Creating a Google Field Trip on iPad

Ian, Sally and I are currently working with Boston Public Schools to support argumentative writing through the use of technology.


We chose to focus on the iPad as our tool for creating digital texts and tools. Working with Rae Niles, a professional development superstar from Apple, we were finally able to overcome many of the  limitations of working with the  iPad as a classroom set. 


Rae helped us set up edmodo as a workspace, and we transitioned away from the top down Moodle model we had to support teachers. Involvement in our community is spiking. Teachers are seeing the iPads now as more than a glorified word processor. 


As grant facilitators, however,  we have to constantly remind ourselves of the goal: improving writing. Therefore we try to connect a specific digital text and tool to a pedagogical goal.


I have been helping one teacher develop a digital field trip using the iPad.

Google Earth on the iPad-Extended Project


Google Earth on the ipad is not as robust as the full version. This tutorial also assues you do not have a Google account (which would allow you to set up trips in myMaps and then display them on the iPad). 


The goal of my thinking was to try to set up a field trip that could be done solely on the iPad. If you have better ideas or know of resources let me know:


1. Figure out what you want to teach. Always start there. Always. If kids are exploring different countries in Africa, for example,  what do you want them to showcase. This can include a historical site, a cultural site, an important economic stop, politica stop, etc


2. Once you have the criteria the next step would be for the kids to research the elements that you decided on. They could use Safari to research and keep notes using Pages (alone) or Evernote together


3. Next they would have to choose five locations that "symbolize" each of your criteria in their country


4. Google Earth on the iPad doesn't allow you to pinpoint or build maps. It does however keep search history. We can use this to our advantage. The kids would basically build a rough draft of their "field trip.


5.Once they have five finalized sites they clear the history. They can search for the five sites. When it is time to present in front of the class they will be able to quickly navigate the search history.


6. You and the other students could then offer feedback on the presentations using a rubric you created in Socratic ( I would add google forms..but if you have forms then you have a google account and can build maps.)


7.As your final assignment the kids could then "microblog" about their trip using an edmodo group you set up. All of their posts would be "in character" as if they were visiting the five sites. Here you could look for the types of writing we would want in the humanities.


Google Earth on the iPad-Short Project


1. Figure out what you want to teach. Always start there. Always. If kids are exploring different countries in Africa, for example,  what do you want them to showcase. This can include a historical site, a cultural site, an important economic stop, politica stop, etc


2. Pre-plan the trips for groups of students. Hand each group a slip with their five slots.


3. Select to display Wikipedia and panoramic photos in Google Earth.


4. Have students go to each of the five sites. Have each group take screenshots of photos. 


5. The groups can complete their research using the embedded Wikipedia links.


6. Groups can put together a quick presentation using Keynote.


These ideas were the result of a quick brainstorming session on edmodo. If you have other ideas please share.