Author Laura Conaway

Subject Library

Grade Level/Course 8th grade in collaboration with English classes

Title Journey Around the World

Standards AASL

Grow, Include

1. Seeking interactions with a range of

learners.

2. Demonstrating interest in other

perspectives during learning activities.

3. Reflecting on their own place within the

global learning community.

Grow, Inquire

1. Continually seeking knowledge.

2. Engaging in sustained inquiry.

3. Enacting new understanding through

real-world connections.

4. Using reflection to guide informed

decisions.

PDE SAS

Standard - CC.1.2.8.G
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of
using different mediums (e.g. print or digital
text, video, multimedia) to present a particular
topic or idea.

Standard - CC.1.2.8.C
Analyze how a text makes connections among
and distinctions between individuals, ideas, or
events.

ISTE
 Creative Communicator
6b Students create original works
or responsibly repurpose or remix digital
resources into new creations.

6c Students communicate complex
ideas clearly and effectively by creating
or using a variety of digital objects such
as visualizations, models or simulations.
Objectives Students will be able to create a Google map
path with important places in their life to show
understanding of using Google Earth as a
precursor of following along on a lit finder path
for a story they read in English class.
Duration Two 40 minute classes

Materials
Instructional Strategies and Procedures
1. Computers
2. Projector
3. Google Earth
4. Google Doc with list of what to include
in their journey/path
5. HDMI cord
6. Cheat sheet steps for creating a Lit trip
1. Welcome students in to class. Give them
instructions on what they will need for
today. They should have their
computers, and open the Google
document that is on their Google
classroom page
2. Ask students if they have used Google
Earth before and what they enjoy about
it. Allow time for four or five responses.
3. Explain to students that they will be
using Google Earth today and next class
to create a literature trip based on places
that are significant to them.
a. After they create and share their
story, students will complete a
Lit trip created for the book, The
Adventures of Tom Sawyer by
Mark Twain, which their English
teacher helped compose.
4. The Google document has a list of
places to include and suggestions for
places they might want to consider
 adding. Students will take time to fill
this chart out with the location of each
place and a description of its importance
to them.
a. Remind students that they should
include the town where they are
from, not their specific address,
so that privacy is maintained.
5. Show students the sample Lit Trip that
the librarian made showcasing her life.
This example should help students
understand what it will look like in the
end and how to go about the process.
a. https://drive.google.com/open?
id=10kV14McGdaEwrwjgM-
nN6NQfwIBhsXHp&usp=sharin
g
6. Ask students if they have any questions.
7. Tell them they can use the rest of class
time to fill out their Google doc with
places and descriptions. If they do not
finish that, it will be homework, because
during the next class, they will be adding
their places to Google Earth.
8. During the next class, have students
access their cheat sheet for Google Earth
and placing pins.
9. Complete a quick walk through with the
steps so students can visually see what
they need to click on (All the steps listed
below are also on the handout students
have).
a. Click on the three bars in the left-
hand corner.
b. Select a new project.
c. Title your project [your name]
journey.
d. Select New Feature drop down
menu and then choose search to
add a place
e. Type in the location you have in
the Google Doc
f. Click add to project
g. Rename the title to what the
question was asking (ex. Favorite
Vacation Spot; Where my

Assessment
Accommodations for Exceptional Students
Resources used to create lesson
ancestors came from)
h. Continue steps four through
seven for each of the six places
listed on the Google Doc
i. After all your markers are in,
click on the editing pencil for
each of the six places. In each
edit, you should be able to add a
description. Under the
description box, make sure to
click on the small info box tab.
Complete this step for all the
places you marked.
j. You can have fun with this step
and change the color and design
of the place markers as well!
k. Once you’re finished, click on
the present tab and view your
journey! Use the table of
contents bar on the bottom left
and click the arrows to go from
place to place. Your descriptions
should appear for each one.
10. Ask if there are any questions, and then
allow students to work on inserting their
places. Remind them to save their trips
and turn it in through Google classroom.
11. Circulate the room in case students have
questions.
1. Students will demonstrate their
understanding of literature trips by
completing their own using Google
Earth and showcasing six significant
places in their life.
Students with accommodations listed will be
followed per IEP.
● Frequent movement breaks
● Cues to stay on task
● Preferential seating
● Simplified tests and instructions
● Information and tests read aloud
Google Earth
https://www.googlelittrips.org/downloadResour
ces/HowDoIBeginBuildingAGoogleLitTrip.pdf
https://www.googlelittrips.org/litTripLibrary/gr
ades6-8.php

