Projects using Google Earth

Many of our students have been using Google Earth in their classes.  Below is a list and description of some of those projects.

Social Studies

Colonial Tour

Students chose ten topics from a list of historical locations and events. After creating a timeline, students conducted research answering a series of questions about each location or event. Students also found a graphic and learned to include the graphic in a placemark by using basic html code. Citations were included along with the factual information and graphic for each placemark, resulting in a tour of Colonial America. (Mr. Dobson)

Tourism Flyer

Students used Google Earth to explore points of interest in a variety of cities in Middle Eastern Countries. Then placemarks were created from researched information about their favorite point of interest. Tourism flyers were created in Microsoft Publisher highlighting interesting information about their point of interest to cast a positive reflection on Middle Eastern Cities, encouraging visitors to choose their point of interest. (Mr. Young)

Latin America

To introduce students to Google Earth, students visited a series of major landmarks in Latin America. A worksheet asking for the absolute reference and description about each of the landmarks allowed students to use Google Earth not only for exploration tool but also as an information resource.

(Ms. Tremblay)

European Timeline

Students created a timeline of five events in European history using Inspiration as a graphic organizer. After conducting research on their chosen events, they typed their information into paragraph form in Microsoft Word. Students then created a placemarks in Google Earth to correspond with their historic event, creating a tour to match their timeline. (Mr. Burke)

Russian Tour

Students work in groups with assigned roles to choose a Russian landmark, conduct research, and create placemarks resulting in a tour to share with students at the end of the project. The variety of landmarks chosen by different groups allowed students to learn about many areas of Russia while enjoying a Google Earth tour. (Mr. Leslie)

World Languages

French Menu

Students in French class visited restaurant locations in Paris and at least two other cities throughout France. After viewing a variety of menus from the restaurants in each city, students created their own original French restaurant menu in Microsoft Publisher. Using the dining selection from Places of Interest in Google Earth identified restaurants immediately for students and provided instant access to restaurant websites. (Madame Cooke)

Spanish Presentation

Students in Spanish class used Google Earth to visit landmarks in cities throughout Spain. Students worked in groups to research the Government/History and other official business, Art/Culture/Tourism, Geography/Climate and Daily Life/Population of one particular city. Each group created a PowerPoint presentation and presented the finished product to the class. One particular benefit of this project was that students discovered additional landmarks in Google Earth not discovered in initial research. (Senora Stigum)

The "ED"ies Committee Visit

On Tuesday, the "ED"ies committee made their much anticipated visit to CMS.  From my seat, I can say that the CMS community should be very proud of the work done by all CMS educators in preparation for the visit.  Additionally, parents and other community members should be beaming about the work and behavior of their children.  In addition to each committee member "shadowing" one student for a portion of the day, they were given a tour of the building by student representatives and several times during the day, the members of the committee were found having "side" conversations with students.   The committee was very impressed with maturity, poise and behavior of CMS students.  My favorite comment heard from a committee member regarding her time shadowing her student?  "You can't fake that type of engagement."

I can't say enough about how pleasant and complimentary the committee members were. While we were charged with showcasing CMS, in very short order, our presentations turned into conversations, as we all candidly discussed  middle-level education.  In some ways, it was reaffirming for me to hear from my peers from around the state that many of the challenges we face hear at CMS are being faced elsewhere.  We shared stories, examples and ideas.  In short, their visit was as reflective and informative for us as we hope it was for them.

Regardless of whether we win the award or not, the process of reflection, self-assessment and preparation for their visit was invaluable.  It gave us an opportunity to celebrate our successes and rededicate ourselves to those areas of need.  Further, with "company" coming, it gave us an opportunity to showcase some of our students' work in our classrooms and hallways.  As a result, the school looks incredible.  Some might be critical, saying that we just beautified the school for the visit, and yes, perhaps we spent more time than usual on displaying student work, posting pictures of students, and creating our 2008 NECAP data wall, but when it comes right down to it, these are all ingredients of great schools and if this "ED"ies visit gave us the opportunity to redirect our efforts, then it was worthwhile.  It allowed us to reflect upon "best practice" and that is always good for our students.

