This is a very simple way to encourage your students to be curious about the world. Have them open Google Earth in a browser. Then click on the I’m-Feeling-Lucky button in the left column (it looks like a die with 5 showing).
Earth will then take them to a random location on the globe. Ask the student to explore the area in which they’ve landed and describe what they see in a post to whatever class discussion tool you have available. When you are back in a live setting, I’m-Feeling-Lucky is also a good discussion starter with the whole class.
Google Earth will work in any browser on any computer, including Chromebooks, but works best in Google’s own Chrome browser. There are also free Google Earth apps available for smartphones and tablets, although some features may be different or missing, depending on the platform.
After everyone has had a little experience using Earth, take a look at the tours in the Voyager section (the icon that looks like a sailing ship’s wheel).
Shared by: Tim Stahmer, @timstahmer