Educator’s Guide to Geographic Regions of
Alaska GE Lesson
Overview:
This lesson utilizes Google Earth as part of the study of the Five Themes of Geography as they apply to the
geographic regions of Alaska.
Grades and Subject Areas:
4th Grade Social Studies
Objectives:
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Students will use the Five Themes of Geography to research information about the geographic regions of
Alaska.
Students will used the Advanced Search features in Google Search to find copyright free images.
Students will use Google Earth to create placemarks for the Alaska regions.
I Can Statements:
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I can use the Advanced Search features in Google to find copyright free images.
I can create a placemark in Google Earth that includes text and a picture.
I can utilize information about the human and physical features of places and regions.
I can understand and evaluate how humans and the physical environment interact.
Curriculum Connections:
Alaska Content Standards:
Geography:
A student should be able to make and use maps, globes, and graphs to gather, analyze, and report special
geographic) information. A student who meets the content standard should:
1) use maps and globes to locate places and regions;
4) use graphic tools and technologies to depict and interpret the world’s human and physical systems.
B. A student should be able to utilize, analyze, and explain information about the human and physical features of
places and regions. A student who meets the content standard should:
1) know that places have distinctive geographic characteristics;
7) understand that a region is a distinct area defined by one or more cultural or physical features;
Technology:
D. A student should be able to use technology to explore ideas, solve problems, and derive meaning. A student who
meets the content standard should:
1) use technology to observe, analyze, interpret, and draw conclusions;
3) create new knowledge by evaluating, combining, or extending information
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using multiple technologies.
ISTE Student Standards:
3. Research and Information Fluency
Students apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information. Students:
b. locate, organize, analyze, evaluate, synthesize, and ethically use information from a variety of sources and
media.
c. evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to specific tasks.
5. Digital Citizenship
Students understand human, cultural, and societal issues related to technology and practice legal and ethical
behavior. Students:
a. Advocate and practice safe, legal, and responsible use of information and technology.
b. Exhibit a positive attitude toward using technology that supports collaboration, learning, and
productivity.
ISTE Teacher Standards:
4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility
Teachers understand local and global societal issues and responsibilities in an evolving digital culture and exhibit
legal and ethical behavior in their professional practices. Teachers:
a. advocate, model, and teach safe, legal, and ethical use of digital information and technology, including
respect for copyright, intellectual property, and the appropriate documentation of sources
b. address the diverse needs of all learners by using learner-centered strategies and providing equitable
access to appropriate digital tools and resources
5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership
Teachers continuously improve their professional practice, model lifelong learning, and exhibit leadership in their
school and professional community by promoting and demonstrating the effective use of digital tools and
resources. Teachers:
a. participate in local and global learning communities to explore creative applications of technology to
improve student learning
c. evaluate and reflect on current research and professional practice on a regular basis to make effective use
of existing and emerging digital tools and resources in support of student learning
Technology Integration:
Hardware and Software Needs
Computer with high-speed Internet access (internal microphone and camera optional).
Google Earth version 6.1x or above.
Tips and Tricks
• Explain that students will be using KML (Keyhole Markup Language) code to be “programmers” to create
their placemarks. Students will be using the Add Image button in Google Earth version 6 to add their
images, and then insert code to adjust the image width.
• Explain to students the difference between the image location URL and the page URL. Practice doing one
or two of them together.
• Have students use the Firefox browser when completing worksheet activities, so that they will see the
option “Copy image location”.
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• Use movement in the lesson by having students sit in one location while watching you, and then move to
their computers to actually do it. This helps keep them focused, and also follows brain research, which says
that students do better if they get up and get moving.
• Show students how to copy and paste the code <p> instead of typing it in after each entry if appropriate.
• Have students “ask myself, ask my neighbor, ask the teacher” when they have questions.
Resources:
Handouts or Downloads
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Alaska Regions GE Worksheet
Web resources
Google Earth Resources for Educators
http://teachers.spart5.k12.sc.us/taylorte/googleearth/Resources.htm
Google Earth for Educators
http://sitescontent.google.com/google-earth-for-educators/
Creating a new placemark-Google Earth Help
http://support.google.com/earth/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=148142
Lesson Plan
Prep Time: Approximately three 45-60 minutes class periods for student research, completion of the
worksheet, and creation of the first placemark together in Google Earth. One additional class period is
needed for students to create their second placemark.
Suggestion: Work with your ITT to do the planning and setup of your first project.
Prior to the Lesson:
1. Handout the student worksheet via PowerSchool or upload it to teacher’s website so that students can
download it.
2. Have students complete the worksheet.
3. Review accessing and saving to the fileserver.
Time Needed for Lesson:
One class period for the overview of Google Earth and the creation of 1-2 placemarks.
Directions: Teacher will use the “I do, you do” method to introduce Google Earth
1. Teacher will review the “I Can Statements” for the day.
2. Teacher will review digital citizenship by explaining that photographers need to be credited for their
artwork, and sources of information need to be identified.
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Quick Google Earth Intro
Open Google Earth- discuss how students have used it in the past, explain we’ll be adding placemarks with
information in order to create a class tour of the Alaska geographic regions by copying and pasting information
from the worksheet into the Google Earth placemark using “KML” which stands for Keyhole Markup Language.
They will be “computer programmers” telling Google Earth how to display information. We will do the Interior
together as practice since this is the region in which we live.
Show 3 sections in the Sidebar
1. Click triangle to make Search and Places contract.
2. Click triangle next to Layers to expand.
3. Click triangle next to Primary Database, click in box to uncheck everything.
4. Click triangle next to Places to expand.
5. Click triangle next to Search to expand.
6. Hold down the Control key and click on My Places.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Select Add Folder.
