Geography podcasts

http://earthsky.org

Listen to FREE, ONLINE ,daily, EarthSky.org podcasts...fascinating science, space and geography subjects! You may download the podcasts or embed their podcasts into a blog, etc.

I used them every morning with my 6th grades classes as a "listening" (comprehension) class starter. The kids listened to the podcast, jotted down a few notes about what they heard and we discussed the topic for a few minutes. The kids turned in their "Earth&Sky" notes every Friday...I was able to give them a comprehension and class participation grade from their work.

(turn off the music gadget in the sidebar if you wish to listen to the podcasts now...)

Up Pompeii, courtesy of Google Streetview

Studying about the Ancient Roman Civilization? Take your students on a tour of Ancient Pompeii...NEW & now available courtesy of Google Streetview!


Up Pompeii, courtesy of Google Streetview

Posted using ShareThis

Google Earth/Sketchup Competition

PLACE, one of the important 5 themes of teaching geography, is sometimes a daunting subject. What characteristics make a town, city, community, state, country or region unique or different from any other similar location on earth? City architecture and building designs often distinguish a location....and Google Earth/Sketchup has a competition that may inspire your students to create 3D portraits of places in their communities that make them unique.
Information about the GOOGLE Model Your Town Competition follows (from the Google Sketchup site):

GOOGLE MODEL YOUR TOWN COMPETITION
http://sketchup.google.com/intl/en/competitions/modelyourtown/index.html

"Get Started Entries accepted until March 1, 2010

Google Model Your Town Competition

What makes your town an incredible place to live?
Show your civic pride (and maybe win a prize) by creating a 3D portrait of your community and sharing it with the world. You have the power to get your town on the map – and there's no bigger map than Google Earth.

See what other towns have done (Google Earth file)
The Google Model Your Town Competition is open to people from all over the world.
All you have to do is build 3D models of the buildings in your community. Model whichever structures you think are necessary to show the planet what's special about your town. Be recognized by your community for doing something great. Having a 3D model of your town in Google Earth helps residents and visitors understand it in a way that flat maps and photographs can't. You can be a local hero by making a contribution to your town's future.

Getting started is easy.
You can enter on your own or recruit up to five of your fellow citizens to help you form a team, and the software tools you need are free.

Get started today
Details, details . You can model as many structures as you like – which types of buildings you choose to include is entirely up to you. The important thing is that your choices say something about the character and history of your town. Modeling teams may include up to six members.
Buildings can be modeled with SketchUp, a free and relatively easy-to-use 3D modeling program from Google. You use SketchUp in combination with Google Earth to give models a precise geographic location. Buildings can also be modeled with Google Building Maker if your town is located in an area where Building Maker data is available. These models can also be edited and improved with Google SketchUp. Each completed building model should be uploaded to a dedicated town collection on the Google 3D Warehouse"

Quick online geography quizzes

If you need a quick, pre-made, FREE online geography quiz for your students, try:

http://www.lizardpoint.com/fun/geoquiz/

Quizzes available for many subjects, mostly

about political and physical maps of the world, some

countries or regions.

OR create your own online geography quiz @:

http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/

1. Create a quiz (with their online templates & tools)

2. Share your quiz online, email, or blogsite.

3. View quiz results for discussions and assignments.

PRI's The World -- Geo Quiz

"PRI's The World - Geo Quiz Podcast [PRI]
The World's Geo Quiz tests your knowledge of world geography, and introduces you to fascinating people and places around the globe. The World is a US-based international news and analysis program co-produced by the BBC World Service, WGBH public radio in Boston, and Public Radio International. Visit this podcast's Web site
Updates: Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m., Fridays at 5:15 p.m. EST Duration: approx 12 minutes "


http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast.php?id=510009

MSN's BING: Geography based

Wow I've been away for awhile, but need to share a cool, albeit indirect geography site!!

MSN Live Search engine--now renamed and redesigned as BING search engine-- has an incredible geography based website!! Each day the BING website background picture changes. The photos are of beatiful locations/cultures/people/cities all over the world. The great thing is that as you scroll over the background picture, little bits of info about the site pop up with additional links that tell about the city, place, culture, etc!!


http://www.bing.com/?scope=web&mkt=en-US&FORM=WLMLQB


This could be used everyday as a geography "class starter" activity to get the kids settled down and focused on your geography subject...You could even use the pop up bit of information as a kind of quiz or subject starter.....ENJOY!!!!!!