This page highlights lessons using virtual fieldwork on Google Earth.

UPDATE 08/10/09...You can now record tours in the free version of Google Earth 5.

• The first lesson here on virtual field trips uses a host such as Photobucket to store the pictures that you then load to Google Earth placemarks by copying and pasting the html code over. You can send and save the tours as kmz. files.

• The second tour stores the pictures on your computer and therefore makes you have to send the whole file (pictures and tour) as a kml for it to work. This makes for bulky files.

LESSON 1
Please download the word document on this tour here. A video tutorial is also available on this on the tutorials page.


LESSON 2

Here is the first and most basic virtual fieldwork lesson I have tried out with students using Google Earth. The class have been studying Brazil so I got them to create a virtual tour which consisted of 3 basic steps. 1. find locations of interest, 2. add information they had prepared on each place, 3. add a photo using basic html. The full 10 step lesson is below. You can download it here if you want to print it as an example. The virtual tour we created is located here and will open on Google Earth when clicked.

TOP TIPS! Change the setting for touring on Google Earth before opening KMZ files. Go to Options, touring and slow it all down! Also, make sure the open balloon option is ticked so that you can see the full placemark information.

Virtual Fieldtrip of Brazil

You have been learning all about Brazil in Senior 6 and today I want you to add that knowledge and interest you have into a short virtual fieldtrip using Google Earth. Once we have completed the work I will put the tour on my website ‘googleearthireland.com’ so that interested schools and teachers can look at the information you have created. We will work at the same speed so that I can show you each step on the projector before you complete it.





Here is the work for today.

1. Getting to know Google Earth on the large projector screen.
2. Next, on your own PC you will each be given one place you have learned about during your class project on Brazil to find on Google Earth.
They are listed below.
Christ the Redeemer 1, The Favelas 2, The Maracana 3, The Rainforest 4, Street Children 5, Copacabana beach 6
3. Once you have found the place you then have to add a place mark. To do this:
- click on the yellow pin at the top of the GE screen.
- give the placemark a title.
- change the placemark to a different icon by clicking on the pin.
- Change the icon to the correct number (see your place above)
4. Type in the information you have prepared into the placemark description box.
5. Now you need to get a photo to go with the information.
- find a picture using Google images
- save the image to the desktop
- right click image and select open with Internet explorer
- In the description box on Google Earth type in <img src=”
- Then copy and paste the file path you see at the top of the picture in Internet explorer.
- then add “> at the end of the image path Check your picture is added to the placemark by clicking on it..
6 . Set the view you want to show of the placemark then right click and select ‘snapshot view’. This will safe your view for the tour later.
7. Now you have created your placemark we need to get them all onto one computer so that we can run a tour.
8. Using the memory stick save you placemark
- right click on placemark in the ‘places’ folder on the right hand side.
- save to memory stick.
9. We will now work as a team to change the speed and effects of the tour.
10. Presentation to class of work completed. Well done! k

Here is an example of one of the placemarks created.

The Pupils enjoy the fruits of their labours...