Google Earth TPACK

Students are going to navigate the Oregon Trail using Google Earth. They will meet the following found in the Utah State Core:

Standard 4
Students will understand that the 19th century was a time of incredible change for the United States, including geographic expansion, constitutional crisis, and economic growth.
Objective 1 Investigate the significant events during America's expansion and the roles people played.
c. Compare the trails that were important during westward expansion (e.g. Oregon, Mormon, Spanish, California).

Students will use Google Earth 5.0 for the technology portion of the assignment. I will create a .kmz file for this assignment that will be uploaded for future use. Google Earth 5.0 is great for this type of assignment because the students can get a sense of the surroundings found in the empty spaces of Wyoming, Nebraska, etc. They can use the various tools in Google Earth, such as the ruler, daylight button, and other features integrated in the software.

The pedagogy found in this assignment will be self reflection, critical thinking and cooperation. Students will be forced to use their imagination in reflecting on what it was like to leave Missouri with all of their possessions to embark on a potentially fatal journey. They will then learn that various members of their party had passed away crossing rivers and catching diseases.

Google Earth

Location	Activity	Google Earth Content
1.National Frontiers Trails Museum, Independence, Missouri	Students will write in a Oregon Trail Journal. In this their first entry, students will write about the excitement in traveling on the trail. They will also write about why they are going, what they expect will happen on the trail from stories they've heard, and what they expect to find in Oregon.	Look at pictures of Independence, Missouri - the "Queen of the Trails"
2.Great Platte River Road, Nebraska	Here students will write about their experiences thus far. This might include highs and lows, broken wagons, lost animals, friends gained, etc. Imagination!	Look at the dead space in this region to give students the realization that travelers of the Oregon trail had no Wal-Mart or any other convince. Travelers were forced to resupply when given the opportunity.
3.Green River, Wyoming	Here students will write in their journal about their experiences thus far. They will be informed at this point that half of their wagon trail perished in the crossing of the river. This will also add to their thoughts in their journal.	Students will view pictures of the Green River and use the Google Earth ruler to determine the width of the river and where they would cross.
4.Oregon City, Oregon	Here students will be informed that some of their family had passed away on their trip from Green River to Oregon City. Teachers may decide to to tell students that some had contracted a disease while others were attacked by animals, frost bitten, etc. This will be the students final entry.	Students will read the wikipedia article on Oregon City, Oregon. They will also view pictures of the city and its surrounding area.
Details of image overlay / path / polygon:	A path of the Trail students will follow