Don't overlook KMZ files for turning Google Earth into a great tool for your classroom.

If you do not know what KMZ files are, you are not alone... but maybe now is the time to learn what you are missing for you and your students.  In short, KMZ files are data files opened by Google Earth. KMZ files can contain placemarks featuring a custom name; the latitudinal and longitudinal coordinates for the location, and 3D model data.


Here are just a few sites and ideas to wet your appetite: 


Track Weather, Hungriness and more:  Visit from this site for more info: http://www.gearthblog.com/blog/archives/weather/  


Take virtual field trips with Google Earth, by downloading KMZ files:
http://geology.utah.gov/geo_guides/st_george/index.htm

How to create a virtual field trip: http://www.bridge.edu.au/verve/_resources/GoogleEarthHowToVFT.pdf

Identify key elements of what human life on the Moon would be like bu taking a Lunar Field Trip: http://www.realworldmath.org/Real_World_Math/Lunar_Field_Trip.html 

Useful Google Earth Layers

• impact craters
• population density

Hopefully this has sparked your interest and opened up some ideas and ways you can use this within your classroom. A simple Google search for "kmz field trip"or "download kmz files" will turn up more resources and get you on your way to adding this resource within your classroom lessons.