Teacher+Notes

Information about this Google Earth Island Project Grade 7 Social Studies Unit Lessons are standards based, support the curriculum, and are developed around this social studies topic.

Unit Duration: 14 days

 * 2 days for introduction and pre-activities
 * 3 days of research and note-taking
 * 4 days creating islands on GoogleEarth
 * 3 days to review notes and edit placemarks
 * 2 days for the post-activity of presenting and reflection

Essential Question:

 * What factor (s) has the most significant impact on the development of a country’s culture, economy, and government?**

** Standards addressed: **
Several **NETS** were addressed and some **CT Social Studies Curriculum Framework (CTSSCF)** standards interrelated with the use of technology in this project.


 * Creativity and Innovation ** and Content Knowledge Standard 1
 * (NETS 1a) Students have just finished a unit where they learned about and applied the five themes of geography. The Island project provided an opportunity for them to apply their prior knowledge in a new way, addressing the features and systems of the earth, the impact and dynamics of population in a specific region.
 * (NETS 1b) Students created an original island rooted in research, but ultimately represented students’ personal interests and interpretations. Students were encouraged to be as creative as they wanted. Some created GoogleEarth tours while others created websites or advertisements.
 * (NETS 1d) Students used GoogleEarth to simulate the existence of their virtual islands.


 * Communication and Collaboration**
 * (NETS 2b) Students used GoogleEarth, the internet and a variety of digital materials to support their individual learning and to communicate their ideas to their audience of peers and teachers. The resulting class project was published on the internet for parents to view.
 * (NETS 2d) By merging all the islands into a class project, students could develop and display relationships to other students’ islands. Thus solving problems of commerce and trade and forming allies for security and disaster help.


 * Research and Information Fluency / Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making and Social Studies Literacy Skills-standard 2**


 * ( NETS 3a) (CTSSCF 2)Students focused on a selected area of the world and decided how an island might look and what kind of culture might develop. Students responded to focus questions as well as their own plan of inquiry.
 * (NETS 3c) (CTSSCF 2.3,2.4)During the research process, students used an array of materials, including videos and internet websites. As well as Atlases and other 3D models. They applied their knowledge of the themes of geography to determine what materials to seek out and how useful they were.
 * (NETS 3b) (NETS 4a) (NETS 4c) (CTSSCF 2.6)Students cultivated their further understanding of cultural concepts which was a driving force in their choices of information. Students developed questions to search for specific topics. Focus questions, tasks, rubrics, and graphics organizers helped guide students in their organization of their information. They evaluated their findings and synthesized them to formulate their vision for their virtual island.
 * (NET 3d) (NETS 4b) (CTSSCF 3.2)Students demonstrated that they processed their research data and reported their results with the creation of their virtual islands.


 * Digital Citizenship **


 * (NETS 5b) Students exhibited an enthusiastic involvement in their use of technology during this project.
 * (NETS 5a) They practiced safe and legal use of information and technology.


 * Technology Operations and Concepts **
 * ** (NETS 6a) (NETS 6b) ** Students needed to use the internet, Word and GoogleEarth to complete this project successfully. They could choose to use other tools to assist in their learning or enhance the presentation of their project.
 * (NETS 6c) (NETS 6D) The students’ grasp and understanding of the complexities of GoogleEarth was varied. Proper file saving was crucial and incomplete elements needed troubleshooting.