Google+Earth



I hope you learned more about this fascinating tool! Students (and teachers!!) could spend HOURS exploring this amazing application! Here are a few more features of Google Earth.

When you create your own tour you can save it as a kmz or kml file. Create a folder under My Places. Name the folder. Now add your placemarks to GE or drag existing ones into your new folder. When you're finished, go to File/Save/Save Place As. Save it wherever you want. Then send it to someone so they can open your file on their computer! Your students will be able to do this and give YOU their file.
 * Creating Your Own File**

Many people create GE files and upload them so that we can download them. Check out Google Lit Trips for Google Earth files that tie in with literature! If you don't find a lit trip for the book you want, maybe you'll get some ideas from these. Real World Math has many lesson plans and ideas for using Google Earth in Math. Most of the lessons are cross-curricular.
 * Downloading Files**
 * Click on download on a lit trip of your choice. If your Google Earth is open it will automatically go right into your GE. It will be in temporary places. If you decide you want to keep it, click on File/Save/Save to My Places. Now every time you open GE it will be there!

If you have your own photos of a place that you'd like to put in Google Earth, you must first put them online in picasa.com. You'll then use the exact URL for your photo and paste it in the description area of the placemark. Or you can copy the embed code (I like this method better) and paste it in the description area. Try both ways and see what you like the best.
 * Adding a Photo to a Placemark**

I LOVE this!! But it gets pretty tricky! I'm just going to put the easiest way to add a video to a placemark here! Here's a video that explains how to embed a video in Google Earth. media type="youtube" key="yE0pAQHpnE4" height="349" width="425"
 * Adding Video to a Placemark**
 * Upload your video to YouTube, SchoolTube, or TeacherTube.
 * Copy the embed code of your video.
 * In the description box of the placemark (//see the instructions on the Great Places page//), paste the embed code.
 * THAT'S ALL!!!!

Embed a Voki
Go to http://voki.com. Create a voki. Record yourself talking about a particular location or landmark. Embed the voki at that place. This works just like embedding videos. Copy the embed code of your voki and paste it in the description box of the placemark.