From Spanish Fork to From Spanish Fork to South America!South America!

Violet MartinViolet Martin

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

• I designed this lesson to fit into a 2nd Grade month-long unit on South America.

• This lesson focuses on multiple objectives in the state core curriculum, including:– Standard 3: Objective 4: a. Identify and use

information on a map or globe.– Standard 2: Objective 2: b. Compare rural,

suburban, and urban communities.

I created a Google Earth tour of South America I created a Google Earth tour of South America that began at Canyon Elementary.that began at Canyon Elementary.

This immediately captured the students’ attention This immediately captured the students’ attention because many of them could see their own houses.because many of them could see their own houses.

Our first stop was the Amazon Our first stop was the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil.Rainforest in Brazil.

In Argentina, we visited...In Argentina, we visited...

The Pampas,

and

Rio de la Plata

Then, the breathtaking sights ofThen, the breathtaking sights of

The Andes Mountains,

and

Machu Picchu in Peru

One of our last stops, the Atacama Desert, One of our last stops, the Atacama Desert, has not had rain in over 400 years!has not had rain in over 400 years!

Cape Horn, the southern tip of South Cape Horn, the southern tip of South America, was our final destination.America, was our final destination.

What went well?What went well? The technology I used in this lesson really caught The technology I used in this lesson really caught

and held the students’ and held the students’ attention and curiosityattention and curiosity. I . I showed the presentation to showed the presentation to small groupssmall groups on the on the classroom computer, and every time I clicked on the classroom computer, and every time I clicked on the bright picture of Machu Picchu, the students gasped. bright picture of Machu Picchu, the students gasped. It was exciting to see their It was exciting to see their enthusiasmenthusiasm for my for my lesson and their lesson and their interestinterest in seeing each place. The in seeing each place. The students were students were fascinatedfascinated by Google Earth and the by Google Earth and the sights of South America.sights of South America.

The The descriptions and questionsdescriptions and questions I included below I included below the picture at each landmark effectively stimulated the picture at each landmark effectively stimulated students to students to think deeplythink deeply about the content. about the content.

Visual learners gained a Visual learners gained a clearer visionclearer vision of the of the physical features of South America.physical features of South America.

I was able to easily I was able to easily installinstall Google Earth on the Google Earth on the class computer and class computer and avoid technical difficultiesavoid technical difficulties..

...and not so well?...and not so well?

The school’s two The school’s two LCD projectorsLCD projectors were were unavailable/brokenunavailable/broken, so I was , so I was unable to show the tour to the whole unable to show the tour to the whole class on the projector. I adapted to class on the projector. I adapted to this situation, and I was still able to this situation, and I was still able to use a Google Earth tour to teach use a Google Earth tour to teach about South America by teaching about South America by teaching small groups at a time around the small groups at a time around the teacher’s classroom computer.teacher’s classroom computer.

Changes for the future:Changes for the future:

If I taught a similar lesson in the If I taught a similar lesson in the future, I would like to give the future, I would like to give the students the opportunity to create students the opportunity to create their own tourstheir own tours on Google Earth. If on Google Earth. If I were still teaching younger grades, I were still teaching younger grades, it could be an it could be an interactiveinteractive process process with the teacher where students help with the teacher where students help choose landmarks that the teacher choose landmarks that the teacher adds.adds.

Principles of Principles of Effective Technology IntegrationEffective Technology Integration

► 1. Student Use of Technology1. Student Use of Technology While the Google Earth tour was created by the While the Google Earth tour was created by the

teacher to teach specific content, the students teacher to teach specific content, the students were able to become involved with the technology were able to become involved with the technology in the lesson by interacting with the questions, in the lesson by interacting with the questions, prompts, and pictures at the various landmarks.prompts, and pictures at the various landmarks.

In the beginning of the lesson, students were also In the beginning of the lesson, students were also given the opportunity to locate their own houses given the opportunity to locate their own houses on Google Earth. Some could already see their on Google Earth. Some could already see their houses from the view of Canyon Elementary that houses from the view of Canyon Elementary that began the tour.began the tour.

Principles ofPrinciples ofEffective Technology IntegrationEffective Technology Integration

►2. Technology Use is Essential2. Technology Use is Essential The technology used in this lesson was The technology used in this lesson was

not added as an afterthought. It is not added as an afterthought. It is directly related to the subject matter it directly related to the subject matter it teaches. Google Earth is a tool that can teaches. Google Earth is a tool that can give students a unique view of world give students a unique view of world geography, especially in places that geography, especially in places that students may not have the opportunity to students may not have the opportunity to visit. Technology makes this lesson visit. Technology makes this lesson possible.possible.

Principles of Principles of Effective Technology IntegrationEffective Technology Integration

►3. Focus on Learning Task3. Focus on Learning Task The Google Earth technology used in this The Google Earth technology used in this

lesson focuses students on the learning lesson focuses students on the learning task of discovering the physical task of discovering the physical geography of South America on a map. geography of South America on a map. We did not spend instructional time We did not spend instructional time focused on the numerous features of the focused on the numerous features of the Google Earth program, but rather we used Google Earth program, but rather we used the technology as a tool for accessing the the technology as a tool for accessing the content to be used for instruction.content to be used for instruction.

Principles ofPrinciples ofEffective Technology IntegrationEffective Technology Integration

►4. Added Value4. Added Value The learning process was enhanced by using The learning process was enhanced by using

Google Earth because the technology allowed Google Earth because the technology allowed students to see geographical features of students to see geographical features of South America that they could not have seen South America that they could not have seen without this technology. Even a traditional without this technology. Even a traditional wall map would not have offered the “zoomed wall map would not have offered the “zoomed in” detail, pictures, descriptions, and in” detail, pictures, descriptions, and questions that were included in this virtual questions that were included in this virtual tour. Technology made this lesson both more tour. Technology made this lesson both more efficient and effective in teaching about South efficient and effective in teaching about South America.America.