Crack the Code: March Edition : Google Earth : Math . Landforms . Teamwork . FUN

This activity is your class’ virtual field trip ticket to exploring landforms and destinations from around the world… all with a fun March twist! Questions touch on: St. Patrick’s Day, Leprechauns, Basketball, Baby Animals, Rainbows, and Spring!

ALL THE INTERESTING DETAILS
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For each of the 5 questions, students will:
➊ Find the destination on Google Earth using a tablet or computer.
➋ Use the map to solve the question and circle the correct answer from the 2 multiple choices given… each answer comes with a visual number (either on dice, fingers, ten frame, or tally marks) that will eventually help students “crack the code.”
➌ Once all 5 questions are answered, students will add up the total of all their answers (Tip: teach younger students to TOUCH the dots/ fingers/ tallies as they count so they don’t lose track) and if they have answered everything correctly, they will be able to tell the teacher the top secret code! Instruct kids to keep this TOP SECRET (don’t shout it out!) and come whisper it to you when they think they know it.

Optional Ending: The teacher can reward groups as they finish with a QR code and/or bitly address for a “secret” website (provided) that will take them to an interesting live cam featuring an animal from one of the questions (this one is a really good bald eagle cam). It will give fast finishers something engaging to explore while other groups continue to crack the code!

I've designed these Crack the Code Google Earth activities to use in my Kindergarten classroom after we took a day or 2 to just have fun exploring and learning how to use Google Earth. Honestly, I didn’t know how to use Google Earth, but the 1 minute tutorial on their site taught me enough to get started and I’m sure you can figure it out easily, too! It’s an AMAZING resource! My class has 3:1 iPads so I set my kids up in teams and made sure each group had a higher “reader” in it to help them. I rotated around to assist and answer questions, too. My 1st and 4th graders at home LOVE these crack the code sheets as well so I know it’d be a blast for any elementary age student. This would also be fun to do together with “buddies” from another grade. Look for more “Crack the Code” activities coming soon!