Using Google Earth on a Chromebook

First off, in case you missed it...you can use Google Earth completely in the browser (meaning also on a Chromebook).  Earth was an application that you used to have to install, but this is no longer the case.  If you haven't tried it lately, do yourself a favor and have some fun with it!

There is lots of great content in Google Earth. I'd be happy to help you find a match to your curriculum, whether it be exploring the setting for a novel that students are reading, the landscape of a region they're learning about, the mathematics of latitude and longitude...lots of possibilities!

Anyway...
The specific point of this post is that I was working with two 9th science teachers this morning on using Google Earth to study changes in glaciers.  The need was to upload KML files from the National Snow & Ice Data Center (NSIDC) site.

Here's the solution:

• First off, what's a KML file? It's simply a text file that contains information about geographic data.  Google Earth uses these (as well as KMZ files) to show information about places. 
• Download the appropriate file from the site above (or other source). 
• Important note: When you download a file to your Chromebook, it goes (by default) to your Downloads folder (which is a folder that only exists on that particular Chromebook).  If desired, you can drag it into your Drive to be able to access it from any device.   
• In Google Earth, you need to enable KML file uploads.  This is in Settings.  Scroll down to the bottom and turn on. You (and students) only need to do this once.  See the screenshot below.

 

• You're now ready to upload the KML file.  
• Once loaded, you can double-click on any location to "fly" there.