Created by B. Warren at Middle Creek High School, Apex, NC

Created by B. Warren at Middle Creek High School, Apex, NC

APES Google Earth Virtual Tour Assignment

Goal: You and your partner will create a TOUR using Google Earth Software. The landmarks that you will include on your tour will represent all aspects of the course concepts.
Example landmarks to be included: agricultural locations, power plants, water treatment plants, geographic features, ecosystems, national parks, superfund sites, large lakes, eutrophic areas, off shore oil rigs, and many many more!
As you know from class, Google Earth can be used to show just about any topic that we have learned about. This will give you a chance to explore and create a guided tour of APES!

Step 1: Open Google Earth Software.

Step 2: You will search and find landmarks using the embedded search bar OR by entering coordinates or addresses that you find by using the Google search engine.

Step 3: Once you have zoomed in on your landmark, you will click the icon that looks like a yellow pushpin (add placemark).

Step 4: Once you have clicked the “add placemark” icon, a window will pop up. In this window, enter the title of your landmark. Be specific. You will also type a description of the landmark. Information to include: What is it, how does it work, what does it to, etc… I expect details from class materials to be included here. You can also add a picture if you want.

Step 5: Once you have completed the information box, click OK. You will notice that the placemark has been added to your list of “places” on the left side of the page.

Step 6: You will need to repeat Steps 2-5 for AT LEAST 20 landmarks and places. Please be broad in your selection. For example, only choose one nuclear plant. If you are going to include a hydroelectric dam, limit it to one. I want a large variety of landmarks from EVERY unit. Each unit needs to be represented. Use your reading guides for hints on locations to include.

Step 7: Once you have created all of your placemarks, it is time to make the tour. Click the icon at the top that looks like a video camera.

Step 8: You will see a bar pop up near the bottom of the screen that has a red record button and a microphone. Once you press the red record button, the tour is being recorded. In other words, everything that you move and go to on screen will be recorded and saved.

Step 9: Press the red record button. Click the placemarks you have created on the left side of the page to go to each placemark one after the other. As you go to each destination, make sure that the information appears on the screen and you zoom in enough for viewers to see detail.

You will click each placemark in succession until you have viewed and shown each destination.
When your tour is complete, hit the red record button again to stop the recording. If you feel that the tour was not smooth and organized, simply restart the recording and start from the beginning.

Step 10: If you are satisfied that your tour recorded correctly, click the disk “save” icon. Name your tour with your last names and click OK.

Step 11: Your newly saved tour should appear on the left side of the page near your saved placemarks. Right click the name of your tour and click “Save place as…” Give your file a name (your last names), choose a folder on your student drive, and make sure file type: .kmz is chosen. Click save.

Step 12: Email your .kmz file to my email address. Alternatively, you can upload it to your Google Account and share it with me.

Your creativity, accuracy of details, variety of locations, spelling, and smoothness of tour will all be factored in to the grading of the assignment.