Science/Grade 6/Session 7 of 8 Using Other Google Earth Tools

Focusing Questions What are some other Google Earth Tools? How can I use these tools in a weather unit?

Instruction

Framing The Session In this session, participants will learn to use a few more Google Earth Tools. They will learn how to use the “placemark” function to mark a certain area and input information about this point. They will learn how to use the “polygon” function to highlight a certain area to be grouped together. They will learn to connect points by using “add path” feature. Finally, participants will learn to use the “ruler” tool.

Teaching The following slides will take you through the process of adding placemarks, polygons, paths, and using the ruler functions. Placemark Polygon Path Ruler

Using Placemarks Decide where you want a placemark and what information you want to include in the description. Click on the Yellow Pin on the top of the Google Earth menu bar and place the placemark where you want it. Type in the information for the placemark in the description pane. When done click on OK and your placemark with information is placed. Notice that they give you the Latitude and Longitude for your placemark.

Using Polygons Decide on an area that you want to highlight or focus on and the information you wish to include about this area. Select the polygon button on the menu bar and highlight the area you want to select. Type the information you wish to include about this selected area into the description area. Click on OK to save your information. This information will be visible in the “My Places” section of your task pane.

Using Paths After placing several placemarks, click the path button to connect them. Start at the first placemark and slowly move your pointer in the direction you want your path to go. Add any text you wish to associate with your path. Click OK to save your path and information.

Using the Measuring Tool Decide what you want to measure on your map. Click the ruler and put it on the first point of your path to measure. Move your cursor to the location you want to measure. Google Earth automatically measures the distance in the units you chose.

Guided Practice

Use Google Earth and Fly To the place you were born. Add a placemark with information about where you were born. Find the capital of place you were born (state, country, etc.) and add a placemark with information for this as well. Use the path tool to create a path from your place of birth to the capital. Measure the distance between the two.

Work Time

Getting Started Take the next 30 minutes to create your own storm path with supporting textual information. You can also use Google to look up additional information to add to your information panels. After you have created a storm, traced its path, and included questions to use the measure tool with, we will come back together and share

Work Time Use what you have learned to create a storm path with at least 5 different path marks with embedded information and tasks using the following features: - pathmark feature with embedded information - path feature to connect pathmarks - polygon feature to highlight a certain area - ruler tool to measure different distances

Share

Today we learned how to use some of the Google Earth Tools. Now we are going to discuss how they relate to our focusing questions and how you can use them in your weather unit. Share

What did you find challenging, what worked well, and what would you do differently? What other activities would these tools be useful for? Share

How does this work address the questions that began the session? Answers