In the Name box type your first initial last name and region (i.e. TYocum-Interior).
Click OK.
Be sure the folder is still highlighted.
Type: Fairbanks, Alaska.
When it comes time to do your individual region, type the city or village, Alaska in the Search bar.
12. Click on the Placemark
icon on the menu bar to add a placemark.
13. A pushpin will appear on the Google Earth Map. You can click and drag it to move if needed as long as
the description window is open.
14. A window will open. Change the Name from “Untitled Placemark” to the desired name by typing in the
name of the city or village for the first waypoint (example: Fairbanks).
15. Click OK.
16. Make sure that it shows up in your folder under My Places.
17. Under the Search bar, click on the x
to get rid of the duplicate placemark.
18. Open the worksheet with our interior region information. Later students will repeat with the information
they researched.
19. Highlight and copy (Command C) the facts from your document. See the sample we will be doing
together below.
Region: Interior
Major city/village: Fairbanks
Wildlife: Moose, salmon, beaver, eagles, birds, and many insects
Natural Resources: gold mining, fishing
Landforms: Chena River, Tanana River, Yukon River, mountains, forest, cliffs
Weather: Very cold winters, it can get to -60 below; warm to hot summers, it can get to 90 above
Economy: The military, hospital, and university are major employers. Many people fish and work
construction or mining
Indigenous people: Athabaskan
Interesting facts: Fairbanks is the second largest city in Alaska. The Athabaskans are well known for their
fiddling. Moose sometimes roam the neighborhoods in the winter.
20. Click back on Google Earth.
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21. Control click on the placemark (pushpin) and select Get Info.
22. Paste the information (Command V) into the Google Earth dialogue box.
23. Type: <p> after each item to create paragraph breaks. See example below.
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2.
3.
4.
Adding an Image
Be sure your curser is underneath the text.
Click on the Add image icon.
Click back on your worksheet and highlight then copy (Command C) the image location for the image of
the animal.
Click back on Google Earth,
5. Paste (Command V) inside the Image URL dialogue box.
6. Click OK.
7. The code will be displayed at the bottom of your window.
8. Directly to the left of the > type: width=200
9. Click OK.
10. Click on your placemark to be sure the image inserted correctly.
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Your placemark will look something like this:
Repeat with the “My Research” information for your region.
Saving Your File
1. Hold down the control key and click on the folder you created in Google Earth.
2. Select Save Place As.
3. Save it to your desktop (be sure it’s .kmz)
4. Upload to PowerSchool or to the server (depending on your teacher’s directions).
Tip--Back Up My Places!!!
1. Click on File ! Save! Save My Places.
2. It’s also good to occasionally Save Place As and give it a name (i.e. My Places 1-18-12) so that any places
you have created are put into a single kmz file for backup.
Extension/Challenge:
• Students can add additional KML code to bold topics.
• Students can create additional placemarks for the other three geographic regions in the state.
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• Students can add sound clips, movies, web links, and additional images to their placemarks.
• Students can write a paragraph about the region they researched and compare it to the sample of the
interior and tell why they would or would not want to live there.
• Create a simple tour of the regions.
• Combine kmz files together to create a class tour.
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1.
Alaska Regions Google Earth Worksheet
Click on File ! Save As.
a. Save this as your 1st initial last name-your region Worksheet on your folder on the
server ex. (TYocum-Interior Worksheet).
Alaska is divided into five geographic regions: far north, interior, south central, western, and
southeast.
2. Use your Alaska Land of Motion book to research and record the following information
about the region you have been assigned. A sample is done for you. We will use this sample
to create our first placemark together.
Sample
Region: Interior
Major city/village: Fairbanks
Wildlife: Moose, salmon, beaver, eagles, birds, and many insects
Natural Resources: gold mining, fishing
Landforms: Chena River, Tanana River, Yukon River, mountains, forest, cliffs
Weather: Very cold winters, it can get to -60 below; warm to hot summers, it can get to 90 above
Economy: The military, hospital, and university are major employers. Many people fish and work
construction or mining.
Indigenous people: Athabaskan
Interesting facts: Fairbanks is the second largest city in Alaska. The Athabaskans are well known for
their fiddling. Moose sometimes roam the neighborhoods in the winter.
My Research
Region:
Major city/village:
Wildlife:
Natural Resources:
Landforms:
Weather:
Economy:
Indigenous people:
Interesting facts:
Selecting an Animal Image
We will follow the steps below together to get a moose image for the interior placemark. You will
then type in an animal representing your region and paste the image location in the table. A sample is
done for you.
Animal name
Image location
Moose
http://www.public-domain-image.com/cache/fauna-animals-public-domainimages-pictures/deers-public-domain-images-pictures/moose-and-elk-publicdomain-images-pictures/moose-and-calf-animals-in-forest_w725_h508.jpg
Moose
1. Open Firefox.
2. Type in the following URL: google.com
3. Click on Images.
4. Type the name of the animal (example: moose).
5. Click the search icon.
6. Click the gear and select Advanced Search.
7. Click the pull down menu next to file type: and select JPG files.
8. Click the pull down menu next to usage rights: and select free to use share or modify.
9. Click the Advanced Search icon.
10. Click on the image you wish to select so it opens in full size.
11. Hold down the control key and click in the middle of the image.
12. Select copy image location.
13. Click in the cell next to the name of your animal.
14. Hold down the command and v keys. The image location will paste inside the cell.
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