Feeling Tour-iffic!!

While exploring new modes of delivery in my classroom, I've discovered Google Tour Builder, an outstanding way to put multiple varieties of content  (websites, text, video clips, images) into my students hands so they can explore and learn at their own pace....and it's tour-iffic!!

If you haven't seen Google Tour Builder, I recommend taking a look at this Egypt Tour that I made for Sixth Grade Social Studies:

https://tourbuilder.withgoogle.com/builder#present/ahJzfmd3ZWItdG91cmJ1aWxkZXJyEQsSBFRvdXIYgICAxJD5pAkM

Here are a couple of sample screen shots:

When creating this tour, I used my existing content for Egypt and 'packaged' it into a Tour of the Nile.  Students  click one link to access the tour, take notes on the tour as they read text, visit locations, watch videos and view images.  (***please note, tours cannot be used on i-pads at this time***)  At each stop, students record critical vocabulary, view essential questions and complete a 3-2-1 Postcard documenting their experiences.....3 facts, 2 opinions and 1 question.  It's a GREAT way to make curriculum self-directed, engaging and interactive.

Here is a link to my note taking sheets and 3-2-1- Postcard Template.

What is TourBuilder?  What can it do?

Tour Builder is a way to show select places using Google Earth platform.  It lets you pick locations right on the map and add photos, text, links and video and then share your creation.

Google Tours are great for any event that spans multiple locations.  It creates a path or demonstrates a journey in a visual interactive way.

Some examples of great Google Tour ideas:

• Literature Trips - Mark the journeys of characters in novels on the surface of Google Earth.  So MANY have already been created!  http://www.googlelittrips.com/GoogleLit/Home.html
• Travel Summaries - Have students tell the story of their own travels
• Story Telling - Have students write their own stories involving several locations
• Biographical Events (Here's one I created featuring the architectural works of Frank Lloyd Wright)
• Retelling of Historical events
• A collection of locations (i.e., museums, football teams, historical monuments, etc)

How do I create using Tour Builder?

Watch this tutorial:

Access this website for Google's own tutorial pages:  http://www.google.com/earth/outreach/tutorials/tourbuilder.html

No matter what you choose to include in your tour, I KNOW you'll use Your Smarticles!!!