Thursday, December 11, 2008

Great opportunity from Google Earth

Greetings Teachers,

We hope this newsletter finds you feeling jolly as you prepare for the upcoming holiday break. But, before you leave your classrooms, we wanted to share a couple of special programs we think you and your students will really enjoy:

First up, the Google Earth and SketchUp teams are excited to announce the first-ever Google K-12 curriculum competition for educators in the US! Launched November 12th in conjunction with the new Ancient Rome 3D layer in Google Earth, the competition brings together a thrilling new feature in Google Earth with your imagination and teaching expertise! A joint effort between Google, the Rome Reborn Project, and Past Perfect Productions, the new Ancient Rome 3D Layer in Google Earth allows users to view and explore over 6700 3D buildings as scholars determine they stood in 320 AD. If you ever dreamed of walking along the same streets as Constantine or gazing up at the Coliseum as it stood in ancient times, you'll be amazed at what you can experience behind your keyboard! The curriculum competition is a chance for you to gain recognition (and a fabulous prize package!) by reconfiguring new or time-tested curricula using the new technology. All grade levels and subject matter are accepted, and any electronic file format is welcome. Be sure to visit our blog post for more information. Visit earth.google.com/romecontest for competition details, frequently asked questions, and registration links. The competition deadline is February 9, 2009, so get those creative juices flowing now!

And for children of all ages - naughty or nice, here at Google, we're keeping our eyes on the sky in search of a jingling sleigh led by reindeer and carrying scads of presents, and a man in a big, red suit. But we're making it easier for you to find Jolly Ole St. Nick by once again partnering with NORAD on the 2008 NORAD Tracks Santa website. From now until Christmas eve, you can read about the history of the Santa Tracker, see a countdown to take-off, view updates from Santa's Village, and play holiday-themed games – a new one released each day – at the Kids Countdown link. The fun really begins on December 24th when at 3am PST, Santa lifts off into the northern sky to begin his trek around the globe. NORAD tracks his progress in real time, marking his stops and his current location in Google Maps, Google Earth, and Google Maps for Mobile. In addition, strategically-placed Santa Cams feed videos of his flight to YouTube and to the NORAD Tracks Santa video page.

Visit www.google.com/educators for more information about these and our other programs. And be sure to stay tuned for the exciting projects we have in store for you in 2009.

Until then, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

Warm Regards,
Cristin Frodella

Google K-12 Education Outreach

Google for Educators
http://www.google.com/educators

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