KD+-+Google+Geography


 * Google Geography Page**

I took quite a while looking at the Google Lit Trip... because (1) I am big Steinbeck fan and (2) because I believe the history of place is really impotant. I believe the lesson was designed to support the idea that place is essential in the work of John Steinbeck. Steinbeck was an evironmental determinist, i.e., he believed that the environment shaped the outcome of our lives. The route traveled in the Grapes of Wrath is central to the outcome of the story and to the characters' lives. The beauty of the map is (1) students can see the path and have some understanding of place and (2) students can conceptualize the distances traveled and see (in a brief overview) the basic outline of the story in a mapped form.
 * Review of Google Lit Trip**

I really like the idea of mapping locations and travels becuase it provides a different view of the story. I was not sure (based on the ammount of inormation used) that Google Earth was the best way to get that information across. The Steinbeck trip seemed cumbersome and I woul have liked to see fewer placemarks. In addition, if you are not great with Google Earth, it can be a tough site to navigate. Hit the wrong button and you are a long way from the information you wanted. Still, I think mapping is a great way to help students see the informatin in a sequetial and spatial way.

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