Google Earth
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Google
Earth is a tool that many people know about but hardly anyone uses to it’s full
potential. It allows you to immediately fly to any place on Earth and take a
virtual tour. My kids love getting to see their own house or our school from overhead
or sometimes even ground level. This is cool when you want to explore
DisneyWorld without actually going there, but there are also layers, pins, and
ways to create your own maps on this program.
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There
are lots of awesome features on GoogleEarth. You can drop pins and lable things
however you want to. You can see everything from overhead/sky view, or you can
go to ground view as if you were actually standing there. There are also layers
you can overlap such as buildings, roads, weather, and even actual photos. I
think that the features are a little bit confusing to figure out, so that is an
initial hurdle for people. Also, the layers are continually changing, so while
I was planning on using the Ancient Rome layer for a lesson, when I looked
again it wasn’t there anymore.
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I would
absolutely recommend this tool because of it’s flexibility. There are so many
different things you can do with it. It is also very engaging for students
right off the bat. I also recommend it because it is helpful in every content
area. Connecting what they are learning to maps and where things are is a great
way for students to remember things.
•
Here is
an example of a lesson I would teach with Google Earth: As we progress
through our thirteen colonies unit, my students will be creating a tour of the
13 colonies. In past years I have discovered it is very difficult for students
to remember information specific to each colony, such as important crops and
geography. They will work in groups of 5 students. They will drop pins in each
colony and distinguish which region each colony was in. They will also select
different pins for each region, making them easy to identify. Next, they will
add important information about each colony to their map. They will then share
and evaluate each other’s maps.
•
Higher
level Bloom’s Taxonomy as related to my previously stated lesson: Students will
be applying what they learn about
the 13 colonies to be able to compile information and create the maps (synthesize.) They will be comparing and
contrasting (analysis) the different
colonies to see how they are the same and different. They will finally be evaluating each other’s maps for
accuracy, creativity, and content.
Google Sketchup
•
This
tool is Google Sketchup and it allows you to create in 3-D space. You can
design many different structures and manipulate the space to see them from all
angles.
•
There
are tons of awesome features of this tool. They have tried very hard to make
the program easy to manipulate with short cuts and mouse features. You can
change colors and textures and add text. A feature that I dislike is that you
have to have downloaded the program in order to see any file created in
sketchup. So I cannot create a sketchup and send it to a friend to look at
without having them first download the software.
•
I would
recommend this tool for teacher and older student use. It is easy to use and
creates stunningly crisp, vivid, and realistic project design that could
transfer to many different subject areas. I think the program is too advanced
for younger students to be able to navigate.
•
An
example lesson I would use this program for: High school geometry- Have
students create all the different types of geometric solids on sketchup. They
can then manipulate the image and see the shapes from all sides. They could
color the shapes to put them into categories. They could also highlight features
of the shapes such as the bases (which are important to naming the solids.)
•
Higher
level Bloom’s Taxonomy for my lesson idea: Students will be taking what they
know about geometric solids and applying
and demonstrating that knowledge to create (synthesize) a final project in sketchup. They will be analyzing the shapes as well as
comparing and contrasting them to each other to put them into categories. They
will also need to justify (evaluate)
their choices of what category they put each shape into with evidence in their
sketchup.
Spacecraft 3-D
• This is an excellent augmented reality iPad
app. It allows you to see several different NASA spacecraft in three
dimensions. It also gives information on each of these crafts.
• There are many awesome features on this app.
Students can select a spacecraft, examine it closely and from many different
angles. On many of the spacecrafts there are movable parts the students can
control as well. Actual pictures of the craft and a little bit of information
are also included. The only feature I dislike about this app is the limited
number of spacecraft available.
• I would definitely recommend this tool
because of what a unique product it offers. You can look up information on the
Internet about each of these craft, but nowhere I have found enables you to
interact with them in 3-D space. It makes the learning very real and engaging
for students.
• An example lesson of how I would use this in
the classroom: I would put the students into pairs and allow them to just explore
the app and gain new knowledge about a spacecraft of their choice. I would then
have them present to each other about what they learned. This is putting the
responsibility back on them to teach their peers.
• Higher level Bloom’s Taxonomy in the previous
lesson: Students must operate the app correctly (application.) They need to compare and contrast their spacecraft to
the craft presented by other students (analysis.)
Students will also be appraising the presentations given by the other students
(evaluate.)
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