WhatElse

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Social Studies
Here is a great idea I've been using with Second Grade students during their study of Pioneers and the Oregon Trail. I have each child research a site along the trail and then create their own placemark for that site. Each placemark includes a picture, a brief description (2-3 sentences) and a link to the site. Here's an example: Prior to this activity the kids spend 3 or 4 lab sessions playing the Oregon Trail simulation, and they are discussing the Oregon Trail in class. This helps them understand that there are forts and small towns along the way. I assign each student a place to research. I merge this list into a research sheet that the students use in their initial research. They then use the directions for creating a placemark in Google Maps (you can find this on my website: []). If you plan this out right, and organize it carefully, it is a great project for any elementary level.

Oh, I have created a single user on Google that all my students use to login. I also create the map ahead by importing this file into Google Maps:. You'll need to delete the placemarks this file includes, but it is a great starting point. -Phil Biggs