CMS will be informed of the the "ED"ies decision sometime in May.  This blog, of course, will announce the results as soon as possible.

6th Grade Going Green Experience

Many of our 6th grade students are completing an interdisciplinary research unit entitled "Going Green".  This unit employs student choice and differentiated instruction.  There were many possible topics of study that included Alternative Energy, Transportation, Arctic Region Study, Climate Change, Designing your own Green Home, Reduce Reuse Recycle, and Wacky Weather.  Students could investigate many aspects of each topic and choose a challenge level and a way to demonstrate what they learned in the form of a product.  

Students who choose "Alternative Energy" as a topic compared and contrasted benefits and drawbacks of alternative energy sources such as wind, solar, nuclear, hydro, geothermal, and biomass.  Students attended a presentation with an alternative energy expert during the school day.  Some students choose to demonstrate what they learned through a power point presentation while others created models and one student even invented "solar house siding".  

Students who chose transportation investigated alternative ways to power motor vehicles.  These alternative methods included electricity, hydrogen, biodiesel, hybrid, ethanol, and natural gas.  Students attended a presentation by a biodiesel expert and Peter Zack from Maine Energy Education made fuel cells with students and displayed his hybrid car in the back of the school.  Mr. Zack was brought in as a result of a student contacting him for an interview.  He was so impressed with the project and our student, that he volunteered an entire day in our classrooms.

Students who choose Arctic region study investigated how diminishing polar ice would impact sea levels and wildlife in arctic regions.  Students worked with science teachers to create and analyze ice cores in an after school session.

Students who investigated climate change defined climate change and researched evidence of climate change including the causes, perils, solutions, and actions.

Many students were intrigued by the "Designing Your own Green Home" topic.  Students investigated what a green home was and how individuals can go about designing a zero-energy home.  Students considered location and house size, construction materials, heating, plumbing, electrical, septic, and appliances.  Students attended a presentation by Ms. Roe, a local green home and product expert.  Some students also chose to interview her further relative to their product while other students created model homes and noted features of interest.

"Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" was another interesting topic where students explored the reasons for diminishing waste and presented ways that people are cutting back, re-using materials and turning materials into other products for consumption.  Students were excited to learn that Patagonia recycles fleece jackets and they were astounded to find that schools in Naples, Italy were closed because their landfills were filled and trash was piling up on the streets.  Many students started recycling programs at home and one student has created a compact florescent light bulb fundraiser where classmates can purchase energy efficient lightbulbs at a reduced cost!

The final topic of choice was "Wacky Weather".  Students investigated how climate change leads to extreme weather patterns and how our weather and temperatures are changing.  Students attended a presentation from the Mount Washington Observatory.  Students could choose to investigate effects on precipitation including floods, droughts, and heat waves, hurricanes, tornadoes and relate them to impacts on health, plants, and animals.  

Student learning was evident with the presentation of their products and the written response of their reflection papers.  Students were asked how the research has changed the way they think about the Earth and climate change and brainstormed changes they could make in their life to help the environment.  I believe that we have only begun to see the impact that this project will have on the students.  I am proud to say that they are stewards of the environment.  With Earth Day approaching, students are eager to find ways to make a difference.

Professional Learning Communities

Last week, 12 CMS teachers and administrators (all of whom are members of the Good to Great Committee) had the opportunity to hear Rick and Becky DuFour speak about Professional Learning Communities.  Many of those who attended reflected upon the two days.  Their thoughtful and thorough reflections can be read here. 

Politics and this blog

I was reminded by a member of this community that this blog is designed to invite discussion of middle school education, not to politicize and/or editorialize about local issues.  As a result, I have removed my recent post on the the experimental pod at CMS.  The comments of this member of our community were right on and I appreciate his/her reminder.  As always, I invite comments and if one so chooses, I can be reached at 775-8793 or tbaldasaro@sau16.org for individual conversations.  

-Tony