My Sample Lit Trip:

https://drive.google.com/open?
id=10kV14McGdaEwrwjgM-
nN6NQfwIBhsXHp&usp=sharing
 Google Lit Trip Places
1. Where you grew up (remember to list the town, not your full address!):
a. Place: Allentown, PA
b. Description: This is where I grew up. There are lots of parks, nature trails,
restaurants, and adventures to be had. We have an amusement park and the
DaVinci Science center, which is a fun, hands-on way to explore science and the
world.

2. Your favorite vacation spot or a fun place you visited:

a. Place: Ketchikan, Alaska
b. Description: I went on a cruise with my family to Alaska, and then we did a land
tour. All of Alaska is beautiful, and we got to explore the rainforest in Ketchikan,
see wild animals, try yummy food, and explore the towns.

3. Where is your family from? (Where can your ancestry be traced to?):
a. Place: England
b. Description: My dad’s side of the family is from England, and we also have some
Welsh descent. Each year, my dad’s side of the family, Conaway’s, gets together
for a family reunion weekend. There is around sixty of us who make it, and it’s a
fun weekend of camping, hanging out with aunts, uncles, and cousins, and
listening to my eighty-five-year-old great uncle play the banjo and harmonica.

4. Where is one place you’d like to visit but haven’t yet?:

a. Place: Diepenau, Germany
b. Description: I would love to visit Germany, because I took five years of the
language. I also had a German exchange student, Tina, live with me for three
weeks when we were in high school. We formed a great friendship, and I would
love to visit her and her town.

5. Do you prefer the mountains or the beach? (Choose a beach or mountain to put your
place marker at!):
a. Place: Beach, St. Petersburg, FL
b. Description: This beach is beautiful and has clear water with fun activities to do
around the area. Going to the beach in general is great, because I like the warmth,
sounds of the waves, and relaxation! This is also the beach, I went to when I won
a writing contest my favorite author, Karen Kingsbury, was holding. She had a
five-day beach getaway with writing workshops, music, special guests, etc.

6. Would you rather spend a day in nature (at a park, canoeing, biking, etc.) or an
amusement park? Choose one and then find a place in the world that has one of these to
pin!
a. Place: Nature, Luray Caverns, VA
 b. Description: I love exploring nature and seeing new sites. I visited the Luray
Caverns and learned about their history and saw the beauty of these underground
creations.
Cheat Sheet Steps for Creating a Google Lit Trip

1. Click on the three bars in the left-hand corner.

2. Select new project.
3. Title your project [your name] Journey.
4. Select New Feature drop down menu and then choose search to
add a place
5. Type in the location you have in the Google Doc
6. Click add to project
7. Rename the title to what the question was asking (ex. Favorite
Vacation Spot; Where my ancestors came from)
8. Continue steps four through seven for each of the six places listed
on the Google Doc
9. After all your markers are in, click on the editing pencil for each of
the six places. In each edit, you should be able to add a description.
Under the description box, make sure to click on the small info box
tab. Complete this step for all the places you marked.
a. You can have fun with this step and change the color and
design of the place markers as well!

Once you’re finished, click on the present tab and view your journey!
Use the table of contents bar on the bottom left and click the arrows to
go from place to place. Your descriptions should appear for each one.