When viewing files in Google Earth, you can zoom in and out to get detailed or panoramic views of the landscape. You can also click on placemarkers, like the green tree icons in this screenshot, to get more information about a particular location.
When you click on an icon, a box pops up with more information. See below for an example - this gives information about the wetland habitats of the Everglades, as well as providing images and text. You can also embed Youtube clips into these boxes.
My AP Environmental Science students have created final class projects using Google Earth for the past three years. The students have displayed quite a bit of creativity in generating their projects.
You can also convert Google Earth files to Google map versions that can be embedded into a web page. As an example, this is my field trip page, which provides links to data and information on the field studies my AP classes have conducted over the years. (The map needs to be updated, though current data is available here)
I can see Google Earth as a useful tool for teacher presentations or student projects in subjects such as history and foreign language/culture in addition to the earth and biological sciences. Perhaps you can think of other uses too!?
Here one more screen shot from the Everlgades tour, depicting an embedded Youtube video. You can also download Google Earth free and view tutorials. There are some basic instructions in my student project page too.
What a great post. Makes me think of how interesting this would be to use in history, specifically the history of some wars where geography/topography was so important to the outcome. It would also be great to use before beginning a novel in English, when you really want the students to have a sense of "place" or "setting" before they begin.
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