridge,

City,

Confluence (where two or more rivers/streams flow together),

Desert,

Forest,

Glacier (an area of permanent ice),

Grassland,

Gulf (a large area of water surrounded on several sides by land),

Island,

Isthmus,

Jungle/Rainforest,

Lake,

Mountain/Mountain range,

River (bends/ ox-bow lakes)

River (delta)

River (rapids)

River (reservoir & dam)

Salt flat (white, dry lake beds, usually in dry, mountainous regions),

Town,

Tundra (the region of grass and moss in the far north)

Volcano,

Wetland

Part I

(Pull up Google Earth on projector).  We are going to do a scavenger hunt. Each of you will have exactly five minutes to find a geographic feature using Google Earth.  You can make a short list of at least three no more than five features to look for from our big suggestion list.  I’ll be checking to see you have a short list before you begin your search.  Feel free to add any feature you would like to search for that isn’t on the big list, but I’ll let you know if I think it might be too hard to find.  Five minutes is a long time, be sure to use your time well, though.  Look for things from different altitudes (indicate eye alt and how to zoom out/in).  When you find something, use this (indicate) save image button.  So, as an example, what from this list should I look for right now? (take suggestion) Alright, I’ll look for a volcano.  Now, because I have been practicing this for a long time, I know where to find lots of volcanoes, but say I didn’t know, does anyone have an idea what kinds of areas I might start to look for a volcano? (suggestions: islands, Hawaii) Those are great suggestions, I’m sure I could find one that way.  I also know that volcanoes are mountains, and sometimes they are found in mountain ranges.  (Find a volcano in Andes)  Now we’ve found a volcano, I click the save image button, and the program asks me to name the image, and it wants to know where I would like to save the image to.  This is important, name the image the type of feature you found followed by your name, then choose the file called Earth Writing and press save.  Shall we have one more example? who wants to find an island? (take volunteer), alright John Doe, where are you going to start looking? “The ocean” Ok, John has found an island, if he wants to, he can rotate the N which marks north to get a different perspective.  Do you like the picture? save image, name it Island John and save it to Earth Writing.  

I’ll call you up to use a Google Earth station, while we wait there is a “geography features definitions” project.  (Get first group started on GE, then explain definitions project.  Pictures of features need to be matched with terms and definitions.  Once terms are matched with pictures, write sentences comparing/contrasting similar features, for example, butte vs. messa.)

Part II

Now everyone has gathered images of different geographic features, we are going to have some fun with them.  I’m moving these files online (move Earth Writing folders to box.com folder imbeded in class blog).  Now you can all look at the pictures you and your classmates found on your own (in-class if we have iPads, at the computer lab or with a laptop cart if not).  Choose several and write about them.  Write at least one piece of poetry about a feature, one story set in a place that involves one of the geographic features, and at least one  descriptive work.  Write in first, second or third person.  Have fun with it.

Here’s a rubric of what I’m looking for in your writing:

Sentences which describe the feature, paint a picture with your words so a reader can see what you are talking about with their mind’s eye.

(for poetry/fiction) Feelings that the feature inspires should be present in the writing.  

Imagine the emotion this place inspires: mountaintop, empty desert, quiet forest, busy town.