Application

Physical Geography of Europe

Google Earth^TM Scavenger Hunt

Now that you have learned about the physical geography of Europe, you will explore the continent using a geographic information system (GIS). You will use the web application Google Earth^TM to find several important physical features in Europe.

Visit the Google Earth^TM website and install the plug-in, if prompted. See the Student Resources section for help if it is not installed. If you are not sure how to use this application, view the Video Tutorials on Google Earth^TM before you begin.

Practice with Google Earth^TM

Once you have viewed the video tutorials, complete the following tasks to practice with Google Earth^TM before you begin the assignment.

Task 1: Find a Region

Click on the Google Earth^TM icon to start the application.
Center your map so you can see your local city or town. You can also use the Search function in the upper left corner of the application window.

Task 2: Experiment with the Controls

Move your mouse to the right side of the screen. Click on the plus (+) and minus (-) buttons to zoom in and out.
Move and rotate the globe by clicking on it and dragging with the mouse.

Task 3: Use Layers

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) show information in layers, or groups of related elements. You can use layers to add additional data to the map. This may include borders, geographic features, traffic, weather, population density, and landmarks. In this assignment, you will use the layers provided by Google Earth^TM.

Now that you are set up in Google Earth^TM, you are ready to complete the assignment. Download and use the Scavenger Hunt Chart to help guide your work.

After completing this assignment, please submit your work to the dropbox.