1. Using Google Earth for school grounds fieldwork
Objectives for today’s workshop:
To learn (or brush up on) some basic and some more advanced Google Earth skills.
2. To work in a group to come up with ideas for how Google Earth can be used alongside school grounds fieldwork.
3. To present your ideas to the rest of the group!

2. Things you’ll need to produce (by the end of the day):
A Google Earth tour
3 PowerPoint slides (optional)
One side of A4 outlining your fieldwork objectives, the activities involved, any resources required, and the fieldwork outcomes.

3. Ten Google Earth skills you’ll be learning today!

4. 1. How to find places
London

5. 2. How to use the 3D viewer
Zoom in
Zoom out

6. 3. How to use existing layers
You can access loads of additional information by clicking these layers on and off – particularly in version 5. This includes the new (and slightly controversial) Street View, Weather data, a photo gallery and lots more.

7. 4. How to open other people’s layers
You can create a layer which your students can access and adapt or add to.
Or you can use layers for virtual fieldwork, such as this example of the Sudan from the Geography Teaching Today’s “Africa Today” module.

8. 5. How to create your own placemark
Label places, change the icon, add your own description… a great way to display your fieldwork data.

9. 6. How to save and tour your placemarks
For a real virtual fieldwork experience, create a tour of your placemarks.
You can even record it and add a commentary!

10. 7. How to create a path
Label and describe routes that you’ve taken.

11. 8. How to measure distances between places
Measure how far you’ve travelled and in what direction.

12. 9. How to create “advanced” placemarks…
Add images, weblinks and video clips to your placemarks.

13. 10. How to create a polygon
Show different land uses, catchment areas or flood risk zones by drawing polygons.

14. Things you’ll need to produce (by the end of the day):
A Google Earth tour
3 PowerPoint slides (optional)
One side of A4 outlining your fieldwork objectives, the activities involved, any resources required, and the fieldwork outcomes.