Google Earth is just one of those tools that makes you go wow. I suppose since I teach geography I'm naturally disposed to love Google Earth, and the fact that ever since I was a kid I loved to study maps while in the car on family vacations. However, Google Earth, beyond just being fun, is an extremely powerful tool for the classroom. It essentially allows the teacher to take the students anywhere in the world. It goes beyond just being a virtual field trip, Google Earth has features that allow teachers to deepen and enhance the content within their lessons, units, and curriculum.
Additionally, Google Earth can be incorporated across content areas. One could imagine how it could easily be implemented into a social studies based curriculum. Other content areas can use Google Earth as well. I have created a number of video tutorials to demonstrate the basics of Google Earth and explaining how to use it in social studies, language arts/reading, and science. These are meant to provide examples of how to use Google Earth and hopefully spark ideas of how to incorporate it as an additional tool for teachers to enhance and deepen instruction.
Google Earth Basics:
http://www.screencast.com/t/QkzNJ0dyVK3
Google Earth Social Studies:
http://www.screencast.com/t/J8AELvdonL
Google Earth Language Arts/Reading:
http://www.screencast.com/t/oJxu9Gst4
Google Earth Science:
http://www.screencast.com/t/7OpZPXXm1xa3
