MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES 2006

A good link to GeographyPages from Frank Taylor's rather wonderful GEARTHBLOG. A good start to the year.

Ever since Google Earth was first released, I've thought teachers of all sorts would find it an indespensible tool for teaching. In particular, I'm sure geography lessons are being transformed by Google Earth. It turns out there are some web sites to help teachers use Google Earth for Geography.

There is a site dedicated to tools on the Internet for enhancing geography called JuicyGeography (www.juicygeography.co.uk) which is written by a teacher in Somerset, England. The teacher has a growing resource for teachers for using Google Earth to teach geography. Included are suggestions for lessons and resources (GE Files and placemarks) to build lessons. One of the most interesting lessons is a decision making exercise letting students evaluate the hazards in an earthquake in San Francisco. Ideas also include doing image overlays, using GIS data, mapping, using GPS, and more.

Another useful geography site from the UK is called GeographyPages.co.uk. The teacher responsible for the site recently was awarded Royal Geographical Society - Institute of British Geographers Innovative Geography Teaching Grant. He has also developed an extensive collection of notes and references for using Google Earth to teach.

Looks like the UK educators are first to see the opportunities with Google Earth and start writing about it on the web. Are there other similar web sites for educators who want to use Google Earth? Leave me a comment here, and I'll write about them in future stories and add them to the Reference section.

DOUG BELSHAW has some nice ICT ideas and postings relevant to HISTORY, but has also mentioned me...

Featured on a list of REALLY USEFUL WEBLINKS produced by the HUMANITIES ASSOCIATION, complete with a rather nice description!

Geography Pages – Possibly the best Geography resource link on the planet!

http://www.geographypages.co.uk/

Also featured in TEACHERS TV list: a BUYERS' GUIDE to IWBs and Digital Projectors

Digital Projector Bright Ideas

http://www.geographypages.co.uk/proj.htm

Practical classroom ideas, mostly relating to secondary geography. Many of the methods can be adapted to other subjects or stages

Now linked to from PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY website of Peter Knight, which is aiming to become a portal for quality physical geography information which is a link between the academic world of universities and that of secondary schools. Below is a link (click the image), and the description of GeographyPages:

GeographyPages
A fantastic site for students and teachers with loads of resources, links, information, advice and ideas. Home of "Geo Blogs" and "Earth: A Users' Guide". A real treasure trove. Regularly updated and maintained by a great enthusiast and subject specialist. Brilliant.

Linked to from website of SWANWICK HALL SCHOOL, Derbyshire & several new blogs produced by teachers.

Featured in the WEBSITE ADDRESS book Issue 25, Summer 2006 the one with the daisies on the front, which is sent to all Secondary schools (I think)

WGFL document on Starters and Plenaries is heavily influenced by a certain page on GeographyPages.

Did some work for Teachers TV on a programme called "Top 10 on the web for Geography". This is to be broadcast on September 11th, and the website has a list of 50 Geography sites, which mentions GeographyPages. Apparently the Top 10 websites bear no resemblance to the ones I suggested though.

MENTIONED IN DISPATCHES...