Unit # 1: Google Earth - Making Connections among Earth’s Spheres Culminating Activity

Due: Oct 31, 2011Student’s Name ______

Task

  • For the next week, you will collect newsworthy information that tells about major world events that have occurred within the last six months. These could be about natural disasters (earthquakes, hurricanes) or humans affecting natural systems (over-fishing, building a dam, wildlife extinction) or natural systems affecting humans (global warming, etc). Media collected should relate to this physical geography course and our topic of study.
  • The following is a list of suggested websites below with weekly logged current events from around the world. You are also encouraged to use media sources such as CBC News, the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star (Do not simply copy):
  • Create a Google Earth Placemark Map that reveals 6-8 event Placemarks and includes a brief description of each event (Who, What, Where, Why, How etc.). You will also need to find a representative image for each event and be sure to incorporate it into your Placemark. Your task is to include an event for each sphere (Biosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, Lithosphere and Cryosphere) and cover at least 4 continents.
  • Please watch the Google Earth “how to” create a Placemark clip and use the HTML online text editor to insert your text. Both links are available on the SSD.
  • Each event item should be properly referenced under the brief description! See agenda for citation notes or the teacher. In addition, each event should be from a unique source. A minimum of 5 resources is required for this assignment.
  • Submit a one-page typed summary of your Google Earth Placemark events.
  • The assignment should be saved as a Placemark .kmz file and will be presented to the class. Please refer to rubric for evaluation details.

GOOGLE EARTH INSTRUCTIONS…

  1. Launch Google Earth.
  2. Click on the Add menu and select New Folder. Give it a name, such as Enviro Issues.

Your newly created folder will appear in the My Places window. Highlight this folder and note that you will be saving all of your Placemarks to this folder.

  1. In the Search window, under the Fly to Tab, type in your first issue location name or

coordinates. This function will bring you straight to your location.

  1. Consider zooming into the best viewing level for the desired location. Choose any one of the following methods:
  2. Select Placemark from the Add Menu. OR

Click the Placemark icon on the toolbar menu at the the top of the screen OR Right-click the Environmental Issues Folder and Add Placemark.

  1. The New Placemark dialog box appears and a New Placemark icon is centered in the viewer inside a flashing yellow square. Position the cursor on the Placemark until the cursor changes to a pointing finger and drag it to the desired location. The cursor changes to a finger pointing icon to indicate that you can move the Placemark.
  2. In the New Placemark window add a description for your issue example and your selected image representative of the problem. You can either go to an online HTML text editor OR you can use the following text inserted example in your Description window.USE the Firefox browser to insert images, using the Rich Text option!

<div align="center"<img

src="

<div>

Make sure you enter the full URL for your image and keep all of the URL text on the same text line (do not hit enter). To avoid typos, it is best to copy and paste your URL from the Internet address bar! You may also wish to change the pushpin icon (if needed, select the button), colours and style, view and altitude.

  1. Repeating steps # 2 to 4 instructions continue to add the remaining Placemarks.
  2. Once all of your Placemarks are complete, select the Tools menu, Options, and Touring Tab. Customize your Fly to/Tour setting by inserting an appropriate Tour Pause time etc.
  1. When complete, select Options and Play Tour. Rehearse your presentation timing and make sure all of your selected pushpins display the images effectively.
  1. Save your folder by right-clicking on the folder > Save as… It will contain a .kmz extension. Give your file an appropriate title.
  1. Check to make sure your can open your file and prepare for your class presentation.

Google Earth - Making Connections among Earth’s Spheres Culminating Activity

Evaluation Rubric:

Criteria / Level 1
(50-59%) / Level 2
(60-69%) / Level 3
(70-79%) / Level 4
(80-100%)
Knowledge/ Understanding
- Understanding of the issues and spheres
(10 marks) / - demonstrates a limited understanding of the issues and spheres / - demonstrates some understanding of the issues and spheres / - demonstrates a considerable understanding of the issues and spheres / - demonstrates a high degree of understanding of the issues and spheres
Communication
- Virtual Tour Design and images used to demonstrate concepts
- One-Page Summary (communicates information through writing)
- Oral presentation (15 marks) / - lacks Tour essentials and appropriate images
- communicates information with
limited effectiveness / - some of the Tour and image essentials are used in the layout
- communicates information with
some effectiveness / - most of the Tour and images essentials are present in the layout
- communicates information with
considerable effectiveness / - all of the Tour essentials and images are present in the layout
- communicates information with
a high degree effectiveness
Thinking/Inquiry
-Demonstrates an effective and appropriate use of Google Earth software to perform the tour task
-Use of critical thinking skills to evaluate Online sources and issue/sphere
Selection
(10 marks) / - few of the specific operations necessary to perform the task have been accomplished
- applies creative thinking skills in researching and selecting online sources with limited effectiveness / - some of the specific operations necessary to perform the task have been accomplished
- applies creative thinking skills in researching and selecting online sources with some effectiveness / - most of the specific operations necessary to perform the task have been accomplished
- applies creative thinking skills in researching and selecting online sources with considerable effectiveness / - all of the specific operations necessary to perform the task have been accomplished
- applies creative thinking skills in researching and selecting online sources with a high degree of effectiveness
Application
- uses information to suggest and evaluate a variety of issues
- meets all required assignment criteria
(10 marks) / - shows limited insight in applying findings to the issues
-no sufficient issues and spheres are covered / - shows some insight in applying findings to the issues
- Some criteria is present and effective / - demonstrates good insight in applying findings to the issues
-all criteria is present and effective / - clearly and creatively shows insight in applying findings to the issues
- all criteria is present and completed to a high degree of effectiveness

Note: A student whose achievement is below Level 1 (50%) has not met the expectations for this assignment or activity. /45

CGF3M: Physical Geography Canadian and World Studies